Work on the new $31-million Cascades Casino is underway in North Bay after a May 31 groundbreaking ceremony that Finance Minister Vic Fedeli called "truly a historic occasion."
The site on Pinewood Park Drive in the city's south end will be home to the 39,000-square-foot casino that will employ 300 workers and is scheduled to open in mid-July of 2020.
"The development of the new Cascades Casino is one of the most significant economic development projects in North Bay in recent years," Fedeli told an audience of about 50, there to witness the event. "Its contribution to local and regional economic activity will be significant."
Carrie Kormos, chief marketing and communications officer for Gateway Casinos & Entertainment, the company developing the project, said Gateway is committed to using local suppliers and businesses.
"It will provide millions in economic spinoffs throughout construction and with locally sourced goods and services when completed," she said.
The new casino will feature two of its most successful restaurants – MATCH Eatery Public House and The Buffet – and Kormos promises "a local entertainment destination that will truly redefine entertainment with an array of dining and entertainment options to suit any taste."
Job creation was a big factor in the ceremony and Kormos said locals wanting to apply for work should keep their eyes open for opportunities in the coming months.
A website will be created for applications and the company will advertise to get the word out, hold a series of job fairs, and then train employees.
She said the company looks for people with outgoing personalities.
"It's a very exciting, dynamic career and you also get to have a little bit of fun," Kormos said. "People come to visit us to have a fun night out with family and friends, so we want someone who is interested in working in that kind of energetic, upbeat atmosphere."
Cascades Casino will feature 300 slots and eight live table games.
