Grand Villa Casino Edmonton

Where the road ends up: downtown, east of Enoch

The casino is at 10204 104 Avenue NW, in the ICE District beside Rogers Place. From Enoch centre it is 13.9 km to the east in a straight line. The road distance is longer and depends on the route.

It is a different kind of stop from River Cree Resort & Casino. River Cree sits at the city's western edge with its own free lot. Grand Villa sits in the core, on the transit network, with paid garages around it.

Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited operates it. It opened on September 7, 2016, one day before Rogers Place. It replaced the Baccarat Casino, which Gateway had acquired in 2002. At opening it was described as a four-storey casino of about 60,000 sq ft with private gaming salons.

Hours and what is on the floor

The casino publishes these hours:

• Slots: 11 a.m. to 3 a.m.
• Tables: 2 p.m. to 3 a.m.

This differs from River Cree, where the casino floor and slots are open 24 hours and tables run 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. At Grand Villa the slots close overnight and the tables start later in the day.

Hours here have changed before. In 2019 opening was cut to Thursday through Sunday. The casino was then closed from March 2020 to July 2022. Check the casino's official site or call 780-413-3178 before a late trip.

Reports from opening day give different machine and table counts, so this guide leaves the numbers out. Two sit-down restaurants are on the pedway level. Atlas Steak + Fish is a steakhouse. Match Eatery & Public House is a British-style pub with live music, DJs and sports on TV.

The loyalty program is Winner's Edge, the province-wide program that River Cree also promotes. Like other Alberta casinos, it runs on the charitable model, where licensed charities conduct and manage casino events.

Getting in: the LRT, or a garage

Without a car. MacEwan station on the Metro Line sits on 105 Avenue between 103 and 104 Street, on the north side of Rogers Place. It has a centre platform and is listed as accessible. Ford Hall spans 104 Avenue and links the downtown pedway to Rogers Place, the casino and MacEwan station. The downtown pedway also reaches the arena from Churchill, Central and Bay/Enterprise Square stations. ETS buses and DATS serve the arena. No walking time is published.

By car. Parking is in paid underground garages:

• ICE District Central Parkade, 10220 103 Avenue NW: five levels, pay-by-plate, 6'10" (2.08 m) clearance. It has indoor access to the arena. No direct link to the casino is stated.
• Rogers Place Lot B, 10204 104 Avenue NW: two levels, pay-by-plate. P2 is reserved at all hours.

Rates are posted at the garages and change when Rogers Place has an event. At River Cree, self and valet parking are free.

What sits around the stop

• Rogers Place: its 104 Avenue lobby is beside the casino.
• Ford Hall and ICE District Plaza: Ford Hall is open to the public outside event hours. The plaza has a public skating rink each winter, and the Fan Park hosts events.
• JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District: Braven, Kindred Food + Drink, the Lobby Bar, and Alchemy Bar with a fifth-floor patio.
• Edmonton Tower lobby: Boston Pizza and Guru Kitchen + Bar.
• Royal Alberta Museum: roughly 450 to 500 m east in a straight line.
• Sir Winston Churchill Square: about 500 m southeast, ringed by City Hall, the Art Gallery of Alberta, the Winspear Centre and the Citadel Theatre.

What visitors tend to mention

Many treat it as a stop before a hockey game or another arena event, often for a meal or a drink. It is often called small or compact. Staff come up often, and some servers are praised by name.

People staying downtown find it easy to reach on foot. One recent visitor noted that nearby parking is all paid and that an escalator was often out of service.

Before you go

Casinos in Alberta are for adults 18 and over. Staff must check government-issued photo ID for anyone who appears to be under 25, so bring it.

The hours above are the casino's own published hours. No holiday hours are listed.

For other stops on the way, see casinos along the way.

If gambling stops feeling like an evening out, help is free and confidential. Call or text 211, or call the Addiction Helpline (Recovery Alberta) at 1-866-332-2322, 24 hours a day. More on help and limits.