South Edmontonians Alarmed about Proposed Casino Relocation

Southeast Edmonton could soon become home to a casino property which would relocate from Camrose, said the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission. However, some residents of local neighbourhoods are not quite happy with the news. Some Edmontonians have already submitted complaints to the city as they fear a potential negative side to it.

The existing gaming property in Camrose will potentially move to a vacant location on Parsons Road in southeast Edmonton. The application to the ALGC was submitted by Capital City Casinos, and the relocated casino would stretch over 16,000-square-foot land and offer a 120-room hotel, over 550 slot machines, 25 table games, and more.

Locals Do Not Agree

One of the unhappy locals is Neil Richards, who commented that residents are concerned about the worsening of already heavy traffic in the area. Mr. Richards lives in the Summerside neighbourhood, which is just two kilometres away from the suggested location on Parsons Road, and believes that nothing good could come out of a casino of that size.

Councillor Keren Tang, which is responsible for the area, said that the location is close to the industrial and commercial area but it is also close to the residents. She shared that she has already received numerous complaints from locals as the project is about to enter the second phase of planning after receiving preliminary zoning and licensing approval. And she advises residents to channel their complaints to the AGLC.

The Crown agency has also released a statement on the possible relocation. In it, it mentioned that it will determine if the proposed project can shift to Step Three. Then, the AGLC Board will approve or reject the relocation proposal, while taking into account community and stakeholder input, market demand, benefits to charitable groups and effect on other charitable gaming activities.

Locals should know that the deadline for public feedback is Wednesday, August 10, 2022, while the AGLC is expected to make its final decision on the project later this year. In addition to that, the Crown explained that if the relocation is greenlit, the casino would continue to serve the same charities in the Camrose region that it already supports.

Plenty of Existing Options

Edmontonians already have plenty of options when it comes to land-based gambling entertainment. Last month, Gateway Casinos & Entertainment finally reopened its Grand Villa Casino Edmonton on July 18, 2022. The property is located at Rogers Place on 10204 104 Ave NW, Edmonton, and it is now open seven days a week. Slots at the venue are available from 12 p.m. to 3 a.m., while table games start at 2 p.m. every day.

In addition to in-person wagers, soon Albertans will be able to enjoy online gambling as the province’s AGLC plans on launching a private gaming market this year. Back in December last year, the Crown corporation started its Request for Proposals from gambling brands. However, unlike Ontario’s model, Alberta’s one will be limited to only two operators.

Source: Mulcahy, Karyn “‘Very concerning’: Camrose casino wants to move to southeast Edmonton”, CTV News Edmonton, August 9, 2022