The former Baccarat Casino in Edmonton is currently subjected to a demolition that the locals have been anticipating for quite a while. Ever since 2016, the building has been vacant and the community has expressed its position that it should be demolished, as it welcomes people traveling from the north. Its area would be transformed into a more suitable and convenient parking lot.
Creating space for the new and making sure that the community’s needs are being met is essential for the well-being and the appropriate collaboration between the community and the City Council. Locals have been seeking more parking space while the vacant former gaming building has remained vacant and falling apart without the needed support. Now it is time for a change.
Demolition in Progress
Downtown Edmonton is about to see a major change in its landscape, as it has been recently confirmed that the former Baccarat Casino building has seen the beginning of the demolition work. Locals have expressed their opinion that the building itself does not fit well in the existing landscape and the general aesthetics of Edmonton. It has a brick exterior finished by a pale green roof appropriate for its period of construction.
It was finished in 1996 and over the twenty years of its operation, it has welcomed quite the crowd of baccarat enthusiasts ready to win more. As it often happens, players demand more from the gaming world and it has to supply the needed gaming opportunities. Their diverse nature guarantees the longevity of this collaboration. Edmonton residents wanted more diverse gambling opportunities.
This called for the introduction of a well-rounded casino venue able to meet their expectations and become their preferred gambling venue. Gateway Casinos & Entertainment is the casino operator overseeing both the baccarat location and the currently operating Grand Villa Casino adjacent to Rogers Place. The City Council issued its approval for demolition back in 2016, but until now there was no action.
New Development in Edmonton
January 2020 saw Oilers Entertainment Group announce it is going to go forward with the demolition plans, making sure that the building remains only in people’s memories. This is how the corner of 104th Avenue and 101st Street are now the arena of demolition work and on the verge of a great change. The initial phase of preparation included the removal of overhead power lines, as well as turning off all utilities in the area.
The CA$2.2-million building built in 1996 would no create space for a new parking area for the busy downtown. Max Amerongen, a spokesperson for Edmonton design organization MADE, pointed out that there is parking space near Ice District and the former Baccarat Casino property should become the zone of new construction in the foreseeable future.
The demolition itself is projected to take about four weeks to be finished, meaning that a chapter of Edmonton’s history is coming to an end. Expectations are that the zone would see interactive space that would be in operation over the following couple of years until a permanent decision is taken. The introduction of enhanced sitting areas and more local activities would improve Edmonton’s downtown.
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Author: Yolina
Yolina has followed closely the latest development on the Canadian gaming scene over the past years, monitoring the land-based, lottery, and online offerings up for grabs. The dynamic nature of the local lottery and casino fields, as well as the opportunities lying ahead of Canada fire her enthusiasm for what is to come. A sports betting enthusiast, in her spare time Yolina could be found in her natural habitat – turning the pages of biographies and catching up on the latest stand-up comedy podcasts.