New casino expected to open for Canada Day
If all goes as planned, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent could have an added celebration on Canada Day — the opening of a new $36-million casino in Chatham. Members of council and local media toured the construction site recently and received an update on the project from Tony Santo, CEO of Gateway Casinos & Entertainment, which will operate the facility.
He gave credit to the partnership that’s been developed with the municipality from the infancy stage of the project up to now, adding this is evident by the fact construction is ahead of schedule. He cited the work Chatham-Kent did in helping with the planning, site selection and with the permitting process. “We’re really excited and anxious to get the property open,” Santo said. Finishes are being applied to the exterior of the building, which should be fully sealed when large glass sections are installed within a few weeks.
Robert Principe, project manager with BLT Construction Services — the firm contracted to build the 45,000-square-foot facility — said the finish stage of the project will begin about mid-March, which should take about four months. If all goes well, this could be reduced to 31/2 months, he said. Principe said the original target completion date was Aug. 15 and “right now we’re tracking for July 1.” Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff is pleased to hear praise for Chatham-Kent’s efforts to help make the casino project go smoothly.
“It really makes a statement that Chatham-Kent’s open for business,” he said. “This is one example, but we want every business to have the same experience.” Staff currently working at the slots facility in Dresden, will have the opportunity to move over to Chatham, Santo said.