The new operator of the Dresden slots is holding a celebration next month for their customers. This comes after Gateway officially took over the operations of the Dresden facility on May 9.
A ‘Customer Celebration Day’ will be held Thursday, June 22, and many prizes and surprises will be available.
After signing a 20-year Casino Operating and Services Agreement with the OLG, Gateway took over day-to-day operations and the assets of not only the Dresden location, but the entire Southwest Gaming Bundle, which includes:
– OLG Slots at Western Fair District
– OLG Slots at Clinton Raceway
– OLG Slots at Dresden Raceway
– OLG Slots at Hanover Raceway
– OLG Slots at Woodstock Raceway
– OLG Casino Point Edward
“Today is a very exciting day and an important milestone for Gateway as we expand our footprint into Ontario with the completion of the transition process in Southwestern Ontario,” stated Tony Santo, Gateway’s chief executive officer.
“We thank the OLG for the hard work throughout the transition process and we look forward to our long-term partnership. On behalf of our 4,200 employees in Western Canada, we are very proud to officially welcome the OLG colleagues to our Gateway team.”
On December 13, 2016, OLG announced it had selected Gateway as the service provider for the Southwest Gaming Bundle. Gateway officials say OLG has worked with Gateway to help ensure that transferring employees have a smooth and seamless transition. This includes the requirement for Gateway to retain transferring employees for a period of no less than 12 months in their current position and geographic location, and to provide eligible employees with benefits and a registered pension plan.
Mayor Randy Hope said back in December that the Municipality is eager to work with Gateway.
“We look forward to working with the service provider to continue and maximize gaming in our community,” Hope said.
“The Dresden Slots have brought jobs and a significant amount of money into our economy and we would like to see Chatham-Kent continue to benefit from contribution agreements.”
Chatham-Kent receives between $800,000 and $900,000 annually from the operation.
At more than $2.2 billion annually, OLG provides the Ontario government with its largest source of non-tax revenue.
Company officials say Gateway now is the largest and most diversified gaming company in Canada.
Operating in British Columbia, Edmonton and Southwestern Ontario, Gateway has over 5,200 employees and operates 23 gaming properties with 248 tables, over 8,400 slots, 54 restaurants and bars and 272 hotel rooms.
As the selected service provider in Northern Ontario, Gateway will add three properties and two new planned builds to the portfolio when fully implemented.
This year Gateway is celebrating 25 years in the business of gaming and entertainment in Canada.
“Gateway’s growth strategy and focus on a superior customer experience revolves around investing in the company’s unique gaming properties and creating a broader attraction across numerous demographics,” stated Gabriel de Alba, Gateway’s Executive Chairman.
“Our success has resulted in significant job creation across the communities where we operate in Western Canada. We are bringing this same approach to Southwestern Ontario with a planned investment of over $200 Million to revitalize and enhance the gaming and entertainment landscape.”
There is no word on how much of that figure will be invested into the Dresden facility.
For more information, visit: www.gatewaycasinos.com.
