Renovations to the Cascades Casino Resort in Langley will create a new pub-style restaurant, a family-friendly buffet that can accept children and a show theatre that is open to the gaming floor. Construction work began on Wednesday (Feb. 12).
Once the renovations are completed in mid-2014, the current buffet and restaurant combination that requires access by walking through the adults-only gaming floor will become an expanded grand buffet that will offer themed ethnic dinners.
The new buffet will be accessed through the hotel lobby, something that will allow children to dine.
The location of the current card room will become what is described as a “contemporary themed British pub” named the MATCH Eatery and Public House, similar to the one that recently opened at the Chances Squamish gaming facility on the Sea to Sky Highway.
The Casino’s 420-seat Summit Theatre will be modified to allow people in the gaming area to better see and hear live music acts that will provide free entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays.
The casino started offering free music acts in January.
A general overhaul and upgrade is also planned for the gaming floor.
“People are no longer looking for just a restaurant or concert or gaming experience,” Randy Sears, the executive general manager of Cascades said in a written statement.
“They now want all of these options under one roof and available all the time.”
Since the casino and convention centre opened at 20393 Fraser Hwy. in 2005, Langley City has received $53.6 million under a profit-sharing deal that gives the municipality a 10 per cent share of Cascades net profits.
The money has been used on capital projects like the 204 Street overpass, Fraser Highway bridge replacement, Al Anderson pool improvements, fire truck purchase as well as retiring municipal debt and funding more than 100 charities.
The 80,000 square foot casino has more than 800 slot machines, as well as table games.
It is operated by Burnaby-based Gateway Casino and Entertainment Limited, which also runs the Grand Villa Casino, Starlight Casino, Lake City Casinos in Vernon, Kamloops, Kelowna and Penticton, Chances gaming centres in Squamish, Surrey and Mission, as well as the Baccarat Casino and Palace Casino in Edmonton.