The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa is being described as the first “fully integrated resort” for Hard Rock in Canada, and it will swing open its doors to the public in July.
Ottawa Welcomes Hard Rock
Those who live in or will be visiting Ottawa in the near future will get to experience the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa when it opens on July 3rd. The integrated resort will feature a 150-room hotel, replete with 22 luxury suites and more than 150,000 square feet of entertainment and gaming space.
The Hard Rock Live performance venue will seat 2,200 people, while the casino includes 1,500 slot machines, up to 40 gaming tables, and a high-limit gaming area. The renowned Hard Rock Café will be in operation, as will 10 bars and restaurants in the resort. Details of the “Grand Opening” week have not been disclosed, but a star-studded lineup of Canadian entertainers will be a critical part of the ceremonies.
“Hard Rock knows how to throw a grand opening party,” Christine Crump, president of Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa, said in the media release. “July 3 will mark the beginning of festivities, infused with legendary Hard Rock energy and an Oh! Canada! feel. This is more than a launch; it’s the start of something incredible for our city.”
Construction on the new venue began in June 2023 and cost an estimated $350 million. The project was delayed by COVID, but the structure is now finished and will soon be welcoming guests.
Long Time Coming
In 2017, Hard Rock International was selected by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) to partner with RCR Investor Inc. (owned by Rideau Carleton Raceway Holdings Limited) to operate a casino at the Raceway.
Hard Rock continues to run the casino, but the new building will be ready to welcome visitors in July. Meanwhile, the old structure will be updated and designed to complement the new construction on the adjacent building.
“The city’s been waiting for this project for a long time. We were prepared to break ground just before Covid, and then the whole world changed, and we had to pivot,” said Christine Crump, property president of Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa. “The economic impact comes from not only from our existing team members and the new hires, but also the hundreds of tradespeople here as part of this project as well,” she added.
Renovations on the old building will begin immediately, and the entire complex will be integrated by the end of the year.
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