Casino Yellowhead
October 14, 2008
The Gold Dust Casino is situated on a field next in the Edmonton suburb of St. Albert. The casino is approximately 20,000-square-feet in size and is attached to the Campbell Park bingo hall and a bar with off-track betting. Interestingly, the casino’s Playtime Coach Company offers charter bus services to pickup up groups and delivers them to the casino.
Casino Yellowhead
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HISTORY Casino Yellowhead opened in August 2000 at a cost of $16-million. This facility was essentially a replacement for the city’s Casino ABS Downtown at 102nd St. and 105th Ave. (opened ~1990) which itself had moved from its original location in a refurbished warehouse on 112th St., North of Jasper Ave. (opened in 1981). Casino ABS is owned by Heinz Oldach and he has been running charitable Casinos in Alberta since 1973. Oldach began his business career as general manager of the carnival rides arm of Acme. When he was 28, Oldach and Acme colleague Harry Nash bought the carnival company, added new rides, and, in 1973, incorporated Alberta Bingo Supplies Ltd. (hence the name ABS). OWNERSHIP & MANAGEMENT Casino Yellowhead is privately owned by Heinz Oldach’s Casino ABS (Alberta Bingo Supplies, Ltd.). ABS was incorporated 1973 and is Canada’s oldest casino operator and largest operator in the Province of Alberta. Casino ABS owns four casinos plus a 25% share in the Royal City Star Riverboat Casino in New Westminster, B.C. SOURCE: Conversation with Casino ABS Senior V-P Barry Pritchard (October 19th, 2004). RECENT EVENTS In October, 2006, the River Cree Resort and Casino opened on the Enoch reserve just west of the City of Edmonton. In November, 2006, the Century Casino and Hotel opened in northeast Edmonton. On July 1, 2005, a ban on smoking in bars, casinos and bingo halls in the City of Edmonton came into effect. COMPETITION Casino Yellowhead operates in competition with four existing traditional Edmonton casinos, one Edmonton racino, and a First Nation casino on the Enoch reserve just west of the city limits. A seventh competitor is located in St. Albert, a city adjacent to Edmonton. An article entitled‘Reached limit:’ casino boss which appeared in the Edmonton Sun on November 9, 2006 quoted Casino ABS Executive Barry Pritchard as saying that the recent opening of the River Cree Resort and Casino had noticeably affected business at Casino Yellowhead. He noted that River Cree had benefited from opening an attractive new facility and by allowing smoking. Casino ABS is at its regulated limit of four casinos across Alberta.
ADDRESS 12464 - 153 Street |
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