Like the old nursery rhyme, Great Canadian Casinos comes ‘up the wagon way with a pocket full of money…’ for the city of Coquitlam. The casino on United Boulevard opened in October 2001 and since then has brought its host city over $23 million, with over $6.5 million for last year. In the repeated arguments over whether casinos bring prosperity to an area or are detrimental to society, Coquitlam would appear to be an example of the former. Located on the West Coast of British Columbia, Coquitlam is just a 30-minute drive from Vancouver and even closer to the US border.

The Great Canadian Gaming Corporation operation at Coquitlam is one of the premier casinos in British Columbia, claiming state-of-the-art equipment for its 30 gaming tables and 950 slot machines. The company has recently completed Phase 1 of a $90 million expansion and Phase 2, which includes the 1,200-seat Red Robinson show Theatre, should open later this year. Under an agreement with the city, 10% of the casino revenue is paid to Coquitlam. The city uses this money for two purposes, major infrastructure and capital grants for community projects.

The French-themed Boulevard Casino is one of the four Great Canadian Casinos located in the Vancouver Lower Mainland. The company also has two operations on Vancouver Island and has recently diversified to include horseracing, food & beverage, hospitality and entertainment products in order to increase traffic to its core casino business. (E-01.18.06)

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