A major overhaul of the View Royal Casino is taking a little longer than expected.
"We didn't quite hit the deadline that we were looking for of a late December open for phase one. It was just a little too much for us to finish," says Chris Lynn, Executive Director of Vancouver Island Casino Operations for the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation.
Phase one, the first of two, includes an expanded gaming floor and restaurant facilities. Even though the first phase of the rebranded "Elements Casino" is still underway they've still opened what they have finished. "So we were able to open some of the new gaming floor," says Lynn, "we've added 240 slot machines and we're up to 17 table games. We've also added a temporary restaurant."
Lynn didn't have a firm date for the pushed back completion, but he suspects it'll be sometime early in 2018. Phase two is on track for Spring of this year. It includes a 600 seat theatre for concerts and other events. When phase two is complete, the old View Royal Casino will more than double its original size with the addition of 42,000 square feet.
The expanded casino will also need more staff and a hiring push is underway. Lynn says they'll need as many as 130 people and already they've hired about 40.