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> Elbow River Casino
Elbow River Casino (Calgary, Alberta)
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 218-18th Avenue SE
Calgary, AB
T2G 1L1
(403) 289-8880
WEBSITE: http://www.elbowrivercasino.com
SIZE: 80,000-square-feet
TABLE GAMES: 21*
SLOT MACHINES: 604*
POKER ROOM: Yes (12)
AMENITIES: The casino offers nightly entertainment, three restaurants, two lounges, and a 24-hour poker room.
OTHER: Approximately 300 employees
* Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission figures as listed in Canadian Gaming News, Dec. 2005 / Jan. 2006.
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DESCRIPTION
The Roman-themed Elbow River Inn & Casino is located just off of the City of Calgary’s busy MacLeod Trail and a short distance from both the downtown and the Calgary Stampede grounds.
HISTORY
The original 14,000-square-foot casino adjacent to the Elbow River Inn opened in 1989 as the province's first purpose-built casino. It was renamed the Elbow River Casino in 1996 when full ownership of the casino was taken over by Sam Switzer after a split with co-owner Bob Klewchuk. On June 22nd, 2005 the casino expanded and was relocated one block north to a significantly larger facility which is approximately 80,000-square-feet in size.
OWNERSHIP & MANAGEMENT
The Elbow River Inn & Casino is privately owned by veteran Calgary hotelier Sam Switzer. Since the 1970s he has rented space in his hotels to casino operators. Switzer has been in the casino business since 1974 at the original Summit Hotel in downtown Calgary. In 1991, Switzer and long-time Calgary casino manager Bob Klewchuk opened a permanent facility at the base of the Calgary Tower although it failed a few years later.
RECENT EVENTS
In June 2005, a casino expansion and renovation project was completed at a cost of approximately $35-million. The two story, 80,000-square-foot Roman-themed casino is able to host 890 gamblers at a time in a main floor entertainment centre that includes bar and eating areas and a 200-seat live entertainment room.
A Smoking Bylaw made Calgary's public places (including casinos and commercial bingo halls) smoke-free effective January 1, 2008.
COMPETITION
The Elbow River Casino operates in competition with five other existing casinos in the City of Calgary as well as the Grey Eagle casino which is located on land adjacent to south-west Calgary and owned by the Tsuu T’ina First Nation. It is located in close proximity to the Stampede Casino.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Elbow River Casino web site
“The Casino Royals: The ‘Ka-Ching’ crowd: Casino owners have staked millions of dollars on satisfying Albertans’ raging hunger for gambling. And the biggest player at the table in Heinz Oldach” Edmonton Journal, Aug. 27, 2000. p. E7.
It's a sure bet this casino boss won't ever retire. Tom Keyser. Business Edge. Published: 3/21/2001 - Vol. 1, No. 23
Deerfoot casino bets on Alberta’s boom. Calgary Herald, Nov 26, 2005, C1.
Last Updated: 05/13/11 by Rhys Stevens
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