Great Canadian Milestones
2012 Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino opens Poker Room in March. Chilliwack Bingo relocates to a new location and becomes Chances Chilliwack CGC (Community Gaming Centre) in November 2012.
2011 Great Canadian expands River Rock Casino Resort adding a third, four diamond, hotel tower. Great Canadian acquires Chilliwack Bingo.
2010 Haney Bingo Plex expands with the addition of 100 slot machines becoming Maple Ridge Community Gaming Centre. Following a renovation, Casino Nanaimo rebrands.
2009 River Rock Casino Resort welcomes the Canada Line, Vancouver’s newest mass transit system, and completes extensive enhancements including Canada’s only curved escalators. Georgian Downs adds gaming capacity. View Royal Casino expands adding a parkade and additional gaming space.
2008 Great Canadian acquires Haney BingoPlex in Maple Ridge, BC. Great Canadian completes the redevelopment of Hastings Racecourse, adding a 600-slot permanent gaming facility.
2007 In conjunction with the closure of the Casino at the Holiday Inn on Broadway, Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino adds table games to its gaming options.
2006 Bear Mountain CGC relocates to a new location and becomes Chances Dawson Creek CGC.
2005 Great Canadian expands across the country, acquiring Casino Nova Scotia with two properties in Halifax and Sydney; and two racetracks in Ontario, Georgian Downs and Flamboro Downs. In British Columbia, Great Canadian acquires Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino in Cloverdale; and River Rock Casino Resort expands, adding a Four Diamond hotel of two towers and a 1,000 seat show theatre. The Coquitlam Casino completes a significant redevelopment, becoming Boulevard Casino and nearly tripling in size.
2004 Great Canadian trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Great Canadian opens River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, establishing a new standard for entertainment in British Columbia. The Company also enters the horseracing industry, acquiring the historic Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver. Great Canadian acquires Bear Mountain Community Gaming Centre in Dawson Creek. Great Canadian acquires 100% control of Great American Gaming Corporation and their 4 casinos in Tukwila, Everett, Kent, and Lakewood, in Washington State. The Richmond Casino and the Renaissance Casino close transferring licenses and operations to River Rock Casino Resort.
2001 Great Canadian opens two new properties in British Columbia: View Royal Casino in Victoria and Coquitlam Casino in Coquitlam. Mayfair Casino in Victoria closes December 2001. The Newton Casino in Surrey closes November 2001.
2000 No smoking in casinos as of January 01, 2000.
1999 The Red Lion Casino in Victoria closes.
1998 The charity casino system is replaced and British Columbia Lottery Corporation assumes oversight of all casinos in the province. The Nanaimo Casino is relocated.
1997 Gaming in British Columbia is expanded to include longer hours, a wider variety of table games, and for the first time – slot machines. Great Canadian Gaming Corporation was created March 15, 1997. Great Canadian Casinos Inc. was incorporated July 9, 1997.
1995 The Guildford Casino closes transferring its license to The Newton Casino.
1993 The Renaissance Casino in Vancouver opens.
1992 Mayfair Casino in Victoria opens. The Langley Casino closes.
1988 The Guildford Casino opens.
1987 Great Canadian hires its first employees May 1, 1987. British Columbia Gaming Commission is formed. The Red Lion Casino opens in Victoria. The Richmond Casino opens. The Langley Casino opens.
1986 Great Canadian opens its first permanent location, The Casino at the Holiday Inn on Broadway in Vancouver on February 21, 1986. Great Canadian opens Nanaimo Casino, the first permanent casino on Vancouver Island, in the summer.
1982 Great Canadian Casino Company Ltd. is formed and begins operating temporary charity casinos in a variety of locations, often training staff on-site, and operates the PNE’s casino and midway games at the annual fair.
