Despite the bad weather and the strong opposition from city residents, the Shorelines Casino that is under construction in Peterborough is set to open by the end of the summer. The facility is expected to offer 500 slots and more than 20 gaming tables, which would attract more customers and would contribute to the local economic development.
The construction of Shorelines Casino Peterborough at 1400 Crawford Drive in Peterborough, Ontario, started September 2017. Although the work has been somewhat delayed by the bad weather this winter, the construction is on schedule and the grand opening is expected in late August or early September. This was revealed in a TV interview this week by developers of the new property, project superintendent David Robb and Bryan Buchanan, general manager at Shoreline Slots.
Around 75 construction workers are now employed in the project which has taken an investment of CA$49 million. The cost of the new property is considerable, especially when taking into account that it is relatively smaller in comparison with other gambling facilities in the province of Ontario. Shorelines Casino Peterborough, however, would serve a small community with its 500 slot machines and 22 gaming tables where patrons will have the opportunity to play roulette, blackjack or poker. Along with the gaming space, there will be two dining outlets, Buchanan told Canadian media channel Global News, one of them will be a buffet restaurant, while the other will have a la carte offerings.
According to David Robb, the roofing is nearly complete and with the weather expected to change for the best in the coming weeks, constructors will start working on the exterior. The 30,000-square-foot property should be ready for its grand opening in August or September, but a 100-room hotel and a 500-seat concert hall have also been proposed as part of the project.
Not Everyone Is Enthusiastic about Casino Opening
The casino complex currently under construction at Crawford Drive and The Parkway will be operated by the Ontario Gaming East Limited Partnership (OGELP). One of the largest gambling companies in Canada, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, is the majority shareholder and lead operator in the partnership, while the other entity is Brookfield Business Partners. In January, OGELP inked a 22-year Casino Operating and Services Agreement with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). Operating OLGās East Gaming Bundle, OGELP is now responsible for three properties, namely Shorelines Casino Thousand Island, Shorelines Casino Belleville and Shorelines Slots at Kawartha Downs.
The new casino in Peterborough is replacing the Kawartha Downs slots parlour and is expected to bring in around CA$3 million in city coffers each year. The 150 employees at the existing venue will also be moved to the new property and another 150 jobs will be created. Despite the many opportunities, however, not everyone in Peterborough is so enthusiastic about the new casino. In a recent poll, commissioned by the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, 60.7 per cent of city residents say they are against the gambling facility. Only a quarter of the people in the survey support casino expansion, while a little over 14 per cent say they are not sure.
According to the results of the poll, carried out by Toronto-based Daisy Consulting Group, 80.9 per cent of Peterborough residents have never visited the current venue at Kawartha Downs. This begs the question of how successful the new casino would be. And in order to be beneficial to the community, it should generate sufficient revenue.
