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Great Canadian Entertainment

From Alfawiki
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Great Canadian Entertainment, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 9 August 2025
Great Canadian Entertainment
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryGaming, hospitality, entertainment
Founded1982
Headquarters
North York
,
Canada
Area served
Canada, United States
Key people
Rodney Baker (former CEO)
ProductsCasinos, racetracks, hotels, restaurants, entertainment facilities
Number of employees
9,400 (2018)
ParentApollo Global Management

Great Canadian Entertainment is a prominent Canadian company specializing in gaming, hospitality, and entertainment. Prior to its acquisition by Apollo Global Management in September 2021, it was publicly listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and included in the S&P/TSX Composite Index.

Overview

Great Canadian manages a range of casinos, racetracks equipped with slot machines, and smaller gaming venues throughout Canada. The company also operates hotels, dining establishments, and entertainment facilities associated with its properties. By the third quarter of 2017, gaming activities accounted for 67% of its total revenue. In 2018, the workforce numbered approximately 9,400 employees. Revenue distribution in 2016 showed 61% generated in British Columbia, 17% from Ontario, 15% from Atlantic Canada, with the balance coming from operations in the United States. The company's assets include roughly 16,000 slot machines, 386 table games, about 80 restaurants, and around 500 hotel rooms.

In 2017, Great Canadian posted gross gaming revenue near $1.2 billion alongside net earnings of $85.7 million.

History

Established in 1982 as the Great Canadian Casino Company, its early operations involved charity casinos and a casino located at Vancouver's Pacific National Exhibition. The first permanent casino facility was inaugurated in Vancouver in 1986. The firm went public on the TSX Venture Exchange in 1992 and adopted the name Great Canadian Gaming Company in 1997. It transitioned to listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 2004. Expansion efforts in 2005 included acquiring casinos in Ontario and Nova Scotia; however, these moves led to breaches of debt covenants due to heightened financial leverage.

The company underwent scrutiny linked to alleged money laundering activities at its River Rock Casino Resort but asserted adherence to regulatory standards.

In August 2017, Great Canadian partnered with Brookfield Property Partners to secure the contract for operating the slot facility at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, succeeding the OLG. This arrangement also included acquiring operations at Ajax Downs and the Great Blue Heron Casino. The transaction attracted political attention amid ongoing money laundering concerns.

Later that year, in December 2017, Great Canadian together with Clairvest Group obtained management rights for four additional OLG venues.

In January 2021, CEO Rodney Baker stepped down following controversy surrounding the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines designated for Indigenous populations through misleading methods.

Apollo Global Management completed an all-cash purchase of the company in September 2021, resulting in its removal from the Toronto Stock Exchange.

British Columbia

Ontario

Atlantic Canada

  • Casino Nova Scotia Halifax, acquired in 2005
  • Casino Nova Scotia Sydney, acquired in 2005
  • Casino New Brunswick Moncton, acquired in 2015

References

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