Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited has announced on Monday that they are planning to build a casino in Penticton city. Penticton Mayer, Andrew Jakubeit said that they are pleased with the news from Gateway and they have always had a vision for the South Okanagan Events Centre (SOEC) to become a premium destination. “This is a business that has been here since 2000 that has been a good contributor to the community.So to see a business grow and expand and invest $25 million is positive news” – says Jakubeit.
The new building will feature a 45 000m² entertainment complex and a casino. The new casino will be called Cascades Casino Penticton and will be situated next to the SOEC between the visitor information centre and the curling rink. While the interior of the curling rink will remain the same, the exterior is said to expect a face lift whereas the visitor centre will remain untouched, Jakubeit added.
Gateway invests $25 million in the city
In addition to the $25 million which will be invested in the Penticton city, the city will receive an expected revenue of $1.6 million as well as have a number of jobs created. The construction company will create employment and when the casino opens, 150 more jobs will be added to the existing 135 jobs.
Penticton community members will also be required to have their input before the project is approved by the B.C Lottery Corporate. People can also visit the city’s website to see sketch images and provide feedback. The Cascades Casino Penticton is set to open in May 2017.
