River Rock Casino Resort | |
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Address | 8811 River Road Richmond, British Columbia V6X 3P8 |
Opening date | June 25, 2004 |
Theme | West Coast rainforest |
No. of rooms | 396 |
Total gaming space | 70,000 sq ft (6,500 m2) |
Permanent shows | None |
Signature attractions | River Rock Show Theatre |
Casino type | Land-Based |
Owner | Great Canadian Gaming |
Architect | DA Architects + Planners |
Previous names | None |
Renovated in | 2009 |
Website | http://www.riverrock.com/ |
River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, British Columbia is the largest casino in the province of British Columbia.[1] The casino is owned by Great Canadian Gaming. The hotel has a total of 396 rooms, including standard rooms and suites and it is situated on the river with a 144-berth marina.
The casino has 10,000 visitors per day on average and generated an annual revenue of $244 million as of August 2006.[2]
River Rock Casino offers email, text alerts and other forms of electronic communications to guests interested in receiving property discounts as well as promotional and event information related to River Rock Casino. Standard text messaging rates and other rates may apply. Any personal information collected will be kept confidential.
The casino was built on the site of the former Bridgepoint Market in Richmond. It first opened to the public on June 25, 2004.Several variances were needed from the City of Richmond to allow it to open with service that customers expect. This included a modification of its liquor license and operating license to allow liquor to be consumed in the casino's theatre.[3]
It hosted the British Columbia Poker Championships in November 2005, 2006 and 2007. The premier event of the Johnny Chan Poker Championship was also held in 2007.
The 2006 Gemini Awards were presented at the River Rock Casino Resort, marking the ceremony's West Coast debut; the event is normally held in Toronto.[4][5]
The grand atrium of the resort also contains the first spiral escalators to ever be installed in Canada.
The casino is served by Bridgeport Station on the Canada LineSkyTrain, located across from the casino.
Bus service, operated by TransLink, is provided via bus routes within walking distance of the casino.
The casino is located about five minutes from Vancouver International Airport, on Richmond's Sea Island. It is also near Highway 99, the main highway connecting Vancouver to the southern suburbs.
The casino also plans to build a 1,200 parking space complex for casino patrons and for park-and-ride transit use.[6]The 1,200 stall parkade will cost $33 million to build. TransLink (the Canada Line Operator) will give the Great Canadian Casino Corporation land worth $9.5 million, and $4.5 million in cash in return for building the park-and-ride facility. Transit users will be charged $2.50 to use the facility.[7]
Because the Vancouver area has a big film industry, River Rock has played host to various productions looking for casino filming locations. While this is generally well received, there have been some unfortunate incidents. On 8 November 2006, three photographers made their way onto a closed section of the hotel's balcony intending to photograph actress Denise Richards during filming of the movie Blonde and Blonder. In an ensuing argument, she allegedly threw a laptop computer belonging to one photographer off the balcony, striking the arm of an elderly lady in a wheelchair.[8][9]
The casino was also prominently featured in the Psych episode entitled 'Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Piece.'
A report released by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation showed that out of 56 incidents of a casino patron in British Columbia being barred from gambling for suspected loan sharking activity, 34 of those incidents took place at River Rock.[10][11]Controversy within Richmond was further stirred when the RCMP admitted it could do little to stop loan sharking unless a victim came forward, yet it was the suspected motive for a variety of kidnappings, extortions, threats and violence.[12]The most prominent case occurred when Rong Lilly Li, a suspected loan shark, disappeared after last being seen getting into a van outside the casino on 26 May 2006. Her body was finally recovered on the weekend of 9–10 September 2006.[13]
An June 2016 audit found that the casino knowingly allowed high rollers to buy chips with funds from lenders with anti-money laundering restrictions who were being investigated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.[14][15]
Miss Chinese (Vancouver) Pageant have been hosted at the casino venue in 2009 and has been used as venue for Cantopop stars from Hong Kong for their North American tours.
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Coordinates: 49°11′47″N123°07′41″W / 49.196257°N 123.128141°W
Picture, if you will, a splashing torrent of water, pouring down the faceof a waterfall, before settling into a crystal clear pond. Are you thinking a remote Caribbean island jungle paradise? Think again, because we’ve just described the lobby of the River Rock Casino Resort, located just seven minutes from Vancouver International Airport, and right on the waterfront in Richmond. The new Canada Line light rail service means the hotel is a single stop from the airport, making it eminently accessible. For more information about Canada Line services and other modes of transport in the area, please visit our Transport Page on this website.
River Rock is the ultimate in sophisticated relaxation. To start, every one of its rooms is a suite of no less than 525 square feet, or about twice the size of a standard New York hotel room. Beyond the tranquil pond and shimmering waterfall lies the casino itself, with more than 1,000 slot machines and virtually every card and board game ever created. In addition, there are no fewer than nine restaurants and bars, a tropical swimming pool with water slide for the kids, plus a spa with no fewer than ten treatment rooms, and two lounges with live entertainment of the highest calibre every night of the week. If you decide to boat in, River Rock Casino Resort also boasts a beautiful boardwalk and 144-berth marina offering daily, weekly or monthly rentals. In short, once you arrive at River Rock, there’s really no need to go any further to be wined, dined and spectacularly entertained.
Spacious suites as standard
When you stay at River Rock Casino, one of the first things you’ll appreciate is the sheer size of the accommodations on offer; the next thing you’ll notice is how well they’re furnished. Besides the recent addition of free Wi-Fi internet access for all resort visitors, every room also comes with:
Outside View
One bedroom suites start at 525 square feet. Two bedroom suites move up to 650 square feet and have a television in both bedrooms. They are also located on select floors and offer guests the choice of a city view or marina view.
One floor of River Rock Casino Resort is dedicated to Executive Suites, complete with sunken living room and private access via elevator key. Those who book an Executive Suite online, or directly with the hotel by phone, will also receive a complimentary buffet breakfast each day of their stay.
For special occasions, have a look at one of the ten Penthouse Suites at River Rock. With both one and two-bedroom configurations, these suites offer from 1,000 to 1,200 square feet of living space, a dining room that seats six comfortably, and a bar in every suite. The one-bed suites are fitted with one and a half bathrooms, with two and a half in the two-bedroom suites.
If only the best will do, go for the 2,800 square foot Presidential Suite. The amazing range of features includes a monitor at the front door to screen guests, a full size pool table in the great room, two full size bedrooms, a wrap-around outdoor deck with mountain, marina, city and airport runway views, and no less than 1,000 square feet of living space in the living/dining room alone. Each of the two bedrooms has its own en suite bathroom, and each bathroom is equipped with a large screen TV.
Dining options galore
Guestrooms
Ok, what would you like? Italian or Japanese? Big American-style burgers, or sizzling steaks? It doesn’t really matter, because at River Rock, you’ll find exactly what you crave. The hotel actually has its own International Food Court, with Asian, Italian, West Coast fare, freshly baked goods, gourmet coffee…you name it and you’ll find it here. Conveniently located in the main casino, the Food Court has one other feature that’s pretty sure to please. It’s open 24 hours a day, seven days per week!
For truly upscale dining in an elegant surrounding, go up to the third floor and visit Tramonto’s. Enjoy the incredible sunsets and amazing views through floor to ceiling windows while sipping one of their exceptional wines. Then tuck into Executive Chef Sylvain Cuerrier’s Italian speciality dishes, or enjoy locally sourced, first day fresh produce. Tramonto’s is open for dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday to Thursday, and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday.
Finally, those with exceptionally healthy appetites may prefer to visit River Rock’s all you can eat restaurant, known simply as The Buffet. Open for breakfast lunch and dinner, with a menu that changes daily, special prices for children, and complimentary soft drinks, tea and coffee included in every meal, The Buffet is one of those rare places that simply can’t fail to please the entire family.
Go see the show!
After dinner, you just can’t miss one of the nightly shows held in Lulu’s Lounge, or the spectacular 950-seat, 21,000 square foot River Rock Show Theatre. Boasting a state of the art seating system that makes every seat “the best seat in the house,” guests can enjoy music, comedy and theatre every night of the week. River Rock Show Theatre has been the venue for no lesser celebrities than Russell Brand, Carmen Electra, Gene Simmons and even the Chippendales.