The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation is moving forward in the process of assigning an operator for the day-to-day gambling operations at its Windsor casino. This week, the Crown agency issued a Request for Proposal documents to pre-qualified proponents, which have been given the go-ahead to submit the terms of their bid to operate the gaming establishment.
Through the Request for Proposals, the Crown corporation will be able to hear bids from proponents and select a highly qualified service provider to run the day-to-day operations. The winner will be also required to ensure the long-term competitiveness of the gaming destination, so it can resume to provide economic benefits for the local community and the province.
Advancing to the RFP Stage
Those who will be eligible to submit their proposals through the RFP process were selected by the Crown a while back after OLGās Request for Pre-Qualification process concluded on May 25, 2023. The current operator of the site is Caesars Entertainment, but the gambling giantās contract with the Crown corporation is set to expire in August 2025.
According to the Crown, during the Request for Proposal state, candidates who advanced from the initial phase will receive documents that will outline the opportunity in Windsor and the information required to submit a detailed proposal. Then the OLG will pick the one that best fits the needs of the location and brings the best economic value to the region and the province.
OLG insists that the integrity of the procurement process is of tremendous importance to the regulator, as public procurements involve information and details of a commercially sensitive nature. Due to this, further information from the RFP documents and the names of the pre-approved applicants will not be disclosed to the public, while the process is still underway.
Furthermore, there will be no other communication or updates by the Crown regarding the RFP process for the Windsor site, until a suitable service provider has been selected and announced to the public. OLG has also collaborated with the services of a Fairness Monitor to provide oversight and advice during the procurement process of finding a new operator.
Offering Retail Sports Wagering
Over the years, Caesars Entertainment has taken good care of the gaming property, currently known as Caesars Windsor Casino. During its term as a service provider, the casino launched retail sports betting on its premises. This became a reality in January 2023, as the property opened a brand-new Caesars Sportsbook for its many sports fans.
Guests of the Windsor gaming destination will be glad to learn that the new retail sportsbook boasts seven self-service betting kiosks. They are complemented by 22 large-screen HD LED TVs, which stream important sporting events from all around the globe. Management of the casino said that the elevated, modern design provides an inviting space to enjoy sporting events.
Source: āOLG Releases RFP for Windsor Casinoā OLG, October 10, 2023
