Ten years after Fraser Downs opened its $40 million casino as part of an expanded Cloverdale Raceway, there are plans for a major update.
“We’ve made minor adjustments and improvements, but it’s time to give it a refresh – to give the place a makeover,” Chuck Keeling, vice president of stakeholder relations and responsible gaming for Great Canadian Gaming Corp., told The Reporter.
“It’s a very significant overhaul that we’ll be undertaking at Fraser Downs pretty well immediately,” Keeling said.
“When we rebranded our Coquitlam facility as the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver, that was a $12 million project,” he said, adding the company is committed to spending within that range on Fraser Downs.
Once complete, the update will see different food, beverage and entertainment amenities.
“The place is going to look nothing like it does now,” he said, promising to reveal more project details soon.
Originally known as the Cloverdale Raceway, which opened in 1976, the racetrack brought modern
harness racing to B.C. It was renamed Fraser Downs in 1996, and the $40 million casino opened in November, 2004.
In September, Great Canadian Gaming Corp. announced it had renewed its leasing option with the B.C. Lottery Corporation to extend the term of its operating contract for another 10 years, providing greater certainty in terms of reinvestment.
“Fundamentally, it speaks to our confidence in the Surrey marketplace,” Keeling said. “Yes, there is competition,” he added. “But despite that, it’s still a good marketplace. We’ve been there now for 40 years and are looking to stay awhile yet.”
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