Niagara Falls casino would have had resort built had OLG gone with Hard Rock as manager: auditor’s report

Niagara Falls casino would have had resort built had OLG gone with Hard Rock as manager: auditor’s report

Article brief provided by InNiagara
  • Don Redmond, InNiagara
November 30, 2022 2:56 PM

An unusual move by Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) in 2018 saw them lose millions of potential dollars for their new Niagara Falls casinos, as well as a resort tower being built for Casino Niagara, according to the Ontario Auditor General’s report released today (November 30).

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When the OLG, the owner of the two casinos, selected Connecticut-based Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment (now simply “Mohegan”) to manage Casino Niagara and Fallsview Casino Resort, they stepped past bids from both Caesars and Hard Rock that look far more lucrative.

According to Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk, Hard Rock’s bid to manage the two casinos, referred to as the “Niagara Bundle,” included about $857 million more than Mohegan, primarily focused on rebranding both casinos and adding a hotel to Casino Niagara.