Cascades Casino Chatham is preparing for its gradual return to the regional gaming scene. Gateway Casinos and Entertainment recently announced that the casino venue in Chatham is going to reopen its food quarters for both in-person dining and ordering takeout. For the time being, gambling on the premises of the casino remains closed.
Over the past four months, in-person casino gaming has remained unavailable across all of the gaming venues overseen by the casino operator. The casino operator had to shut down all 25 of its gaming halls and casino venues back in March. They span over provinces to the likes of British Columbia and Ontario, both affected by the lockdown. The gradual reopening of the venues is in progress.
Restaurant Relaunches
The province of Ontario is now in Stage 3 of the business reopening plan and the casino operator is evaluating its operation. Its facilities are eligible for a reopening whenever they are ready for it and they have implemented all the mandatory safety measures. However, there is a concerning factor that prevents that from happening.
Ontario’s government made it clear that indoors gaming activities should be limited to 50 individuals at all times, in order to protect both the patrons coming to gamble and the casino staff members working there on a daily basis. This capacity reduction is what concerns Gateway Casinos, as it would pose a threat to the future operation of the venues that choose to reopen. The venues eligible for opening are located in the Southwest Gaming Bundle, spanning across Clinton, Hanover, Woodstock, Chatham, and London.
Along with them, regions to the likes of Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Rama, and Innisfil are also allowed to reopen. Gateway Casinos is worried that relaunching in-person gaming now would not be a sustainable move in the long run and could do more harm than good. An approach that could still boost the facilities is the reopening of their restaurants.
Cascades Casino Chatham
Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Rob Mitchell, recently made it clear that MATCH Eatery & Public House adjacent to Cascades Casino Chatham is soon going to launch operation. July 30 is set to see its official reopening, as the gaming venue strives to stay afloat and support its future operation. The revenue generated by the restaurant will be put to good use.
In addition to that, staff members responsible for its daily operation will return to their workplace for the first time in more than four months. Chatham residents will get the chance to enjoy both in-person dining and ordering takeout. Gateway Casinos also pointed out that the patio this restaurant is renowned for will also be open for people ready to enjoy the fresh air.
Brent Dallimore, Director, Food and Beverage, Gateway Casinos, Eastern Canada, stated that the gradual reopening of casino complexes has been long anticipated. This family-friendly offering is projected to attract people of all ages to the area, boosting their social activities outdoors. All safety measures have been implemented along with a virtual queue system promoting physical distancing.
