London Ontario Casino
Posted : admin On 4/8/2022Despite casinos being included in Stage 3 of the province's reopening plan, Gateway Casinos London won't be opening its doors Monday.
Rob Mitchell, director of communications and public affairs with Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Ltd., confirmed in an email that they currently have no set time for reopening any Gateway locations.
On Monday, Premier Doug Ford unveiled plans for Stage 3, which would see gathering limits increase to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors starting this Friday.
Read more: Ontario reopening Stage 3: Gathering limit increasing as indoor dining, gyms permitted to reopen
The Casinos of Ontario. OLG is directly involved in one true casino – OLG Casino Brantford, which offers 540 slot machines, 48 gaming table, and 14 poker tables. London – Still up in the air but likely to be refurbished and expanded by Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Ltd who has proposed a new gaming floor, hotel. October 6, 2020 – Gateway Casinos & Entertainment (Gateway) is pleased to announce that it will re-open select properties in Ontario as part of the province’s Stage 3 guidelines. Beginning on Thursday, October 8, locations in Woodstock, Clinton and Hanover will re-open and all other Gateway locations – except for Casino Rama Resort.
Under Phase 3 of Ontario's reopening plan, casinos will be allowed to reopen with some restrictions. Both table games and buffets will not be permitted.
“We have developed extensive health and safety plans for each site, which includes two metres physical distancing, rigorous cleaning and sanitation measures and the mandatory use of masks or face coverings for all individuals entering our gaming sites,” Mitchell said in an email.
Before the casino can reopen, Mitchell said the plans need to be independently reviewed by a health and safety expert and submitted to the regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
Read more: Coronavirus: London gyms and theatres ready for Stage 3 reopening
“We’re moving forward as a province, but we can’t stop. We won’t stop until we get every person in Ontario — until we get every worker in Ontario back to work and back on their feet. But today’s news is an important step forward,” Premier Doug Ford said during the announcement Monday.
Ford said the government will provide an update every Monday on regional reopenings.
Also reopening in Stage 3 are gyms, movie theatres, and playgrounds. Restaurants and bars are also allowed to open up inside in addition to the patios they were allowed to open in Stage 2.
Attractions like galleries, zoos, museums, performing arts venues will be able to reopen — again, with public health measures in place.
— With files from Ryan Rocca, Global News
By Kirk DickinsonJuly 30, 2019 9:27pmDespite raising several issues about a lack of public consultation, London Council has given its stamp of approval to allow a new casino to be built in the city’s southwest.
City council voted 9-4 in favour of rezoning of the property and approving the proposed site plan for Gateway Casinos and Entertainment to build a new $75 million casino at a site on Wonderland Road, north of Wharncliffe Road.
Debate surrounding the rezoning and site plan of the casino had many councillors divided on how to proceed, with some urging fellow councillors to vote on an amendment to allow for further public consultation on the site planning process. City staff estimated that a further public consultation on the site plan would delay the process by several weeks.
Councillor Maureen Cassidy expressed concern that not enough members of the community were given an opportunity to have their voices heard.
“This is a very big matter for the city of London and the region, including neighbouring First Nations communities. A public site plan meeting allows the public to weigh in,” said Cassidy, who added that only 11 notices went out for public consultation due to city rules that regulate how far applications are distributed from the planned site. “This is a city-wide issue… a lot more than 11 properties are impacted by this.”
Councillor Elizabeth Peloza also said her constituents had come to her with concerns about a possible increase in traffic and crime once the casino is operational.
The amendment was defeated, however, with Mayor Ed Holder arguing prior to the vote that any further delays to the project could result in Gateway deciding to build its casino elsewhere.
“This isn’t an issue about whether gambling should be legal in London — about 20 years ago that issue was decided. This isn’t an issue about expanding gambling — that issue was approved by the last council,” said Holder. “When you understand how business works, particularly as this process has taken longer than some might imaging… Gateway has a choice — they can go north of the 401 or they can go south. And what’s at stake? $75 million of construction with the construction jobs associated with it. That’s hundreds of jobs.”
He pointed out that $7 million a year in city revenue, along with the the 700 jobs that the new casino is expected to create, would have also been at risk.
“Every economic indicator says this makes sense for us… time delays mean real money,” he said.
While Holder said it is largely the responsibility of OLG, council did approve another amendment 11-2 that will allow for public consultation with nearby First Nations communities regarding the new casino. However, development and construction of the new entertainment complex will proceed as planned.
The site of the new casino was first proposed at the Western Fair District, where the existing Gateway casino is located. However, debate lasted more than two years with the gaming company ultimately purchasing the land on Wonderland Road South. Operations at the Western Fair District casino are expected to cease once the new casino opens, with staff moving to the new location on Wonderland Road.
The “Starlight Casino” is expected to include 900 slot machines, 40 table games, live music and multiple restaurants. Gateway has billed the casino as the single largest investment the British Columbia-based company has made in Ontario.
London Ontario Casino Table Games
The company recently opened a new $36 million casino in Chatham-Kent earlier this month.