After threatening to leave the Western Fair District in London, Ontario to look for a bigger location, it appears Gateway Casino and Entertainment is staying put. Last week, the company said in a release it had reached a new lease agreement with the fairgrounds.
“We are currently working on our future development plans for Gateway Casinos London that will see us expand our existing footprint,” said Grant Darling, senior vice president of operations for Gateway Casinos Ontario in the release.
The saga began just before 2018, when the Western Fair District and Gateway were locked in negotiations for a new lease. Talks soon were at an impasse and the gaming company, which has casinos in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, said they were looking for a new home.
Gateway had its eye on a piece of land about eight miles away on Wonderland Road South. Plans called for a $75 million casino that would have 700 new employees and bring in approximately $2.5 million in taxes and $4.5 in revenue sharing for the Ontario Lottery Gaming Corp.
Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic halted plans on the project shortly after it received approval from the city council. The planned development fell through and Gateway refocused its effort on getting its lease renewed with the fairgrounds.
Part of the agreement includes plans to expand on its current location, though specifics have not been revealed. Rob Mitchell, director of communications and public affairs for Gateway, told Global News of Canada that the lease was renewed.
“I can confirm that we are definitely staying at the fairground, and we have come to an agreement with fairground management and the senior management team there, and we are going to be a fixture at the fairground for many years to come,” Mitchell said.
Reg Ash, CEO of the Western Fair District, did divulge to Global News some of the details about the expansion, saying the casino will expand within the Grandstand.
“They’re working through what those plans look like, and as their announcement said, they’ll have more details to share in a few months,” Ash said. “We’re excited about their decision to stay put and invest in the district.”
