USD 40M Cascades Casino opens in Kamloops

The Prokops joined a large crowd of invited guests for a private grand-opening function on Wednesday night, an event highlighted by a surprise performance by Colin James.

By the time the doors opened to the public at 8:30 p.m. parking was at a premium and the line of vehicles waiting to enter the casino lot stretched down to the new roundabout at Versatile and Hugh Allan drives.

“This is a great example of what the private sector can do when the government gets out of the way,” Transportation Minister Todd Stone said, noting the project created 200 construction jobs.

“It is absolutely spectacular,” Stone said of the 65,000-square-foot venue. “This is a world-class facility.”

Tony Santo, CEO of Gateway Casinos and Entertainment, which owns Cascades, noted the scope of the project by pointing out the three restaurants in the casino — Match Eatery and Public House, The Buffet and Atlas Steak and Fish — would not fit into the former location downtown, the 14,000-square-foot space in Hotel 540.

“We are rebranding our company to be an entertainment company, not a gaming company. We want people to come and have a good meal, gamble or not gamble, it doesn’t matter to us,” Santo said.

If visitors do wish to gamble, however, the difference between the old Lake City Casino and the new Cascades Casino is like Elko to Las Vegas. There are 500 slot machines, 18 table games and a three-table upper-level poker room, adjacent to a high-stakes room. There is also a main stage area for entertainment and open lounge areas throughout.

“The downtown casino was a bit of an eyesore and not what you would expect in a modern casino in the city that serves as the headquarters of BCLC,” Mayor Peter Milobar said.

“I’m not a big gambler by any means, but I am certainly not a saint, and I’ve been to the River Rock, the Villa and Vegas. I would say this is as good as it gets.” Such an appraisal was echoed by many who lined up outside on opening night.

“It is modern, professional, exciting,” patron Betty Sawchuk said as she watched players play roulette. “It is nice that it doesn’t have that dingy feel.”

BCLC CEO Jim Lightbody recounted a conversation he had with Milobar 18 months ago. He was
in Milobar’s city hall office, telling the mayor BCLC wanted to give Kamloops what it needs — a first-class casino.

“‘You’re the third CEO to say that, Jim,’” Lightbody recalled Milobar replying. “‘I’ll believe it when I see it.’”

Cascades employs 325 people and features a free shuttle that will take customers to and from the casino, with stops at downtown hotels, at the Coast Kamloops Hotel and Conference Centre in Aberdeen and at Thompson Rivers University on Saturdays.