Talks are underway between the Corporation of Delta and the British Columbia Lottery to build a new casino at the base of the bridge that is being planned to replace the George Massey Tunnel, although no deal has been struck.
This would be a relocation and expansion of the Newton casino that Gateway Casinos and Entertainment operates.
The city of Richmond opposes this development, fearing that its River Rock Casino and Resort could be adversely affected by another casino so nearby. The casino, which opened in 2004, pays between $18-20 million to Richmond each year. Those revenues peaked in 2014 and have been trending lower since then.
Richmond is also concerned about traffic and expanded police activity that it would have to pay for without getting any casino revenue in return.
The city’s general manager of planning Joe Erceg in a recent report to the city council wrote, “Any casino in Delta should be located sufficiently away from Richmond, so as not to negatively affect the City.”
To emphasize its concerns the City of Richmond wrote a letter to the City of Delta noting that the Gaming Control Act requires its full consultation for placing a facility that close.
