Casino’s grand opening cost $2.3 million
29th August, 2008
After being pressured to provide the media with their cost figures, The Ontario Lottery and Gaming commission gave up the total numbers of the Caesars Windsor’s opening, which ended up costing the Ontario government $2.3 million.
This high number for a casino’s opening event was actually significantly lower than had been budgeted for, which was $2.7 million to celebrate the new casino, and was included in the overall cost of the casino.
“The gala opening was an important part of bringing the world-famous Caesars brand to Windsor and introducing 5,000 people to the facility and the spectacular amenities,” said Rula Sharkawi, OLG executive director. “It was important given the highly competitive market in the area.”
It appears that the high price for providing an opening event for the new Caesars Casino is now paying off because the Ontario Lottery and Gaming commission is saying that it has brought a lot of people in from the surrounding community, having a positive effect on the economy.
“We’ve seen an increase in visitors,” Sharkawi said. “The signs are positive. Many of the entertainment venues are sold out. When you have a 5,000-seat entertainment complex and you bring people into the city it generates a ripple effect in the local economy.”
The opening event included a concert performance by Billy Joel, which took place on the 19 of June. However the cost of the entire gala could end up being higher than $2.3 million because bills for the event keep coming in.
“It was truly spectacular,” said Holly Ward, director of communication for Caesars Windsor. “It was a culmination of all those things coming together in a spectacular, bold event that I think had such a wow factor, and really spoke to what we were opening and what the Caesars brand is all about. It’s about being bold and spectacular.”
If you want to keep up to date with the best gambling news, visit GamingAlerts.co.uk. There you will find information about the entire online gaming industry.
By Michael
