Gateway to turn Hanover’s unfinished hall into new casino games room.
The Hanover Raceway in southwest Ontario was once a thriving destination for racing fans. In 2011, the owners were constructing an elaborate banquet hall to complement the facility. But that year, the province altered its horse racing funding formula, devastating the racetrack and leaving owners without enough funds to complete the project.
Hanover Raceway has been struggling ever since, barely able to stay afloat with its track and miniature, 175-unit slots parlour. Things began looking up when Gateway Casinos and Entertainment won a bid to takeover Ontario’s southwest gaming bundle. The purchase gave Gateway rights to daily operations of 6 Ontario casinos, including OLG Slots at Hanover Raceway.
Gateway promised to invest millions into the rejuvenation of the existing properties. And according to the latest reports, that’s exactly what they’re doing for the Hanover casino in Ontario.
New Casino Games Room Coming to Hanover Raceway
For seven very long years, that banquet hall has been standing, incomplete and desolate. That’s about to change. Gateway announced this week that it’s finalized a new lease agreement with the property’s owners, Hanover, Bentinck and Brant Agricultural Society, and received the approval of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp (OLG), to complete construction on the banquet hall and turn it into a small casino gaming room.
The project is expected to breathe new life into the Hanover Raceway, while boosting economic growth in the local community. The new casino facility will create short-term construction jobs, as well as long-term employment opportunities once complete. Gateway says that, if all goes according to plan, construction will begin in the spring, and wrap up in early 2019.
Specific details of the project have not yet been released. The exact amount Gateway intends to invest is also unknown, but it is expected to come with a substantial, multi-million dollar price tag.
The company also says that they intend to attract both gaming and non-gaming patrons to the facility. To accomplish this, they will build a small casino, as well as new food and beverage venues. Gateway is promising to unveil its full plans in the near future.
Gateway Exalted for Investing in Hanover Casino
Hanover Mayor Sue Patterson had no trouble expressing her excitement over the project. “We are thrilled with Gateway Casinos’ announcement to expand their operations by developing the vacant portion of their current site,” she said in a statement.
She goes on to extol the “tremendous partnership” between Gateway, OLG and the Society, and the positive benefits it will have on the community. Patterson believes Hanover Raceway will thrive once more “through additional investments, jobs and support of the horse racing industry.”
Society President Randy Rier has been expressing equal elation over the new contract. “The Banquet Hall will be an excellent location for the new facility and we know Gateway will create a wonderful venue for both gaming and racetrack customers. We look forward to a very successful partnership with Gateway,” says Rier.
Linda McColl is the General Manager for Gateway Casino Hanover. She calls the region a “developing market” teming with opportunities. The new casino games facility “will create a fantastic entertainment destination for this part of the province and certainly complement standardbred racing at the track”.
