The new Gold Horse Casino in Lloydminster is moving along with construction and hiring staff.
The casino was expected to initially be complete for May, however they are still in the construction phase and the completion date is now expected for September. Little Pine First Nation Chief Wayne Semaganis says the last time he was at the facility they were pouring cement for the upstairs.
“The roof is on, the walls are up, they’re doing the interior right now we’re doing the cement and the wiring for the electrical.”
Semaganis says the most important part of the casino is increasing employment for the First Nations community.
“In terms of employment it will be comparable to the Gold Eagle Casino in North Battleford, where we have a little over 300 staff.”
The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) announced on Thursday their first hire for the casino is General Manager Roger Anderson, who previously held a position with the Gold Eagle Casino as a Senior Operations Manager.
“Very exciting, but now from here we move into the multiple hiring practices. We hire the different positions required to get moving so they can hire within their own areas,” says Anderson.
He adds that there are multiple management positions open and under the SIGA model all staff will go through extensive training to create an excellent hospitality experience for guests. Anderson adds that he is visiting the facility next week to see the progress.
In terms of budget, Semaganis says the facility is close to where they initially projected it to be.
“We’re on budget on it, pretty close. That was one of the reasons that initially I had tried to go on a standalone casino is my concerns on the building costs and certainly we keep an eye on those things.”