River Rock Casino Resort

Last updated
River Rock Casino Resort
River Rock Casino Resort Logo.jpg
Riverrockcasino-2.jpg
Address 8811 River Road
Richmond, British Columbia
V6X 3P8
Opening dateJune 25, 2004
ThemeWest Coast rainforest
No. of rooms396
Total gaming space70,000 sq ft (6,500 m2)
Permanent showsNone
Signature attractionsRiver Rock Show Theatre
Casino typeLand-Based
Owner Great Canadian Entertainment
Architect DA Architects + Planners
Previous namesNone
Renovated in2009
Website riverrock.com
River Rock Casino's west entrance Riverrockcasino-1.jpg
River Rock Casino's west entrance

River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, British Columbia is the largest casino in the province of British Columbia. [1] The casino is owned by Great Canadian Entertainment. The hotel has a total of 396 rooms, including standard rooms and suites and it is situated on the river with a 144-berth marina.

Contents

The casino has 10,000 visitors per day on average and generated an annual revenue of $244 million as of August 2006. [2]

History

The casino was built on the site of the former Bridgepoint Market in Richmond. It first opened to the public on June 25, 2004. Several variances were needed from the City of Richmond to allow it to open with service that customers expect. This included a modification of its liquor licence and operating licence to allow liquor to be consumed in the casino's theatre. [3]

It hosted the British Columbia Poker Championships in November 2005, 2006 and 2007. The premier event of the Johnny Chan Poker Championship was also held in 2007.

The 2006 Gemini Awards were presented at the River Rock Casino Resort, marking the ceremony's West Coast debut; the event is normally held in Toronto. [4] [5]

The grand atrium of the resort also contains the first spiral escalators to ever be installed in Canada.

Transportation

The casino is served by Bridgeport Station on the Canada Line SkyTrain, located across from the casino.

Bus service, operated by TransLink, is provided via bus routes within walking distance of the casino.

The casino is located about five minutes from Vancouver International Airport, on Richmond's Sea Island. It is also near Highway 99, the main highway connecting Vancouver to the southern suburbs.

The casino also plans to build a 1,200-parking space complex for casino patrons and for park-and-ride transit use. [6] The 1,200 stall parkade will cost $33 million to build. TransLink (the Canada Line Operator) will give the Great Canadian Casino Corporation land worth $9.5 million, and $4.5 million in cash in return for building the park-and-ride facility. Transit users will be charged $2.50 to use the facility. [7]

River Rock Casino and the film industry

Because the Vancouver area has a big film industry, River Rock has played host to various productions looking for casino filming locations. While this is generally well received, there have been some unfortunate incidents. On 8 November 2006, three photographers made their way onto a closed section of the hotel's balcony intending to photograph actress Denise Richards during filming of the movie Blonde and Blonder . In an ensuing argument, she allegedly threw a laptop computer belonging to one photographer off the balcony, striking the arm of an elderly lady in a wheelchair. [8] [9]

The casino was also prominently featured in the Psych episode entitled "Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Piece."

Loan sharking controversy

A report released by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation showed that out of 56 incidents of a casino patron in British Columbia being barred from gambling for suspected loan sharking activity, 34 of those incidents took place at River Rock. [10] [11] Controversy within Richmond was further stirred when the RCMP admitted it could do little to stop loan sharking unless a victim came forward, yet it was the suspected motive for a variety of kidnappings, extortions, threats and violence. [12] The most prominent case occurred when Rong Lilly Li, a suspected loan shark, disappeared after last being seen getting into a van outside the casino on 26 May 2006. Her body was finally recovered on the weekend of 9–10 September 2006. [13]

A June 2016 audit found that the casino knowingly allowed high rollers to buy chips with funds from lenders with anti-money laundering restrictions who were being investigated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. [14] [15]

Concerts and pageants

Miss Chinese (Vancouver) Pageant have been hosted at the casino venue in 2009 and has been used as venue for Cantopop stars from Hong Kong for their North American tours.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SkyTrain (Vancouver)</span> Automated rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, Canada

SkyTrain is the medium-capacity rapid transit system in the Metro Vancouver Regional District, serving Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. SkyTrain has 79.6 km (49.5 mi) of track and uses fully automated trains on grade-separated tracks running on underground and elevated guideways, allowing SkyTrain to hold consistently high on-time reliability. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 116,569,000, or about 403,000 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond, British Columbia</span> City in British Columbia, Canada

Richmond is a city in the coastal Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. It occupies almost the entirety of Lulu Island, between the two estuarine distributaries of the Fraser River. Encompassing the adjacent Sea Island and several other smaller islands and uninhabited islets to its north and south, it neighbours Vancouver and Burnaby on the Burrard Peninsula to the north, New Westminster and Annacis Island to the east, Delta to the south, and the Strait of Georgia to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vancouver International Airport</span> Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada

Vancouver International Airport is an international airport located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, serving the city of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland region. It is located 12 km (7.5 mi) from Downtown Vancouver. Vancouver International Airport is the second busiest airport in Canada by passenger traffic, behind Toronto Pearson International Airport. As a trans-Pacific hub, the airport has more direct flights to China than any other airport in North America or Europe. It is a hub for Air Canada and WestJet. Vancouver International Airport is one of eight Canadian airports that have US Border Pre-clearance facilities. It is also one of the few major international airports to have a terminal for scheduled floatplanes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bowen Island</span> Island municipality in British Columbia, Canada

Bowen Island, British Columbia, is an island municipality that is part of Metro Vancouver, and within the jurisdiction of the Islands Trust. Located in Howe Sound, it is approximately 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) wide by 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) long, and at its closest point is about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) west of the mainland. There is regular ferry service from Horseshoe Bay provided by BC Ferries, and semi-regular water taxi services. The population of 4,256 is supplemented in the summer by about 1,500 visitors. It has a land area of 50.12 km2 (19.35 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada Line</span> Rapid transit line in Metro Vancouver, Canada

The Canada Line is a rapid transit line in Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, that is part of the SkyTrain system. The line is owned by TransLink and InTransitBC and is operated by ProTrans BC. Coloured turquoise on route maps, it operates as an airport rail link between Vancouver, Richmond, and the Vancouver International Airport (YVR). The line comprises 16 stations and 19.2 kilometres (11.9 mi) of track; the main line runs from Vancouver to Richmond while a 4-kilometre (2.5 mi) spur line from Bridgeport station connects to the airport. It opened on August 17, 2009, ahead of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

CKNW is a news/talk formatted radio station in Vancouver, British Columbia, owned by Corus Entertainment. It broadcasts on an assigned frequency of AM 980 kHz, and is unusual in that it is a 50,000-watt, Class A station broadcasting on a regional frequency. CKNW uses a four-tower directional antenna from a site near Surrey, while its studios are located at TD Tower in Downtown Vancouver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coast Mountain Bus Company</span> Bus transit services operator in Metro Vancouver

Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC) is the contract operator for bus transit services in Metro Vancouver and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority, known locally as TransLink, the entity responsible for public transit in the region. The buses form part of the integrated transit network of the Lower Mainland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aberdeen Centre</span> Shopping mall

Aberdeen Centre is a shopping mall in Richmond, British Columbia. It is located in the Golden Village district on Hazelbridge Way, bordered by Cambie Road to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">98 B-Line</span> Former express bus service in Metro Vancouver, Canada

The 98 B-Line was a bus rapid transit line in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It linked Richmond to Downtown Vancouver, with a connection to Vancouver International Airport. It travelled mainly along Granville Street in Vancouver and a dedicated bus lane on No. 3 Road in Richmond. It was operated by Coast Mountain Bus Company and was funded by TransLink. The route was 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) long. The line carried over 18,000 passengers daily. It was discontinued on September 7, 2009, two and a half weeks after the opening of the Canada Line, which replaced it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridgeport station (SkyTrain)</span> Metro Vancouver SkyTrain station

Bridgeport is an elevated station on the Canada Line of Metro Vancouver's SkyTrain rapid transit system. It is located in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, south of Vancouver. The Canada Line branches outbound at this station, with one branch heading westward to YVR–Airport station at the Vancouver International Airport and the other heading south to Richmond–Brighouse station in the commercial centre of Richmond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rich Coleman</span> Canadian politician

Richard Thomas Coleman is a Canadian politician and former police officer, who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in British Columbia from 1996 to 2020, and is a former interim leader of the British Columbia Liberal Party. He was first elected in 1996 and re-elected in 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2017. Coleman represented the riding of Langley East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marpole Loop</span>

Marpole Loop is a public transit exchange in the Marpole neighbourhood of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The exchange is a part of Metro Vancouver's TransLink transit network. It is the southernmost transit exchange located within the city of Vancouver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond Night Market</span> Annual summer event in Canada

The Richmond Night Market is an annual night market founded by entrepreneur Raymond Cheung. It is held during the summer months in Richmond, British Columbia in Canada. It runs on weekends and is held near Bridgeport Station of the Canada Line next to River Rock Casino Resort. The merchandise sold at the night market is primarily imported from Asia and considered by some to be of a lower price point than traditional retail stores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Powder Mountain Icefield</span>

The Powder Mountain Icefield, also called the Powder Mountain Icecap and the Cayley Icefield, is a glacial field in the Pacific Ranges of southwestern British Columbia, Canada, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of Whistler and about 90 kilometres (56 mi) north of Vancouver. On the west side of the icefield is the valley of the Squamish River, while on its east is the Callaghan Valley, which is the setting for the Nordic facilities for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Geoff Plant, is a British Columbia lawyer and retired politician known for his interest in citizen's legal and electoral rights and aboriginal rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salish Sea human foot discoveries</span> Detached human feet found on the coast

Rob Howard is a Canadian politician who was elected to the 39th Parliament of British Columbia as the Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from the riding of Richmond Centre. A member of the BC Liberal Party, he replaced retiring BC Liberal Olga Ilich in that riding, by winning the riding in the 2009 provincial election. While his party formed a majority government, Howard was appointed to several committees, including the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts in the first two sessions, and Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services in the third and fourth session.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Integrated Security Unit</span>

Integrated Security Unit (ISU) is a joint-services infrastructure security unit created to secure major events in Canada. This administrative and operational entity was first created by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in 2003.

Jas Johal is a Canadian politician and media personality. He served as Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia for the electoral district of Richmond-Queensborough in the 41st Parliament of British Columbia (2017-2020), as part of the British Columbia Liberal Party caucus.

Great Canadian Entertainment is a Canadian gaming, entertainment and hospitality company. Prior to its acquisition by Apollo Global Management in September 2021, the company was listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and was part of the S&P/TSX Composite Index.

References

  1. "BUSINESS - Court Suspends Golf Course Sale". Archived from the original on 2006-06-22. Retrieved 2006-06-12.
  2. "News Error | myTELUS". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2006-08-24.
  3. "canada.com". Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2006-06-12.
  4. CKNW News Talk 980 – CKNWAM Archived 2007-05-14 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "canada.com". Archived from the original on 2006-05-13. Retrieved 2006-06-12.
  6. "Richmond News - Canada Line drives massive development - May 08, 2007". Archived from the original on September 26, 2007.
  7. "Richmond News - Casino gets 'sweet deal' from TransLink - December 2006". Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2007-06-15.
  8. "Laptops thrown by actress hit seniors: police". CBC News. 9 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  9. "No charges against actress Richards, RCMP say". CBC News. 10 November 2006. Archived from the original on 15 August 2014. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  10. "Crime at River Rock". CKNW. 16 August 2006. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  11. Skelton, Chad (16 August 2006). "Richmond sees rash of casino-related crime". The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 16 November 2007. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  12. Bennett, Nelson (18 August 2006). "Clapham cracks down on loan sharks". Richmond News. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  13. Edmonds, Eve (29 September 2006). "Murder victim last seen at casino". Richmond News. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  14. Cooper, Sam (October 16, 2017). "B.C. casinos knowingly accepted banned cash: confidential report". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019.
  15. Obiko Pearson, Natalie; Sambo, Paula (April 29, 2019). "Vancouver's Once Rollicking Casinos Hit by Dirty Money Crackdown". Bloomberg News . Archived from the original on August 18, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2019.

49°11′47″N123°07′41″W / 49.196257°N 123.128141°W / 49.196257; -123.128141