The new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa is set to open its doors in Canada’s capital on July 3.

Hard Rock International announced the opening date on Monday. The curtain-raising will mark the end of an eight-year process since the project was first announced in 2017.

The new resort on the site of the existing Rideau Carleton Casino will mark the occasion with a grand opening week featuring what Hard Rock describes as a “star-studded” lineup of Canadian entertainers at the 2,200-capacity Hard Rock Live performance venue.

The new venue, Hard Rock’s first fully integrated casino resort in Canada, will be operated by Hard Rock International and governed by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG).

Hard Rock International Chair Jim Allen said the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa is “a milestone moment” and a key step in the company’s global growth strategy.

The venue will consist of mroe than 150,000 square feet of entertainment and gaming space and will host 1,500 slot machines, up to 40 table games and a high-limit gaming. There will also be a full-service hotel and 10 restaurants and bars, including the iconic Hard Rock Cafe and the award-winning Council Oak Steaks & Seafood.

The property will also include the Rock Shop/Unity Store, where customers can purchase Hard Rock-branded merchandise using their Unity loyalty points.

While construction nears completion, Hard Rock continues to operate the existing Rideau Carleton Casino on the site. Once the new facility opens, renovations will begin on the original building with a view to full integration by the end of 2025, including additional gaming areas and restaurants.

Hard Rock branding expected to fuel tourism and revenue

The venue will be Canada’s only Hard Rock-branded casino after Hard Rock Casino Vancouver rebranded as Great Canadian Casino Vancouver in late 2023.

Allen added that the new property will not only attract international visitors but also support the local economy and enhance the Ottawa region’s entertainment offerings. Once completed and operational, it is expected to employ more than 700 local residents, create more than 4,500 direct and indirect construction and ongoing employment opportunities in the City of Ottawa and generate more than $206 million in tax revenue.

Hard Rock expects the development will help to bring Ontario residents and tourists who are currently traveling to Quebec for gaming and entertainment to Ottawa instead, as well as pull visitors from the neighbouring province and beyond. Hard Rock has estimated that nearly $60 million is currently being lost to Quebec on an annual basis.

“The economic benefits resulting from this expansion will help drive the local economy and will undoubtedly become a tourist hot spot,” added OLG President and CEO Duncan Hannay.

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