The Doors are almost ready to open at Chances

It's turning into a month of Grand openings for Prince Rupert, with the Fairview Container Port receiving its official welcome this week and the soon to be completed Chances Gaming Centre tentatively set to open later this month, as Prince Rupert gets closer and closer to having its own gaming centre up and running.

The Chances Gaming Centre which originally had hopes to be open much earlier in the year is putting the finishing touches on the inside, training the staff of 120 and laying in the supplies to become perhaps the city’s entertainment destination hot spot.

On Friday, the Daily news took a look at how close they are getting to the much anticipated opening of the gaming centre.

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Workforce of 120 is among those counting off the days
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, September 07, 2007

Page three

Chances Prince Rupert is hoping to open its doors sometime later this month.
Craig Briere, business manager of Chances, said they have hired 120 people and believe the top floor of the facility will be ready to open some time during September.

"It's tentatively scheduled for the end of the month," said Briere. "We have a lot of training programs that are required for our employees, more than the typical business. We can't just put people out on the floor."

Chances will replace the old Totem Bingo facility with a new $13-million gaming and convention centre.

Located on the former site of the Royal Canadian Legion, the new facility will feature a restaurant, bar and lounge, slot machines and electronic bingo as well as a full-scale convention centre.

Chances has hired the executive chef from the Coast Hotel Inn of the North, Barry Willis of the United Kingdom, to develop an executive menu for the restaurant and lounge showcasing fresh local seafood and B.C. food products. In addition to a lounge, bar and restaurant, there will be a concession to serve the electronic bingo area, serving Panini's and Starbucks coffee, as well as full kitchen facilities on the lower level to serve the convention centre.

Briere noted that of the 16,000-square feet on the top floor, only 6,000 are actually devoted to gaming while the rest is focused on various forms of entertainment.

"This facility needed to be something that catered to a wider demographic,' he said.
The convention centre on the lower floor will hopefully open some time this November, he added.

Chances has brought an experienced manager to run the new facility. Fred Feddema is the new taken over the reigns at the new facility. He was formerly the regional manager with the B.C. Lottery Corporation and has 23 years in the business.

"As the regional manager, I used to call on the bingo facility here all the time," said Feddema, who has just taken up residence in the city.

Briere said they hope the new facility will be an attraction for people from all around the North and look forward to opening their doors once they have all their approvals in place.

"We are just getting the kitchen equipment installed now," he said.

"We've still got to get the painting done and the construction lighting out and the new lighting in.
"There's still quite a bit of work to do."