River Rock Casino Resort

River Rock Casino Resort
Address 8811 River Road
Richmond, British Columbia
V6X 3P8
Opening date June 25, 2004
Theme West Coast rainforest
Number of rooms 396
Total gaming space 70,000 sq ft (6,500 m2)
Permanent shows None
Signature attractions River Rock Show Theatre
Casino type Land-Based
Owner Great Canadian Gaming
Architect DA Architects + Planners
Previous names None
Renovated in 2009
Website http://www.riverrock.com/
River Rock Casino's west entrance

River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, British Columbia is the largest casino in the province of British Columbia.[1] The casino is owned by Great Canadian Gaming. There is a total of 396 rooms, including standard rooms and suites and it is situated on the river with a 144-berth marina.

The casino has 10,000 visitors per day on average and generated an annual revenue of $244 million as of August 2006.[2]

History

The casino was built on the site of the former Bridgepoint Market in Richmond. It first opened to the public on June 25, 2004. Several variances were needed from the City of Richmond to allow it to open with service that customers expect. This included a modification of its liquor license and operating license to allow liquor to be consumed in the casino's theatre.[3]

It hosted the British Columbia Poker Championships in November 2005, 2006 and 2007. The premier event of the Johnny Chan Poker Championship was also held in 2007.

The 2006 Gemini Awards were presented at the River Rock Casino Resort, marking the ceremony's West Coast debut; the event is normally held in Toronto.[4] [5]

The grand atrium of the resort also contains the first spiral escalators to ever be installed in Canada.

Transportation

The casino is served by Bridgeport Station on the Canada Line SkyTrain, located across from the casino.

Bus service, operated by TransLink, is provided via bus routes within walking distance of the casino.

The casino is located about five minutes from Vancouver International Airport, on Richmond's Sea Island. It is also near Highway 99, the main highway connecting Vancouver to the southern suburbs.

The casino also plans to build a 1,200 parking space complex for casino patrons and for park-and-ride transit use.[6] The 1,200 stall parkade will cost $33 million to build. TransLink (the Canada Line Operator) will give the Great Canadian Casino Corporation land worth $9.5 million, and $4.5 million in cash in return for building the park-and-ride facility. Transit users will be charged $2.50 to use the facility.[7]

Community Involvement

River Rock Casino and the film industry

Because the Vancouver area has a big film industry, River Rock has played host to various productions looking for casino filming locations. While this is generally well received, there have been some unfortunate incidents. On 8 November 2006, three photographers made their way onto a closed section of the hotel's balcony intending to photograph actress Denise Richards during filming of the movie Blonde and Blonder. In an ensuing argument, she allegedly threw a laptop computer belonging to one photographer off the balcony, striking the arm of an elderly lady in a wheelchair. [8] [9]

The casino was also prominently featured in the Psych episode entitled "Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Piece."

Loan sharking controversy

A report released by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation showed that out of 56 incidents of a casino patron in British Columbia being barred from gambling for suspected loan sharking activity, 34 of those incidents took place at River Rock.[10][11] Controversy within Richmond was further stirred when the RCMP admitted it could do little to stop loan sharking unless a victim came forward, yet it was the suspected motive for a variety of kidnappings, extortions, threats and violence.[12] The most prominent case occurred when Rong Lilly Li, a suspected loan shark, disappeared after last being seen getting into a van outside the casino on 26 May 2006. Her body was finally recovered on the weekend of 9–10 September 2006.[13]

Concerts and Pageants

Miss Chinese (Vancouver) Pageant have been hosted at the casino venue in 2009 and has been used as venue for Cantopop stars from Hong Kong for their North American tours.

See also

References

  1. BUSINESS - Court Suspends Golf Course Sale
  2. News Error | myTELUS
  3. canada.com
  4. CKNW News Talk 980 - CKNWAM
  5. canada.com
  6. "Richmond News - Canada Line drives massive development - May 08, 2007".
  7. "Richmond News - Casino gets 'sweet deal' from TransLink - December 2006".
  8. "Laptops thrown by actress hit seniors: police". CBC. 9 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  9. "No charges against actress Richards, RCMP say". CBC. 10 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  10. "Crime at River Rock". CKNW. 16 August 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  11. Skelton, Chad (16 August 2006). "Richmond sees rash of casino-related crime". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  12. Bennett, Nelson (18 August 2006). "Clapham cracks down on loan sharks". Richmond News. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  13. Edmonds, Eve (29 September 2006). "Murder victim last seen at casino". Richmond News. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. Retrieved 2006-11-11.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to River Rock Casino Resort.

Coordinates: 49°11′47″N 123°07′41″W / 49.196257°N 123.128141°W / 49.196257; -123.128141

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