The small gaming venue in the town of Gananoque, Ontario, known as Shorelines Casino Thousand Islands, received city approval to construct a four-storey hotel. In a unanimous vote on Monday, the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands allowed the development of a 60,547-square-foot building with 78 hotel rooms across from the casino.
The new, Windgate by Wyndham hotel will also have an indoor pool and spa, a lobby and lounge space, as well as a large meeting space for conventions and other events. Eighteen of all 78 rooms will act as “extended stay” suits for guests who need accommodation for longer periods of time. These units will feature kitchenettes and living rooms. In order to let the Shorelines Casino Thousand Islands add a hotel to the main gaming facility, the Township Council approved the necessary rezoning of the 3.7-acre site which would allow the land to be used for commercial and tourist purposes. The land was previously zoned for a trailer park and councillors needed to waive the 12-metre height restriction that was imposed.
The hotel will be located on the site of the former MacNeil Park Lane trailer park that closed two years ago. Before construction can begin, the developer will need to demolish the old house that is currently on the property. The official plan amendments that permit the building of a 60,547-square-foot hotel across County Road 2 from the casino will be officially ratified by the Township Council later this week or next week. In addition, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment will need to give approval for the septic system that is to be built for the hotel, according to planning consultant Mark Touw.
Shorelines Casino Thousand Islands is located in the outskirts of Gananoque and is operated by the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation. It has nearly 550 slot machines and a nice variety of gaming tables where casino patrons can play blackjack, baccarat, poker, roulette, and more. There are also a bar and a restaurant.
Shorelines Casino Brings the First Hotel in the Area since the 19th Century
The project for a hotel was proposed two years ago, with rezoning applications filed in the Township Council soon after. It became clear that connecting to the water and sewer services Gananoque would be too costly for the small town, so developers decided to construct their own water well and septic system. These will now need to be approved by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. Before it can be operational, the hotel will need further approvals from the city and the province.
It is not clear when the new hotel across from the Shorelines Casino Thousand Islands would be completed and ready to open. Developers hope to launch it in the spring – probably the next spring, so they can take advantage of the peak tourist season. Councillors John Paul Jackson and Liz Huff describe the project as very exciting, while Mayor Joe Baptista said to local reporters that this would be the first hotel to be constructed since 1896. There are, of course, several inns and small hotels in the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands, but this would be a brand new, modern property that would accommodate the increasing number of gamblers expected to visit the Shorelines Casino across the road.
