Gateway Casinos confirms Kingsway land purchase but future plans unclear

Gateway Casinos confirmed its acquisition of land in Sudbury, Ontario, but declined to disclose further plans, leaving municipal officials and gaming industry observers uncertain about whether the site will see new development or casino operations.

The transaction, which closed on June 30, 2025, involved the purchase of property at 2700 on The Kingsway from Kingsway Entertainment District Inc. (KED).

A land title search reported by Sudbury.com identified Gateway Casinos as the buyer. The site was previously included in plans for the KED, a now-canceled project that proposed a casino, arena/event center, and hotel development.

In July 2022, Sudbury City Council withdrew municipal funding from the event center portion of the KED project. That decision led to the project’s cancellation. The arena and event center have since been relocated to downtown Sudbury, with a projected opening in 2028.

The previously proposed hotel partner for the KED project was Brandon, Manitoba-based Genesis Hospitality. The new land purchase does not include any confirmed details about partners or development scope.

The site, located on the north side of The Kingsway and west of the Sudbury Landfill Site, has since been rebranded by developer Dario Zulich as the Kingsway Employment District. Infrastructure work is ongoing to establish road access to the industrial area.

“It’s early stages,” Gateway Casinos Communications and Public Affairs Director Rob Mitchell told Sudbury.com in a statement. “Gateway can confirm that the company has purchased a parcel of land at 2700 on The Kingsway. The sale took place on June 30, 2025. At the present time, Gateway has no further public statement to make regarding any potential future development at the site."

The company did not respond to questions regarding the specific use of the property, potential timelines for development, or whether the location would replace or supplement its existing operations in Chelmsford. No comparisons to the previous KED project have been provided.

The status of future development at the Kingsway Employment District remains unknown.