Hard Rock Hotel and Casino [form Rideau Carleton Raceway and Casino] | Completed

[J.OT13]

Lancement officiel des travaux d’expansion au casino Hard Rock à Ottawa

Par Charles-Antoine Gagnon, Le Droit
6 juin 2023



Après quelques années de retard, la traditionnelle première pelletée de terre aura lieu aujourd’hui pour la construction d’un hôtel sur le site du casino Rideau-Carleton d’Ottawa et pour l’agrandissement de la maison de jeux, un complexe qui portera la bannière Hard Rock.

La cérémonie se déroulera en présence du maire d’Ottawa, Mark Sutcliffe, de conseillers municipaux, de représentants de la tribu des Séminoles, de dirigeants de Hard Rock International et de représentants de la Société des loteries et des jeux de l’Ontario (SLJO).

Hard Rock avait été retenue par la SLJO comme nouveau partenaire du site en mai 2017. Le projet de réaménagement du casino situé sur le chemin Albion, dans le sud de la ville, avait été approuvé par le conseil municipal au mois de mai 2018.

À l’époque, le projet d’hôtel, d’expansion de la salle de jeux et de construction d’une salle de spectacle était évalué à 318 millions de dollars. Toutefois, pour diverses raisons, notamment la pandémie, le début des travaux qui devait être en avril 2020 a été repoussé.

Le coût des travaux est maintenant évalué à 350 millions pour l’expansion de la salle de jeux, pour la construction de l’hôtel de 150 chambres sur six étages et pour la construction d’une salle de spectacles pouvant accueillir jusqu’à 2200 personnes.

«Nous sommes vraiment excités d’apporter la marque Hard Rock à Ottawa et de construire un complexe immobilier dont toute la communauté sera fière», a mentionné au Droit lundi Jon Lucas, président-directeur général de Hard Rock International.

Hard Rock International, une entreprise basée en Floride, est présente dans plus de 70 pays et possède 290 sites, dont des hôtels, des casinos, des boutiques, des salles de spectacles et des cafés.

«Nous sommes une entreprise hôtelière, pas seulement une entreprise de jeux. Nous bâtissons des établissements de première classe. Les spectacles sont importants pour nous. De grands noms et des groupes locaux montent sur scène au Hard Rock Café. Nous avons aussi d’excellents restaurants», a ajouté M. Lucas.

Fin des travaux en 2025





Les travaux devraient être terminés en avril 2025. Le complexe comprendra aussi plusieurs restaurants.«C’est presque surréaliste parce que ça fait longtemps que nous sommes sur le projet. Lorsque les roulottes de construction sont arrivées et que les clôtures autour du site ont été érigées, nos clients et nos employés ont commencé à comprendre que ça allait vraiment se matérialiser. C’est excitant. Il y a beaucoup d’émotions entourant ce qui se passe aujourd’hui et ce qui se passera mardi», a partagé lundi au Droit Helen MacMillan, directrice générale du casino Rideau-Carleton.

Le site a ouvert ses portes en septembre 1962 en tant que piste de courses attelées. La salle de jeux s’est ajoutée en février 2000. La Ville d’Ottawa a depuis 2000 reçu des redevances de 93 millions de dollars. Le casino comprend aujourd’hui 1200 machines à sous et des tables de jeu. Le nouveau casino offrira aux parieurs plus de 1500 machines et une quarantaine de tables de jeu.

Une fois les travaux d’expansion terminés, Hard Rock Ottawa devrait employer quelque 700 personnes.

La région de la capitale fédérale compte un autre casino, soit celui du Lac-Leamy à Gatineau. Il est géré par la Société des casinos du Québec.

https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/a...LILH42IOF6H6Y/

[Harley613]

That looks like a typical airport Holiday Inn from the early 2000s. How very...Ottawa.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Harley613

That looks like a typical airport Holiday Inn from the early 2000s. How very...Ottawa.

Another monument to Watson's legacy of "I guess that's better than before..."

I have a lot of trouble understanding how this will compete with Lac Leamy. Unless they have good and frequent acts in the theatre space, or a lot of people prefer car oriented hellscapes surround by nothingness, or have a deep hate for Quebec and the concept of giving them money through gambling and taxes, I don't see how this place will do very well.

[DTcrawler]

If they build a Vegas-style monorail connecting the casino to Bowesville station, I'll give it a try. Otherwise, I'll stick to Lac Leamy.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by DTcrawler

If they build a Vegas-style monorail connecting the casino to Bowesville station, I'll give it a try. Otherwise, I'll stick to Lac Leamy.

You make a good point. The ideal casino should take money from tourists not locals to have any economic value. With that location the Hull Casino will be closer to almost every hotel room in the city. But as was previously said they have a car so it's fine to take their money. Too bad a Casino integrated with an NHL arena would actually be a destination.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

You make a good point. The ideal casino should take money from tourists not locals to have any economic value. With that location the Hull Casino will be closer to almost every hotel room in the city. But as was previously said they have a car so it's fine to take their money. Too bad a Casino integrated with an NHL arena would actually be a destination.

Like what was proposed by Melnyk when we were supposed to get a proper competition, or what was built in Edmonton.

[Davis137]

Wow, they can finally change the radio ads for this now...it's been "Future Hard Rock" for the seemingly the last 10 years...

[lrt's friend]

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.

[Harley613]

I love the picture they use in this article of the guitar shaped hotel in Florida. Looks just like the airport motel they are building in Ottawa!

https://www.blogto.com/travel/2023/0...-hotel-ottawa/

[OTSkyline]

Originally Posted by Harley613

I love the picture they use in this article of the guitar shaped hotel in Florida. Looks just like the airport motel they are building in Ottawa!

https://www.blogto.com/travel/2023/0...-hotel-ottawa/

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.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Harley613

I love the picture they use in this article of the guitar shaped hotel in Florida. Looks just like the airport motel they are building in Ottawa!

https://www.blogto.com/travel/2023/0...-hotel-ottawa/

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).

[Harley613]

The average age of overnight patrons at the Ottawa Hard Rock Motel will be 80+ so I also doubt we will be seeing an outdoor pool and beach club

[Harley613]

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.

[johnnystims]

shoulda had the hardrock closer to downtown...................... coulda developed it at bayview yards since its an empty lot and would be close to lebreton.................

[J.OT13]

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.

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.

=SNIP=

https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/a...G2FOWTHCCH35I/

[rocketphish]

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.”

https://obj.ca/construction-hard-roc...a-homestretch/

[Harley613]

'Plans to eventually connect the property to the LRT'

I'm assuming a shuttle bus to Bowesville Station, but it's phrased like they are planning to run a 'Casino Spur'

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Harley613

'Plans to eventually connect the property to the LRT'

I'm assuming a shuttle bus to Bowesville Station, but it's phrased like they are planning to run a 'Casino Spur'

Sure hope so. Spending a hundred million + to serve RCR would be incredibly stupid.

[lrt's friend]

A LRT spur to Rideau-Carleton will never happen in our lifetimes

[J.OT13]

‘Boost to local economy’: Hard Rock Hotel and Casino filling 600 jobs in Ottawa

By Toula Mazloum, CTV Ottawa
Published: April 19, 2025 at 12:47PM EDT

A new hotel and casino in Ottawa is creating more than 600 positions across a variety of fields, which is a boost to the capital’s economy.

Hard Rock Ottawa is hosting multiple job fair events to fill the open positions.

“It’s equivalent to an audition, something that you would see on Canada’s Got Talent,” vice-president of human resources Nannette Dean told CTV Morning Live Monday.

he says the job fairs’ format is made of four stages:

1. Registration and pre-screening
2. Panel interview to assess personality
3. One-on-one interview to assess skills
4. On the spot offer

All the departments will be hiring for positions, including customer service, food and beverage, hotel services, table games, marketing, security, surveillance, slots, retail and valet, Dean explains.

“And we’re hiring from entry level all the way up to supervisory and management roles at the career fairs,” Dean said.


When asked about what it’s like to work at the Hard Rock, Rami Zok, vice-president of hotel operations, said it’s all about fun.

He says that Hard Rock is a global company with over 300 locations worldwide.

The complex is currently under construction, he says, noting that the structures of the hotel and the casino have been built.

“Very soon we’ll be announcing the opening date,” he added.

Zok says the opening of the hotel and casino will bring life to the capital.

Concordia University economics professor Moshe Lander told CTV News Ottawa Saturday the opening of the new hotel and casino is good news for Ottawa, pointing out the importance of permanent jobs.

“For tourism to have a true impact on downtown Ottawa and the market, it needs to come with permanent jobs,” Lander said.

“(Creating) 600 stable positions is a great boost to the local economy as long as the workers can find their own suitable housing, family doctors, schools for their children and easy, affordable public transportation.”

The hiring events are taking place April 22 and May 6,7 and 22 at the Rideau Carleton Casino located at 4837 Albion Road.

More information is available at rideaucarletoncasino.com/careers.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/articl...obs-in-ottawa/