Oh they will 6 shuttles a day to and from every senior's home in Eastern Ontario. Who needs to leave an inheritance to those kids?? Government (and private sector operators) wants their $$$
Every dollar spent in Gambling is a dollar wasted in the economy, if we could divert all that gambling money into the general economy, it would have such a positive impact on our GDP (and taxes - even after factoring the OLG loss)
... but that's another discussion, gotta feed people's vices (and greed and dreams etc...)
Oh they will 6 shuttles a day to and from every senior's home in Eastern Ontario. Who needs to leave an inheritance to those kids?? Government (and private sector operators) wants their $$$
Every dollar spent in Gambling is a dollar wasted in the economy, if we could divert all that gambling money into the general economy, it would have such a positive impact on our GDP (and taxes - even after factoring the OLG loss)
... but that's another discussion, gotta feed people's vices (and greed and dreams etc...)
You aren't wrong. I wouldn't be surprised if Ontario alone brings in billions in revenue monthly (if you factor in alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, lotteries, taxes, etc), and yet nobody seems to know where it all goes.
I recall several years ago listening to a woman who called into the Lowell Green show on CFRA, and she presented a realistic hypothetical idea she had about this. She said to imagine the Max Millions/Lottomax had a $30 million dollar main prize. She said that there was a high likelihood that OLG sells $300+ million in tickets, just on that one draw alone. So when you subtract the payout, that leaves OLG or whomeve with $270 million. Then she asked where exactly does that $270 million go? Certainly not the hospitals, which are all turning into private corporations over time that are perpetually broke, or close to it. She added that its obviously not going into roads/grounds or other public infrastructure (at least not much, since there is always funds being funneled from multiple sources, like there isn't enough available at the provincial or municipal level), seeing as the roads, sidewalks, and public recreation facilities are always in a state of dis-reapair. Then she went on to talk about how that's considering OLG revenue only, imagine the tax revenue from fuel, booze, tobacco cannabis on top of that....probably in the billions, monthly.
You aren't wrong. I wouldn't be surprised if Ontario alone brings in billions in revenue monthly (if you factor in alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, lotteries, taxes, etc), and yet nobody seems to know where it all goes.
I recall several years ago listening to a woman who called into the Lowell Green show on CFRA, and she presented a realistic hypothetical idea she had about this. She said to imagine the Max Millions/Lottomax had a $30 million dollar main prize. She said that there was a high likelihood that OLG sells $300+ million in tickets, just on that one draw alone. So when you subtract the payout, that leaves OLG or whomeve with $270 million. Then she asked where exactly does that $270 million go? Certainly not the hospitals, which are all turning into private corporations over time that are perpetually broke, or close to it. She added that its obviously not going into roads/grounds or other public infrastructure (at least not much, since there is always funds being funneled from multiple sources, like there isn't enough available at the provincial or municipal level), seeing as the roads, sidewalks, and public recreation facilities are always in a state of dis-reapair. Then she went on to talk about how that's considering OLG revenue only, imagine the tax revenue from fuel, booze, tobacco cannabis on top of that....probably in the billions, monthly.
Makes you wonder...
What do you expect? Signs like "This splashpad is sponsored by OLG"?
Financial reports are easily googleable. Last year $1.6B went to the province general revenue among other things for example.
You aren't wrong. I wouldn't be surprised if Ontario alone brings in billions in revenue monthly (if you factor in alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, lotteries, taxes, etc), and yet nobody seems to know where it all goes.
I recall several years ago listening to a woman who called into the Lowell Green show on CFRA, and she presented a realistic hypothetical idea she had about this. She said to imagine the Max Millions/Lottomax had a $30 million dollar main prize. She said that there was a high likelihood that OLG sells $300+ million in tickets, just on that one draw alone. So when you subtract the payout, that leaves OLG or whomeve with $270 million. Then she asked where exactly does that $270 million go? Certainly not the hospitals, which are all turning into private corporations over time that are perpetually broke, or close to it. She added that its obviously not going into roads/grounds or other public infrastructure (at least not much, since there is always funds being funneled from multiple sources, like there isn't enough available at the provincial or municipal level), seeing as the roads, sidewalks, and public recreation facilities are always in a state of dis-reapair. Then she went on to talk about how that's considering OLG revenue only, imagine the tax revenue from fuel, booze, tobacco cannabis on top of that....probably in the billions, monthly.
Makes you wonder...
I've never really understood statements like this. Everything is relative. Just because $270M is an insane amount of money to your or I, doesn't mean it's enough to plug all the holes in our budget. It's like giving a fiver to a homeless guy and expecting him to no longer be poor.
Remember that Jim Watson was mayor both in the late 90s and in the 10s, both times when an urban casino was considered. Both times, the city said No. On the first occasion, Gloucester took advantage of the vacuum and built a casino at the ailing Rideau-Carleton raceway, that was withering under government gambling competition. In my opinion, we could have both (Rideau-Carleton and downtown) as an urban casino would have had a completely different market.
I've been to that hotel, it's very nice and impressive. The casino is large and modern, there's a few bars & upscale restaurants inside. There's also a nightly light show on the guitar (set to music) and a very popular outdoor pool & beach club which holds daytime events open to the public (with purchase of a ticket obviously).
Unfortunately, I don't expect any of these features will be present or even considered for the "Hard Rock Ottawa" and I expect my annual visits to the casino to remain at 0 for the foreseeable future. I will continue to perhaps visits Lac Leamy once or twice a year.
Every time. Impossible to miss. Guaranteed that when any developer from outside the City invests here, they will value engineer the heck out of their project compared to the impressive work they do elsewhere. Hard Rock, Rimap, Andaz. Dream (on the Gatineau side, at least).
Oh they will 6 shuttles a day to and from every senior's home in Eastern Ontario. Who needs to leave an inheritance to those kids?? Government (and private sector operators) wants their $$$
Every dollar spent in Gambling is a dollar wasted in the economy, if we could divert all that gambling money into the general economy, it would have such a positive impact on our GDP (and taxes - even after factoring the OLG loss)
... but that's another discussion, gotta feed people's vices (and greed and dreams etc...)
I agree with this, which is why a downtown casino would be less directed at locals and more directed at tourists. Casino income from tourists is good for our local economy, casino income from locals isn't so good. But then they would need to make it more of an attraction a la Montreal's casino or Niagara's. Something at Lebreton could still work, especially if they push for the whole "casino near the falls" motif. I think a bunch of americans upstate do come up to our casinos, why not take a bit of their income with a tourist attaction *insert evil laugh*.
It's difficult to convey the size of this project from a phone on the ground, but it's too close to the airport to launch the drone. I just drove by and it blew me away. I'll never forgive Jim Watson for forcing this kind of investment into such an idiotic location.
Oh they will 6 shuttles a day to and from every senior's home in Eastern Ontario. Who needs to leave an inheritance to those kids?? Government (and private sector operators) wants their $$$
Every dollar spent in Gambling is a dollar wasted in the economy, if we could divert all that gambling money into the general economy, it would have such a positive impact on our GDP (and taxes - even after factoring the OLG loss)
... but that's another discussion, gotta feed people's vices (and greed and dreams etc...)
I went to the Lac Leamy Casino a couple of weeks ago with an old cowoker. I think I have only been to the place twice since I've moved here (in 2006).
I took out 40 bucks, knowing full well I'd probably lose it all. Which I did.
I made it last for my entire 3 hour stay. My friend took out $200 and once he saw me on a winning streak for a bit, he was sure he was going to win too.
End of the night I was out 40 bucks and he was out 200. Gambling is nasty, especially on those machines. I went into the night knowing I would lose it. He went into it thinking he could win.
I like poker. You can read a person. Can't read a machine.
shoulda had the hardrock closer to downtown...................... coulda developed it at bayview yards since its an empty lot and would be close to lebreton.................
LeDroit has quite a few pics on their website, but I've posted the one we all wanted to see, the one Harley couldn't take due to the close proximity to the airport.
There is a CTV article out there for those who want to read about in English. They just didn't have any compelling shots.
Quote:
Photoreportage | Le futur hôtel et casino Hard Rock d’Ottawa prend forme
Par Patrick Woodbury, Le Droit
29 novembre 2023
La construction du futur hôtel et casino Hard Rock d’Ottawa va bon train dans la capitale fédérale.
=SNIP=
L’aménagement du hall de concert Hard Rock Live permettra aussi de présenter des spectacles de tous genres à une foule de 1800 personnes assises. La capacité peut passer à 2200 places pour les activités sans sièges.
L’aménagement du hall de concert Hard Rock Live permettra aussi de présenter des spectacles de tous genres à une foule de 1800 personnes assises. La capacité peut passer à 2200 places pour les activités sans sièges.
Construction of Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa in the ‘homestretch,’ president says
Mia Jensen, OBJ
March 14, 2025
The old signs are still there when you drive up to the soon-to-be former Rideau Carleton Raceway and Casino off Albion Road South, but inside the building a massive transformation is in the works.
Though the opening date of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa is still to be determined, the work to make it a reality is well underway. Floors have been ripped out and replaced, the ceiling has been exposed and drywall has gone up in some places. And over what will become the new entrance to the casino, a long guitar-shaped light fixture with a maple leaf-shaped body has been installed.
President Christine Crump is no stranger to big projects. The Hard Rock Ottawa is her seventh property over the course of her 25-year career in the Ontario gaming industry. In that time, she’s become an expert in casino openings and expansions.
“Lucky number seven,” she told OBJ last week. “I think we’re going to knock it out of the park.” Crump welcomed OBJ for a behind-the-scenes look at the construction site that will soon be the Hard Rock’s new casino and entertainment venue.
Since shovels broke ground in June 2023, the space has been a hive of activity. Workers have progressively closed off more and more of the still active Rideau-Carleton casino floor to do the work of demolishing and rebuilding the interior. Further inside, there is more progress, with walls already up and painting underway. Some bathrooms and dressing rooms have ceilings and tile backsplashes. The Hard Rock Live venue has retractable seats installed, but it's also being used as storage for gaming machines.
Ultimately, the $350-million entertainment complex will include a six-storey, 150-room hotel as well as a 24-7 gaming floor, 10 bars, restaurants and lounges, and an 1,800-seat live performance venue. “We’re in the homestretch and we’re really excited,” said Crump. “The team is starting to ramp up. A good indicator is the job fair. For the end of April, early May, we need hundreds of folks and some time to onboard and train them and then we get ready for opening the doors.”
Crump joined the project in December 2023, after the work had already begun, when Hard Rock reached out to her about the opportunity. Before that, she’d spent much of her career in the Greater Toronto Area. She did stints in Barry, Ajax and Woodbine, working on major transition and modernization projects for other casinos and hotels.
While the Hard Rock project is similar in scale to some of her previous ventures, unlike Toronto, Ottawa is not considered a booming hub for gaming. But that doesn’t mean it lacks potential. Crump said a project like this could be a boon for the local industry.
“It’s an exciting time to join the gaming industry in Ottawa,” she said. “We’ve had some industry experts joining the brand in the last several months and that’s been exciting, to get some industry experience that wasn’t in Ottawa before.” Despite its distance from the downtown, Crump said the site has advantages that likely attracted Hard Rock to make the purchase in the first place. Its proximity to the airport, for one, makes it a convenient stop for out-of-town gamers and the raceway, which is undergoing a revamp, adds a unique flavour to the experience.
She said the city’s south end is also growing rapidly. With Line 2 of the city’s light-rail transit now running, there is a station two kilometres from the property. And, she said, there are plans to eventually connect the property directly to the LRT.
“What we’re crafting here will attract folks from all over the province and outside of our borders, which is super exciting,” she said. “There are folks who are very loyal to the Hard Rock brand. That is going to boost tourism in the city. But there are gamers across the province who are willing to travel for a great guest experience. I expect lots of folks from the GTA to pay visits on the weekend. With our proximity to the airport, they’re at the property within minutes.” The Hard Rock Live venue, which will accommodate 1,800 guests, is similar in size to Live Nation’s History Ottawa venue, which is set to open on Rideau Street next year. Both venues fill what many have called a “missing middle” for the entertainment industry, with the space to accommodate artists who are too big for clubs but not big enough for arenas.
In addition to drawing those artists, and the tourism that comes along with them, Crump said there’s been interest from the business community to use the venue as an events space.
“We expect to drive a lot of conference business through (Hard Rock) Live and host galas and community events,” she said.
Despite the potential advantages to tourism and the economy, gambling isn’t always a popular concept, statistics show. A 2022 report found that men, people from lower-income households, and those with poor mental health are more likely to develop a gambling problem that could lead to financial issues or high levels of stress and anxiety.
As a result, Crump said safeguards have to be built in.
“We’re the second-highest regulated industry, next to nuclear,” she said. “Hard Rock is an entertainment brand. We just happen to have gaming and that’s the position from the CEO down. We’ll have a hotel and restaurants and bars. So it’s a choose-your-own adventure.” There are still plenty of pieces to slot into place before doors can open, but that’s part of what makes the project so exciting for Crump. Other than the famous brand, it was the challenge that attracted her to Ottawa.
“Projects like this are a significant amount of work but they’re incredibly rewarding,” she said. “For me, I think I’m super fortunate to have been part of all of these projects. But for most of our folks here, at this property, this will be the only time that they’re part of an opening team and it’s something they’ll talk about their entire careers. The excitement they build and the camaraderie that’s developed, you can’t replace that with anything else.”
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