Casino in Wasaga Beach celebrates grand opening
Playtime Casino Wasaga Beach celebrated its grand opening Friday.
Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited's new establishment represents a $34.3 million investment into the community, creating 140 new jobs.
"It's great to see Gateway's new Playtime Casino off to such a wonderful start here in Wasaga Beach," Wasaga Beach Mayor Brian Smith said.
"I am so pleased that [Gateway] chose our community to invest and share our confidence in the potential for our town. [It's] not only providing jobs but another reason to visit the beach."
Playtime opened its doors to the public on Nov. 23, 2022.
"We have been warmly welcomed by this community from the day we announced our intention to locate here," said Carrie Kormos, Gateway's chief marketing and communications officer.
"We believe Wasaga Beach has a great future, and our investment here, supported by OLG, is now showing dividends not only in the 140 new jobs we have created, but in establishing a year-round entertainment attraction for both visitors and residents of the beach."
The nearly 25,000-square-foot casino features 250 slot machines and electronic table games. It's also home to MATCH Eatery & Public House, an arcade bar and an outdoor patio.
"It is a real privilege to be able to partner with communities like Wasaga Beach in working with our service providers to deliver capital investment, create jobs, and offer world-class entertainment in a safe and secure environment," said Duncan Hannay, OLG's president and CEO.
"In a little over a month, we have seen how the new Playtime Casino Wasaga Beach has already begun to contribute to the life of the region."
Wasaga Beach Ministerial Food Bank received a $5,000 donation from Gateway Friday, which is the official beneficiary of the GatewayGives charitable donations program.
The food bank already received a portion of the casino's food and beverage sales from MATCH from Dec. 1 - 30.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Pennsylvania chocolate plant blast kills 5, leaves 6 missing
An explosion at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania Friday killed two people and left nine people missing, authorities said.

Ukraine says battle for Bakhmut is 'stabilizing'
The top commander of Ukraine's military said Saturday that his forces are pushing back against Russian troops in the long and grinding battle for the town of Bakhmut, and British military intelligence says Russia appears to be moving to a defensive strategy in eastern Ukraine.
'Everything is interwoven': Trudeau and Biden vow continued Canada-U.S. collaboration during historic visit
U.S President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have announced updates on a number of cross-border issues, after a day of meetings on Parliament Hill.
Asylum seeker deal between U.S. and Canada won't stop drama at border, advocates say
The new asylum seeker agreement between Canada and the United States will not deter migrants from trying to cross into Canada outside official ports of entry, Quebec immigration advocacy groups say.
Scientists say they've solved the mystery of cigar-shaped comet 'Oumuamua
Scientists now say they know outerspace object ‘Oumuamua is, and the answer is more simple than some previous theories have suggested.
'A riot of colours' and 'stunning views' can be found in Canada's national parks. Here's where to go this summer
This past week, Parks Canada opened up its reservation system for the 2023 season, offering places to stay, hikes to take and national historic sites to visit across the country. According to three experts, here's where to travel this summer.
Incredible photos show northern lights dancing across much of Canada
Sky-gazers and shutterbugs across much of Canada were treated to a spectacular display of northern lights Thursday night and into Friday morning.
W5 | Comedian Russell Peters doesn't pull punches in climate of 'cancel culture,' 'political correctness'
CTV W5 speaks with members of the comedy industry, including Russell Peters, for a wide-ranging look at how political correctness and 'cancel culture' has changed the world of stand-up comedy.
Ontario woman kicks off 'long shot' search for wedding dress after dad mistakenly donates it
A woman in southern Ontario is making a plea to the public and kicking off a "long shot" search for her wedding dress after her father accidentally donated it earlier this year.