The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, which manages casinos in the province, has begun the process of finding the future operator of the Caesars Windsor casino, releasing a Request for Pre-Qualification (RFPQ).
The RFPQ is the first stage in a procurement process to select a service provider to handle the day-to-day gaming operations for the site.
Caesars Windsor Entertainment Ltd. is the current operator. Their contract ends in 2025. But they can participate in this process if they so choose. Caesars, of course, operates casinos all over North America.
“OLG is advancing plans that will support the long-term vibrancy and excitement of the casino experience in Ontario,” said Duncan Hannay, OLG’s president and CEO. “Releasing the RFPQ for the Windsor casino is the first step in selecting a highly qualified service provider that will ensure the long-term competitiveness of the site, while continuing to generate economic benefits for the local community and for Ontario.”
The RFPQ process will close May 25. During this part of the process, OLG will look at the company’s previous experience operating a large gaming resort. Those that prequalify will proceed to the Request for Proposal (RFP) phase of the procurement, where they will be given an outline detailing the information required to submit a more detailed proposal.
According to OLG, the city of Windsor has received more than $80 million from its casino since 1994.
On average since 2018, the city has received about $10 million in payments annually (not including the pandemic year and the following year as casinos were reopening).
Caesars Windsor, located close to the U.S. border, has roughly 750 hotels rooms, 2,230 slot machines, 85 table games, a retail sportsbook, six restaurants, and four lounges.
