| The Navegante Group of
Las Vegas received approval-in-principle for the development of one of three new
gaming destination casinos in the Canadian province of British Columbia,
according to Employment and Investment Minister Mike Farnworth. The $12 million
(Canadian) project, to be called "Casino of the Rockies," is being
developed in conjunction with the Ktunaxa/Kimbasket Tribal Council as a part of
the St. Eugene Mission Resort development. It will be located on the St.
Mary’s Reserve in the southeast part of the province approximately 60 miles
from the United States border.
The Casino of the Rockies is
one of three casino developments in British Columbia approved by the government.
"These are three exciting projects that hold significant economic potential
and will create jobs in their respective regions," said Farnworth.
He said that while the three
proposals involved small casinos by international standards, they mean new jobs
and training opportunities.
Chief Sophie Pierre of the Ktunaxa/Kimbasket Tribal Council said, "The
project represents so many things. The project is about taking
control of our own economic future." She continued, "Our
project site is physically so beautiful, it’s really an expression
of our own rebirth, a coming back into our own. It’s an expression
of how we feel about taking control of our own lives."
The Navegante Group and
Trillium Gaming, its Canadian gaming partner, were contracted by the Council to
prepare the proposal to the government, including financial projections and
marketing plans, the architectural design and renderings, gaming operations and
employment strategies.
The Casino of the Rockies
will include 30 table games and 300 slot machines as part of a resort that
includes a 124-room hotel, lodges, restaurants, a conference center, lounges, an
18-hole championship golf course, and a recreation and aquatic center.
Unique features of the development
include a native women’s arts and crafts center, and the comprehensive new
Ktunaxa Interpretive Centre, a performance and creative arts complex
highlighting the history and accomplishments of the five First Nations.
"It is an honor to be one of the first companies granted a license to
operate a destination casino in British Columbia," said Larry
Woolf, CEO of Navegante. "We are proud of our proven ability
to develop local residents into professional casino/resort operators,
thus ensuring long-term economic benefit to the community."
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