North Bay is preparing to welcome its first casino venue overseen by Gateway Casinos & Entertainment amid quite the controversy. The official groundbreaking of this project is going to take place this Friday following months of preparation and conversations on the pros and cons of a casino venue in this particular area of North Bay.

It could be recalled that the Blanding’s turtle natural habitat was considered threatened by the casino venue construction. This week is going to be a special one for the North Bay area, as it is scheduled to see the official green light of Cascades Casino North Bay.

This CA$31.3 million gaming project has been contemplated for many months now with the conversation extending. One of the initial issues that had to be solved was the very location of the casino venue.

Official Ceremony this Friday

The casino operator eyed the old Moe-Ze-On-Inn on Pinewood Park Drive as a potential location for the venue, but then a change of heart was evident. The last months of 2017 saw the former Nordfibre area proposed as an alternative location for future casino venue operation.

Further evaluation of its benefits and shortfalls led the casino operator to the conclusion that Pinewood Park Drive would suffice and meet the expectations of both the management and casino patrons making their way there. In the meantime, City Council had the task to convince the locals that a casino venue is going to bring benefits to the city coffers and various local projects in need of funding.

There have been individuals expressing opposition and groups such as Save the Turtles, Stop the Casino putting efforts into highlighting the dangers of a casino venue construction in this particular area. Gateway Casinos pointed out it is ready to collaborate with the province on this subject. At the end of the day, groundbreaking this Friday is going to take place on Pinewood Park Drive.

Cascades Casino North Bay Launches Next Spring

Rob Mitchell, Director of Communications with Gateway Casinos, made it clear that in the upcoming weeks the casino location is going to undergo its initial phases of construction and preparation work on site. The parcel of land pinpointed for construction amounts to 7.3 acres that would soon see the rising casino complex with its adjacent family-friendly offerings.

The gaming floor is going to feature some 300 slots and 10 table games, offerings diverse gaming to everyone interested in taking advantage of it. All of this is going to be spread across 14,100 square feet of premium gaming space. In addition to that, the venue is also going to feature Gateway Casinos’ signature sports bar MATCH, as well as more family-friendly dining offerings. Cascades Casino North Bay will be situated in the Highway 11 area, guaranteeing a constant flow of individuals and potential new casino patrons on a daily basis.

Upcoming weeks are also going to see more information on the number of staff members that would be needed on site of the complex. The official groundbreaking ceremony is projected to feature household names to the likes of Carrie Kormos, Gateway Casinos’ Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Vic Fedeli, Ontario Minister of Finance, MPP Nipissing, Al McDonald, Mayor of North Bay, and Lori Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.