Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Chief Executive Officer Tony Santo has announced the Palace Casino at West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, British Columbia, will undergo a million makeover and rebranding, to be completed in fall 2016. Rebranded as the Starlight Casino Edmonton, the expanded 115,000 square foot property will offer 850 slot machines and 34 table games, compared to the Palace’s 670 slots and 24 tables, Santo said. The Palace will remain open during renovations.
Last April, Gateway announced a $32-million upscale gaming and entertainment complex, the Grand Villa Edmonton, would replace the Baccarat casino in downtown Edmonton.
Santo noted, “I must admit when I first visited our properties, I was disappointed. I thought we could do a better job for our customers and our employees. What we’re trying to get away from is slots in a box and that’s essentially what a lot of gaming is today. We want to develop entertainment venues that people can come, have a good time and eat and drink with their friends. If they want to gamble, that’s fine, and if they don’t want to gamble, that’s fine, too. We don’t want to be just about gambling. We want to be about entertainment, about a night out.”
In addition to gaming, the Starlight will offer an Atlas Steak and Fish restaurant, a Match Eatery and Public House and a supper club. Santo said the expansion will create 300 new jobs to a total of 500.
West Edmonton Mall President David Ghermezian said the mall is known for shopping, “but we’ve always kept up the entertainment to a world-class level as well. We’re going to offer a world-class gaming and entertainment experience similar to what you’re going to get in Las Vegas. We offer world-class shopping, the water park and amusements are world-class facilities and now our gaming. Gaming and shopping go hand-in-hand.”
The Palace and Baccarat are two of Gateway’s 12 Western Canada properties that have been or will be redeveloped.
