North Bay might have to wait a while longer for its Cascades Casino North Bay, as Gateway Casino & Entertainment announced some changes to the construction timeline earlier this month. Workers taking care of the construction of the casino complex have put their work on pause as a result of the unprecedented situation, following the guidelines issued by the provincial government.
It became clear that construction work would not continue in the foreseeable future, as it is not considered an essential business. Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Director of Communications and Public Affairs Rob Mitchell pointed out that the casino venue on Pinewood Park Drive was put on hold indefinitely and for the time being there are no projections regarding the construction relaunch.
Dynamic Situation
Mr. Mitchell also made it clear that the unprecedented situation has put on hold all casino complex constructions across Canada. This includes future Gateway Casinos sites across Canada. The dynamic situation does not allow any projections to be made, as it is constantly changing. May 6 is expected to see a reevaluation of the situation on a provincial level, which could shed more light on the current situation.
The CA$31.1-million casino complex was expected to be finished later this year, as its construction commenced in May 2019. Construction of this magnitude usually takes about a year to be completed and welcoming its first casino patrons eager to see everything up for grabs on its premises. Mr. Mitchell wants to see the end of this situation and the second start of the casino construction.
About 300 individuals are going to find their employment at Cascades Casino North Bay, making the project one of the positive boosts for the local economy and job market. The casino complex is about to span over 39,000 square feet of area, bringing together gambling offerings, as well as family-friendly offerings. When all is said and done, a diversified crowd is about to frequent the area.
Construction Suspension
Expectations at this point of the casino development are that it would bring up to CA$2 million to the North Bay city coffers over the span of a single year. The casino venue is about to send gaming revenue allocations on a regular basis, thus supporting the local community and its various projects.
Back at the beginning of March, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation had a frank conversation with the City Council. In it, the gaming leader clarified some details surrounding the agreement in question. Some 5.25 percent of the first CA$65 million generated from slot machines on site would be allocated to the city coffers. Along with that, North Bay is also about to receive 4 percent of live table games revenue generated by Cascades Casino North Bay.
In addition to that, preparation work in the area is also in progress despite the construction halt. The City of North Bay is currently seeking an expert that could reshape Lakeshore Drive and Pinewood Park Drive to facilitate traffic to and fro the casino complex. This would make it possible for the casino patrons to travel around without putting pressure on traffic in the area.
