Gateway Casinos & Entertainment is currently eyeing the official opening of its new casino complex in London, Ontario, a project of grand proportions. The new CA$75-million gaming hotspot would be able to attract individuals interested in gaming on a daily basis and make the region an even more popular region. For the time being, the casino leader cannot confirm when construction would recommence.
The unprecedented situation around the globe has led to the gradual shutdown of all larger projects and construction work in Canada. This includes large casino complexes under construction that have been sticking to their initial plan and timeline. Gateway Casinos had to put an end to work on the construction site of the future casino hotspot back in March.
Casino Construction Stopped
London residents are looking forward to the new casino complex that would stand tall and attract a crowd of individuals interested in winning big. The facility is about to span over 10,000 square meters and offer both gambling offerings attracting eyeballs, and more family-friendly gaming opportunities, diversifying the revenue sources down the road. However, the casino operator had just commenced its work on the project, when lockdown came.
The initial projections for Starlight Casino London were that it would welcome its first casino patrons sometime in 2021. This timeline of events supposes about 12 months for the construction phase of every casino venue Gateway Casinos works on. Things have changed since the beginning of the casino construction, as social distancing is the recommended practice at the moment. Construction workers would not be able to distance themselves from their coworkers.
This is the reason why Gateway Casinos decided to shut down construction and wait for better days to come. However, this is expected to introduce a significant delay in the original plan for action. In a recent statement, the casino operator could not pinpoint a particular date that could see the return of construction at 3334 and 3354 Wonderland Rd. S.
Launch Date Remains Unknown
Gateway Casinos Spokesperson Rob Mitchell recently provided some updates regarding the construction process taking place. At this point, the former cement company occupying the area has been razed to create space for the new casino complex. In addition to that, the casino operator has also set up the boarding for the new hotspot, paving the way for more development in the upcoming months.
Mr. Mitchell made it clear that brick-and-mortar casinos across the country are still closed for business in a lockdown situation. Gaming revenues from in-person gaming are non-existent which does not suppose construction to be happening. He pointed out that a continuous pouring of cash into the project would be a premature thing to do given the circumstances. At this point, projections are hard to make.
A reopening of the brick-and-mortar casinos across Ontario and Canada would have to happen gradually and under the supervision of the governments. Social distancing would protect the health of casino patrons, but implementing the measure would be a unique situation in every casino Gateway Casinos oversees. The process of reopening is expected to take longer than the instant shutdown that took place in March.
