Great Canadian Entertainment, the company that once owned Chances Maple Ridge, is selling off another of its B.C. properties – the latest one in Coquitlam.
GCE, described as one of the biggest gaming operators in the country, is selling the Great Canadian Casino Vancouver in Coquitlam to the Snuneymuxw First Nation – the same group that reached a deal to acquire the Maple Ridge and River Rock casinos at the end of October.
The Maple Ridge Chances, located at 227 Street and Lougheed Highway, opened in 2013, replacing the Haney Bingo Plex as the community’s primary gambling centre.
The same First Nation and the its wholly owned corporation, Petroglyph Development Group (PDG), also acquired Casino Nanaimo and Elements Casino Victoria almost a year ago.
Once all the deals close, PDG is expected to become one of the largest casino operators by revenue in British Columbia, and anticipates being the largest Canadian Indigenous owned gaming operator in Canada, cementing Snuneymuxw as a leading force in the province’s gaming industry, said Chief Mike Wyse, Xum’silum, Snuneymuxw First Nation.
These acquisitions mark a major step toward economic self-determination for Snuneymuxw, strengthening Snuneymuxw’s long-term prosperity and restoring an economy that thrived for thousands of years, he said.
“Our growing partnership with Great Canadian Entertainment has brought us to what was envisioned by our ancestors and guided by decades of Snuneymuxw chiefs and councils,” Wyse said.
For Snuneymuxw, the move represents a transformational step toward self-funding and true financial independence.
By securing ownership what he describes as “thriving casino operations, we are realizing a dream of long-term economic independence and creating lasting prosperity for our people and the communities we serve.”
He added: “Nation-to-Nation collaboration benefits all of us. We respectfully acknowledge Musqueam, on whose territory River Rock Resort Casino is located, and the Katzie, whose territory includes Chances Maple Ridge. Snuneymuxw looks forward to continuing our conversations with both Nations and exploring the economic development opportunities before us.”
Similarly, last year, the Tsleil-Waututh Nation bought the Hastings Casino at the PNE, and the Elements Casino in Chilliwack was being sold to the Ts’elxweyeqw Tribe.