Members from the PAGC, PBCN, and SIGA along with local dignitaries turn sod in front of the Northern Lights Casino, marking the beginning of a lengthy expansion project that will increase the total space by 31,000 square feet. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

By Logan Lehmann

Casino expansion

Sod turning kicks off expansion project for Northern Lights Casino

Aug 28, 2024 | 5:18 PM

The air was filled with excitement at the Northern Lights Casino on Wednesday as the first plans and details for the building’s expansion project were shared.

The project will begin work in late September and will take up to two years to complete, adding 31,000 square feet to the existing building. The new Casino will total 73,000 square feet.

What the front of the newly expanded Northern Lights Casino is going to look like. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

Many dignitaries were in attendance for the announcement including MLA Alana Ross, Mayor Greg Dionne, and members of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN), Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC), Northern Lights Casino, and Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA).

SIGA President and CEO Zane Hansen explained that the expansion will see more space get added to the gaming floor, with most happening behind the scenes.

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“[The 31,000 square feet expansion] will be for public facing and our back-of-house areas. It will be 23 –24,000 [square feet] on the floor here, a fair bit of that will be a food and beverage footprint that’s much bigger. Plus, we can expand out the gaming floor – you can see just how crowded it is so we want to open it up a bit. Then lots of back-of-house, storage warehouses because casinos need a lot of space that way.”

Hansen added this project first gained traction in late 2019 but was stopped in its tracks when the pandemic hit in early 2020.

“We had [the plans] on the table in late ’19 and we’re a non-profit company, and basically we had to stop and take a pause – get through that window. We’re glad to be back on our feet now and we’re ready to re-invest and create a whole new experience for our customers and for the employees.”

A rendering of what the Northern Lights Casino will look like standing on Marquis Road. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

Of the around 300 current employees at the Casino, nobody will be laid off during the expansion and everyday operations will not be affected throughout the entire process.

General Manager of the Northern Lights Casino Angela Isbister said the expansion is being done with the customers in mind.

“More floor space, bigger restaurant, bigger smoking room – just more space for our customers to walk around in and move around and things like that. They’re going to love it.

The new casino renovations will embrace the name of the ‘Northern Lights’ as the natural phenomena will be themed throughout the new building along with paying homage to the Casino’s Indigenous roots.

“Majority of the other sites have [indigenous features] already, so we’re carrying that over to our new building – having those features added in,” Isbister continued.

PAGC Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte said the sod turning marks a very special day for everyone involved.

“It’s been a long time coming. We’ve met with SIGA and the Casino and they wanted to see an expansion for the Casino so this day… it’s a real good day.”

A look at what one of the bars could look like inside the renovated Casino. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

The Northern Lights Casino was first opened in 1996, and the last renovations to happen there were in 2011 when they opened a new 4,500-square-foot smoking room. Currently, the Casino operates 590 slot machines and 11 tables.

The casino sits on an urban reserve owned by Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation.

(Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com