New Development to Support Tourism
Liquor & Lotteries Seeks Private Sector Partners for a Boutique Hotel and Restaurants at Club Regent Casino
Building on the success of the new Club Regent Event Centre, which had 65,000 guests in its opening year, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries is proceeding with an expression of interest for a new 50,000 square foot development to enhance Club Regent’s appeal as a destination centre for Manitobans and out-of-province tourists.
Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries is seeking private sector partners for the development of a 100-150 room boutique hotel and two privately operated 200-250 seat restaurants to be connected to the west side of Club Regent Casino via an indoor courtyard and atrium that will offer guests year-round amenities, including a Liquor Mart Express store and pop-up vendors displaying Manitoba-made products.
“These latest enhancements will support Winnipeg’s growing profile as a destination city that out-of province tourists will want to visit,” said Marina R. James, CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. “This development will have a significant economic impact through a range of employment opportunities including through the project’s construction phase as well as positions in the hospitality industry.”
Dave Angus, President and CEO, Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce said, “I am excited about this unique development. Winnipeg is a vibrant city and this project will further complement our diverse restaurant scene and will offer guests even more distinct hotel options.”
An average of 180,000 visits annually to Casinos of Winnipeg are from out-of-province guests. Liquor & Lotteries has a long-standing relationship with Tourism Manitoba and Travel Manitoba and is proud to partner in promoting the city, province and its abundance of festivals, entertainment opportunities and cultural events.
Since Winnipeg’s casinos were built in 1993, several enhancements have been made for the properties to remain competitive as customers continue to want an all-inclusive experience with more options for
dining, accommodations and other amenities. One of those enhancements was the Club Regent Event Centre, which early in its second year of operations has significantly contributed to Club Regent Casino’s success by drawing more than 65,000 guests to 71 world-class shows, banquets and third party events.
The capital cost for the west side development will involve an investment of approximately $30 million each by Liquor & Lotteries and by the private sector. Liquor & Lotteries will recover its investment from land leases and property rentals. Payroll for each restaurant will be in excess of $1 million annually, while the payroll for the hotel is estimated to exceed $1.2 million. It is estimated the hotel and restaurants will employ approximately 200 full-time and part-time employees.
It is anticipated that construction will begin in 2016.
Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries is responsible for the distribution and sale of liquor, and for providing gaming and entertainment experiences in a socially responsible manner. Liquor & Lotteries operates Manitoba Liquor Marts and Liquor Mart Express stores, Club Regent Casino, McPhillips Station Casino, Video Lotto and PlayNow.com, and also distributes and sells Western Canada Lottery Corporation products through our network of lottery ticket retailers.
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