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Casino Rama is a large casino, hotel, and entertainment complex located in the town of Rama, Ontario, on the reserve land of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation. It is jointly owned by the Chippewas of Rama First Nation and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, with operation of the casino contracted to Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited.
| Casino Rama | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Location | 5899 Rama Rd Rama, Ontario, Canada |
| Opening date | July 31, 1996 |
| No. of rooms | 289 |
| Total gaming space | 192,000 sq ft (17,800 m2) |
| Notable restaurants | St. Germain's Steakhouse, Couchiching Court Buffet, Simcoe Yard House, The Weirs, and Cedar Express. A Match restaurant, and a Chow's Restaurant will be opening in the fall of 2024. |
| Owner | Chippewas of Rama First Nation Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation |
| Operating license holder | Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited |
| Website | Official Casino Rama Site |
Casino Rama is Ontario's only First Nations "commercial casino" (as opposed to a lower-ranking charity casino) and the largest First Nations casino in Canada. The casino also includes several restaurants and a hotel and spa, as well as an acclaimed theatre, the Entertainment Center, which features seats for over 5,000 people and regularly hosts top-billing international shows and artists.
History
editThe casino opened on July 31, 1996.
In 2007, a group of people, including several of the casino's employees, were arrested after police investigated a $2 million scam involving cheating at baccarat.[1]
In 2013, Casino Rama underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation.[2]
In November 2016, the resort's private computer system fell victim to a cyberattack, from which the sensitive financial and contact details of casino guests, and staff, was gleaned from the database by hackers.[3]
Casino Rama temporarily closed on March 16, 2020, due to COVID-19 regulations,[4] announcing its reopening in the light of the COVID-19 situation at the beginning of July 2021 and reopened on July 29.
Facilities
edit
The resort consists of a 289-room hotel, a casino with a 192,000 sq ft (17,800 m2) floor, the over-5,000-seat Entertainment Centre, and ten restaurants. The casino has 1800 slot machines and 50 table games.[3]
Events
editCombat sports
editCasino Rama has hosted a number of live boxing events, titled Rumble at Rama. On April 2, 2011, Casino Rama hosted what was promoted as the first sanctioned mixed martial arts (MMA) event in Ontario, taking place 4 weeks before UFC 129 in Toronto.[5][6] This was not entirely correct, as an MMA event was held in the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation 3 years prior, where Dan Severn defeated Ian Asham in the main event; 7 MMA events were staged before the event at Casino Rama.[7] In July 2011, it hosted a Bellator Fighting Championships event.
Concerts
edit
Over the years, the roughly 5,000-seat Casino Rama Entertainment Centre has hosted a variety of international musicians, with performances by the likes of Tony Bennett, Dolly Parton, Diana Ross, Olivia Newton-John, Gloria Estefan, Lionel Richie, Mariah Carey, Michael Bolton, Ricky Martin, Avril Lavigne, Christina Aguilera, Jewel, Alicia Keys, New Kids on the Block, John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, and many others.
The Irish music ensemble Celtic Thunder filmed two concert specials at the venue; acclaimed Cape Breton Island (Nova Scotia) fiddler Natalie MacMaster has performed at Casino Rama along with her husband, fiddler Donnell Leahy (member of fiddle group Leahy).[8]
Various comedians, such as Jay Leno, Wayne Brady, Jerry Seinfeld, Tom Segura, Howie Mandel, Tim Allen, Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Cosby, and Jeff Foxworthy, have all performed there, as well as magician and illusionist David Copperfield.
Numerous musicians, bands and singer-songwriters, from an array of countries and genres, have performed at Rama:
• Rock—3 Doors Down, Air Supply, Alice Cooper, Bad Company, Big & Rich, Chicago, Creed, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Deep Purple, Extreme, George Thorogood, The Guess Who, Hall & Oates, Heart, Huey Lewis & The News, Journey, Judas Priest, Kiss, Men at Work, Ringo Starr, The Searchers, Steve Miller, Stone Temple Pilots, Styx, Weezer, Whitesnake, ZZ Top.
• Country—Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Clint Black, Doc Walker, Faith Hill, Gretchen Wilson, Joe Nichols, Kellie Pickler, LeAnn Rimes, Miranda Lambert, Sugarland, Trace Adkins, Vince Gill, Wynonna Judd.
• Vocalists & songwriters: Art Garfunkel, Eric Burdon, Neil Sedaka, Johnny Mathis, Laura Pausini, Petula Clark, Roger Hodgson, Orietta Berti, Smokey Robinson, Tom Jones, Terra Naomi, Rick Springfield, Donny Osmond, Engelbert Humperdinck, Colin James, Burton Cummings.
Additionally, many Hong Kong–based performers and media personalities of the Cantopop genre have held concerts and other events at Rama, such as:[9]
- Vivian Chow, 2013
- Elisa Chan and Maria Cordero, 2013
- Sandy Lam, 2013
- Raymond Lam, 2012
- Joey Yung, 2012
- Twins, 2011
- Miriam Yeung, 2004 and 2008
- Sammi Cheng, 2000 and 2011
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Casino Rama scam busted". Toronto Star, Paul Moloney, May 25, 2007
- ^ "Changes abound at Casino Rama". Orillia Packet, By Gisele Winton Sarvis, November 28, 2013
- ^ a b "Massive theft of Ontario's Casino Rama data sparks proposed lawsuit". Toronto Star, November 12, 2016. Colin Perkel
- ^ "Casino Rama to remain closed amid 2nd coronavirus wave". Global News. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
- ^ "Ontario's First Sanctioned MMA Event Set for Saturday". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ "Sellout at Ontario's first sanctioned MMA show". Tsn.ca. 2011-03-31. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ "Iroquois MMA Championships Fights, Fight Cards, Videos, Pictures, Events and more". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
- ^ "COUNTRY & CLASSIC ROCK HIGHLIGHT NEW CONCERTS AT CASINO RAMA RESORT / 2019 Concert Season Grows as Summer Teasers Added". CasinoRama.com. 7 January 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ^ [1] Archived March 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine