Loto-Québec to turn Saguenay's Delta hotel and conference centre into a gaming hall
The Salon de jeux de Saguenay is expected to open in about 18 months and will also host shows and live entertainment.
Loto-Québec plans to open a new gaming hall in Saguenay by converting the city's Delta hotel and its conference centre. The Crown corporation announced the Salon de jeux de Saguenay at a news conference and expects the venue to open in about 18 months. Along with gaming, the hall will offer shows and live entertainment.
Loto-Québec president and CEO Jean-François Bergeron said the company was proud to bring the project to a region he described as welcoming and full of development potential. He said the hall will create jobs, increase tourist spending and lead to business partnerships, and that the priority is a safe, responsibly managed gaming setting with trained staff and modern security.
Local support
Yannick Gagnon, the member of the National Assembly for Jonquière, said he was delighted with the choice and expects the hall to support economic and tourism growth in Saguenay and the wider region. He stressed that it will meet the highest regulatory and safety standards.
Saguenay Mayor Luc Boivin welcomed Loto-Québec to the city and pledged continued support for the project. He said promoting Saguenay is a priority and the venue will make the city more attractive for tourism and business events.
Julie Dubord, general manager of Tourisme Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, also welcomed the plan, noting that the Delta Saguenay conference centre is a member of her organization. She said her group is ready to work with Loto-Québec.
Loto-Québec said the project will follow guidance from provincial public health authorities. It said no concerns arose while it built its gaming halls in Québec City and Trois-Rivières.
The corporation also said it will keep promoting low-risk gambling. It plans to reduce access to video lottery terminals by grouping them in a smaller number of locations.
Saguenay has a population of just under 150,000 and sits about 200 kilometres north of Québec City, on the Saguenay Fjord, where it also serves as a port for cruise ships.