The Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation and Ontario Gaming GTA LP, a partnership between Great Canadian Gaming Corporation and Brookfield Business Partners LP, announced they will renovate Great Blue Heron Casino in Port Perry, Ontario, Canada. The casino will keep its name but new marketing and branding will be developed. The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year, officials said.
Chief Kelly LaRocca said, “The Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation community is eager to work with OGGLP on the innovative and exciting changes that will be happening at GBH. We are thrilled with what’s coming next for GBH and are looking forward to consulting with our membership about the development that will be taking place in our community.”
Great Canadian Gaming President and Chief Executive Officer Rod Baker added, “As part of our commitment and partnership with the MSIFN, we are focused on building a state-of-the-art gaming entertainment facility that will continue to celebrate the heritage of the MSFIN community and provide exciting gaming options.”
Great Blue Heron Casino opened in 1997 on reserve land on Scugog Island. Its 650-seat bingo hall is long gone. It previously was renovated in 1999 and 2000. Currently its 25,000 square foot gaming floor features two bars, a restaurant and a 545-machine slot room. The casino has been operated by Casinos Austria, the Steiner Family and Sonco Gaming.
OLG manages Great Blue Heron’s slots and the nonprofit Baagwating Community Association, formed by the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, manages table games including roulette, blackjack, Spanish 21 and poker. Profit and revenue are distributed among the parties and to various charitable organizations based upon revenue sharing arrangements.
OLG selected OGGLP to operate the GTA Bundle, which includes OLG Slots at Woodbine, OLG Slots at Ajax Downs and Great Blue Heron Casino, all in the Toronto area. The three facilities have a combined total of more than 4,000 slot machines and 60 table games, with more than 2,200 employees, officials stated.
OGGLP acquired all of the gaming assets in the GTA Bundle through a $170 million transition and asset purchase agreement with OLG, which closed January 23. OGGLP has the exclusive right to operate these assets for at least 22 years.
Great Canadian Gaming also is building the new Shorelines Casino Peterborough, expected to open in late summer or early fall. It will be outfitted with slot machines from Kawartha Downs. Also 150 Kawartha Downs employees will move to Shorelines, which will hire an additional 150 employees.
