Delta council last week approved proceeding with adjustments to the city’s business licence bylaw when it comes to the Cascades Casino Delta.
The city currently lacks a fee specific to gaming facilities or casinos.
A staff report notes that if a gaming facility seeks a business licence from the City of Delta without a specified fee in place, the annual licence fee would be the basic fee for all non-specified businesses.
The fee is based on a sliding scale relative to the number of people engaged in the business, starting at $110 for up to five persons engaged in the business and increasing to $985 for 51-to-100 people engaged with an extra $205 for each additional 50 persons engaged.
However, that scale is difficult to implement for a large business such as a casino with many employees, and there is a need to establish a fee that is more specific to a casino, the report explained.
In accordance with provincial legislation, business licence fees must not be excessive, but should be sufficient to recover costs associated with the regulatory authority. In addition to annual business licence fees, a gaming facility pays property taxes and a 10 per cent share of the net income generated through the gaming facility to Delta. Based on the anticipated administration costs associated with Cascades Casino Delta and a review of business licence fees for similar gaming facilities in other jurisdictions, staff recommended an annual gaming facility business licence fee of $7,000.
Each additional business operated on the site of Cascades Casino Delta requires a separate business licence and associated fee.
The report notes that the city has advised the casino operator of the proposed gaming facility business licence fee. To fulfil a Community Charter requirement, a notice will be provided before bringing the bylaw back for council’s final consideration and adoption.
Operated by Gateway Casinos & Entertainment, the casino had it grand opening in September 2022.
It features 160,000 square feet of entertainment space with a gaming floor as well as restaurants.
Located next to the interchange of highways 99 and 17A, the gaming features 500 slots, 18 table games and stadium-style gaming. An adjoining hotel operated by a separate company is part of the complex.