Casino rolls Snake Eyes with Highway 17 location

North Bay's new casino won't be located at the north end of the city off Highway 17 BayToday has confirmed.

It had been the preferred location, but complications mean the facility won't be built there. Several sources in the city tell BayToday that Gateway Casinos is now looking at the south end.

"We just couldn't reach an agreement on terms," says Rob Mitchell, Director, Communications and Public Affairs. "There were some issues with the MTO and it reached a point where we couldn't find an agreement and we've just moved on.

"We did look at two sites on 17 near the hospital. There were some issues with MTO about a proposed cloverleaf and some access issues to the two sites based on some of the planning of the road structure there and what land was serviced, so we ultimately opted out of that and we're no longer looking at that site."

Mitchell wouldn't say where the new site is, but it's believed to be on Pinewood Drive, down by the demolished Moe-Ze-On-Inn location.

Gateway had previously looked at the Pinewood site, but rejected it.

See: Pinewood Park 'not our preferred location' says casino spokesperson

"It is not our preferred location," Gateway Senior Vice President Carrie Kormos told BayToday last summer. "I know the city had re-zoned it prior to Gateway being selected as the service provider but we would like to look for a site that aligns better with our vision of what we want to build and invest in the North Bay economy."

That meant ample parking, visibility from the street and making sure it is located in a part of town where there is other economic and business activity.

In February, Gateway announced it would build on property off Highway 17, across from North Bay's hospital, putting in an offer to purchase some land off Eloy Road.  

“We have an offer to purchase some land near the hospital and the developer who owns the land has put an application forward to have that parcel of land rezoned to accommodate gaming,” said Mitchell at the time.  

See: A North Bay Casino one step closer to reality

A source now says it appears Gateway is close to announcing its intention to locate in West Ferris.