Rib Fest isn’t the only excitement happening in the downtown north core this weekend.
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s Thunder Bay Casino is celebrating a milestone in 2015, marking 15 years of existence in the Lakehead.
Casino general manager Jordi Psikla said it’s been a tremendous run, saying the facility and its employees have tried to be a tremendous community partner over the years.
“It’s been fantastic and we’re excited about our future,” he said on Friday.
“Over the past15 years there have been a number of changes, not only to our organization, but the facility has been well-maintained … Our work here in the downtown core has been successful as well. I think there’s been a lot of growth in our area, which I think is a good thing for the city.
Psikla said celebrations this weekend will include a birthday cake and champagne for casino patrons on Sunday.
“It’s just to kind of welcome and thank people for their patronage over the past 15 years. And we’ve got some different events being held here within the casino, of course, some different giveaways and prize functions and things of that nature,” he said.
“It’s just more or less a generalized way of saying thanks to the community.”
Earlier this week an OLG spokesman said his organization is looking to bundle their northern gaming properties, including casinos in Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury Downs. The plan, which would privatize the casino, also includes opening new gambling facilities in North Bay and Kenora.
Fort William First Nation Chief Peter Collins is also on record saying he would like the Thunder Bay casino to become the centerpiece of a potential redevelopment of the Big Thunder Nordic facility, at present under the ownership of the provincial government.
