Casino Rama adds fall shows as it marks 30 years near Orillia
The First Nation resort casino opened in July 1996 and has welcomed more than 76 million visitors since, with new concerts and comedy booked for the fall.
Casino Rama Resort has added five shows to its schedule as it celebrates 30 years in business in Ramara Township, near Orillia.
The resort opened on July 31, 1996, welcomed by the Chippewas of Rama First Nation. It has drawn more than 76 million visitors since then, according to Orillia & Lake Country Tourism.
Fall lineup
CTV News reported that the new dates include comedian Bert Kreischer on his Permission to Party World Tour on Oct. 2, and country singers Pam Tillis and Lorrie Morgan with their Grit & Glamour show on Oct. 3.
A package called My Generation, featuring The Lovin' Spoonful, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, the Hollies Greatest Hits with Terry Sylvester, and Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, plays on Oct. 9. Country star Mitchell Tenpenny brings his Speed of Light Tour on Nov. 6. All shows at the resort are restricted to guests aged 19 and over.
The resort's Entertainment Centre seats 5,000 people. Over three decades its stage has hosted acts including Ringo Starr, The Tragically Hip, Gordon Lightfoot, The Beach Boys, Jerry Seinfeld, Carrie Underwood and Sarah McLachlan.
A refreshed resort
Casino Rama is one of three First Nation resort casinos in Ontario. Its gaming floor has more than 1,500 slot machines and over 40 table games. The property also includes a renovated 300-room all-suite hotel with a salt-water pool, a new spa on the main floor and an updated fitness centre.
The anniversary year also brought the completion of a resort refresh. Dining now includes ATLAS steak + fish at St. Germain's, MATCH Eatery & Public House and CHOW Lucky Noodle Bar, and the complex offers nearly 40,000 square feet of event space.
Rama First Nation businesses operate inside the complex as well, including the Biindigen Gift Shop and Explore, which sells Indigenous arts and crafts. Orillia & Lake Country Tourism said the project brought significant employment and economic opportunity to the community and the wider region when it opened.