A grand opening recently was held at the million Grand Villa Edmonton, located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada’s downtown ICE District, including Rogers Place ice hockey arena. Tony Santo, chief executive officer at Gateway Casino & Entertainment, owners of Grand Villa, said, “Whether it’s celebrating an Oilers win, enjoying a night of entertainment and gambling with friends or partaking in the unparalleled wine and culinary experience at Atlas, we believe that Grand Villa will be the perfect complement to all of the other amazing amenities ICE District will offer.”
Grand Villa is replacing the neighboring Baccarat Casino, also owned by Gateway Casinos, which will be demolished. Long considered an eyesore, Santo said, “We owned Baccarat. We don’t admit it often, because of the way it was. Its presentation really wasn’t what we wanted our company to represent. So we were really keen to the fact that we had an opportunity to show Edmonton what we can do with a casino. There is absolutely no comparison between the two.”
Grand Villa employs more than 400 people with a payroll of more than $4 million, Santo said.
Twice the size of the Baccarat, the 60,000 square foot, four-story Grand Villa will offer 24 gaming tables, 600 slot machines and private gaming salons. Dining options will include the casual Match Eatery & Public House offering live entertainment, fine dining Atlas Steak + Fish, plus a food court and several bars. Leading the culinary team will be Executive Chef Shelley Robinson, co-author of four cookbooks and former owner of restaurants in Calgary. Robinson also was a Canadian delegate for Slow Food Canada in Turin, Italy and recently won the Food Network’s Chopped Canada program and competed on its Season Four Top Chef Canada.
Santo noted the new casino will attract an elegant clientele and offer downtown Edmonton a sample of “New Las Vegas,” adding, “The casino is going to be absolutely gorgeous. Grand Villa is our highest brand. It’s not just about gambling. It’s about being entertained, and with the arena being just next door, it’s the perfect fit for us.”
