River Rock plans include Vegas-style circular escalator

River Rock Casino Resort marina view.

RICHMOND, BC—Vancouver’s only resort casino is undergoing a renovation that will totally revamp its foodservice operations, add elements of Las Vegas to its common areas, and almost double its room count starting in 2010. Add the fact that the Vancouver Skytrain rapid transit system will soon stop right across the road, and it’s no wonder Howard Blank is enthusiastic and optimistic when he talks about the changes at the River Rock Casino Resort.

“We’re the first casino in the world to have mass rapid transit,” the V-P media communications, entertainment and responsible gaming told CLN in a recent interview at Great Canadian Gaming headquarters suburban Richmond. “Across the street at the Skytrain Station there will be restaurants, drug stores and other retail.”

Great Canadian Gaming, began 26 years ago with gaming tables at the Pacific National Exhibition. Today they have the hotel plus 10 casinos in BC, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Washington state.

The River Rock Casino opened in June 2004, and the hotel followed a year later. The 220-room property is the only all-suites casino hotel in Canada. The smallest suite in the hotel is 700 sq. ft. 

The new tower will have 190 rooms, and will be a separate, named hotel, Blank said. Construction is scheduled to start in 2010. “It will have state-of-the-art WiFi, and be green-built with a number of accoutrements and the latest technology,” he added.

River Rock’s foodservice has undergone a metamorphosis in the last couple of months, said Blank. “We’ve turned Tramonto into a five-star restaurant, and Runway 26 into a buffet. The Dockside restaurant is closed, and has been moved to Tramonto’s temporarily.  We have a food court with Asian dining, and the first ever White Spot Triple O’s in a casino. It is one of the biggest grossing [Triple O’s] in the world—number 2 or 3 after Hong Kong, and the only one open 24 hours.”

One of the most striking features of the common area renovations will a be a Vegas-style circular escalator leading to the check-in on the third floor.

The River Rock convention area features a $10 million system that can change the flat convention floor into a full-blown cabaret or theatre arrangement complete with stage in just eight minutes. Great Canadian Gaming has also installed this system at its sister property, the Great Canadian Casino in Coquitlam, BC.

“Conventions are important, and we’re looking at ways to expand this business in the future. We host a lot of ten-star events, like the David Foster Gala and the Children’s Hospital with Michael Bublé. We’re known for spectacular concerts and events. And we have amazing chefs.” Executive chef Sylvain Cuerrier came to the casino from Grouse Mountain.

River Rock was originally a destination hotel, but the company has realized that the casino is a huge attraction for the business traveller as well.

While many hotels do a lot of business on weekdays, River Rock is always sold out on weekends, when people flock to the casino resort from nearby Washington and Oregon.  
“We’ve grown the weekday business with meetings and events,” said Blank. In many locations, business travellers often go up to their rooms for a boring evening of watching TV.  At River Rock, after their meetings they now have the options of going to the casino or taking in live entertainment shows during the week.

“We have events, conventions and weddings, and the hotel is expanding.  We are a four-star hotel and we’re proud of that.  The service is almost second to none. We have a very loyal following from people who live here.  These people ensure that their families stay here when they visit as well.”

River Rock is the official hotel and casino of the Vancouver Canucks.  “We have positioned ourselves with great sports leaders and we believe we are in the same category when it comes to entertainment,” said Blank.

Occupancy is very high, he added. “We sell out on weekends and average 87 per cent.  That’s largely why we need a new hotel property to go in.

“Even with the construction, we have high occupancy.  Our rooms are soundproof because of the [proximity to the] airport, and we have outweighed the negatives with special packages like Stay and Play, Girls’ Night Out, and our Absolute Spa package.”

The spa is run by Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia’s Absolute Spa Group, billed on its website as “Canada’s largest and most prestigious spa chain.” It has nine locations in the Vancouver area.

“It’s amazing to see where the business has gone after 26 years,” said Blank. “We’ve gone from [gaming] tables only 26 years ago to a true world class casino resort with world class acts performing nightly.”