After the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) announced in October that the company would be accepting bids from gaming companies to operate Caesars Windsor, the field has been narrowed to three according to recent reports.
This marks the first time in 30 years that the property’s operations could be seeing a change with some of the largest gaming corporations in North America making a play to land the deal.
In announcing the original bidding process, OLG noted that the process would involve selecting “a highly qualified service provider to handle day-to-day operations while ensuring the long-term competitiveness of the site — so it can continue generating economic benefits for the local community and for Ontario.”
The process could possibly bring a financial windfall for OLG, depending on the final terms of the deal. The Globe and Mail reported Monday that the process has been narrowed down to three companies and the group is in the final stages of granting the operating license.
Possible Changes in Operations
The Windsor casino attracts millions of visitors each year not only from Canada, but also from across the border in Michigan. The property opened in 1998 and boasts 1,700 slot machines, 85 table games, a 750-room hotel, 10 restaurants and bars, an entertainment venue, and more. The facility employs more than 2,000 people and is a major driver of the city’s economy.
The casino’s current operator, Caesars Entertainment, has bid to keep the property in the company’s portfolio. Other contenders include Bally’s Corp. and Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment. Caesars operates casinos across the U.S., including in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and other locations. It is also the name behind famous online casinos like Caesars Online Casino which many Ontario players may be familiar with. Bally’s is based in Rhode Island and also operates casinos in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Colorado, and others.
Connecticut’s Mohegan tribe operates Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment. The company owns the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut and runs casino operations for several other companies. That includes a Canadian connection already as the operator of the Fallsview casinos and Casino Niagara in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
OLG officials and representatives from the gaming companies haven’t commented on the report. The gaming regulator is expected to make a final decision by this fall with the winning operator to begin managing the casino in 2025.
The casino’s union has expressed support for Caesars to remain the operator. Unifor Local 444 represents many of the property’s employees and the group’s president, Dave Cassidy, said Caesars has invested significantly in the property to grow the number of customers that visit the casino.
“Caesars should be the favored candidate, based on the job they’ve done running the casino and providing quality jobs,” he said.
Windsor’s Mayor Drew Dilkens has also lent support for Caesars remaining the operator of the casino. Whether that happens remains to be seen. Officials with OLG, which owns 18 casinos run by varying operators across the province, will ultimately have the final say.
