What do you think of this project?


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The pedway entrance to the Grand Villa Casino was still locked at 7 PM on a Saturday night. I guess the casino doesn't want any patrons.
 
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Then walk down to the main entrance. I am quite certain that if someone is specifically wanting to go to the casino that they will 'find' the entrance regardless.

Let's say you are relatively new to downtown Edmonton and you are walking through Rogers Place for the first time. You stumble across a casino with locked doors and signs to use the main entrance outside, would you bother? What if it's -30 with a windchill, would you venture outdoors to reach this casino? My first impressions of Rogers Place would not be very good if you ask me.
 
Let's say you are relatively new to downtown Edmonton and you are walking through Rogers Place for the first time. You stumble across a casino with locked doors and signs to use the main entrance outside, would you bother? What if it's -30 with a windchill, would you venture outdoors to reach this casino? My first impressions of Rogers Place would not be very good if you ask me.
I hope you did a civic duty and called or emailed the Casino to let them know.
 
The arena is rocking tonight. And they finally opened the pedway entrance to the casino, which was also rocking!

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Looking at the first pic - is the boarded-up part supposed to be the rumored TD Bank?
 
Yes it is. But, with the other main branch opening at 101St. and 102 Ave., there may be second thoughts circulating. I can't imagine any great strategic advantage for TD in having this ICE District location operational a mere 2 blocks distant. It is also more prime for an active Retail or Hospitality space; now that the ICE plaza is gaining immense foot traffic, I imagine a lot of businesses are taking a closer look at vacant space surrounding the Plaza. The dominoes are already beginning to fall with the ICE House and Banquet facilities coming on strong.
 
That current main location is rather quite busy, so I can see the possible reasoning behind a second location for reasons that most clienteles would be office workers that require services during breaks and immediately after work.
 
That current main location is rather quite busy, so I can see the possible reasoning behind a second location for reasons that most clienteles would be office workers that require services during breaks and immediately after work.
I think sanity prevailed at TD and they realized that City Centre was actually a very good location. Whatever happens to the mall, the nearby office towers are not going anywhere and all the businesses in them will continue to do banking. Ice District would definitely be less convenient for them.

However, it might still make sense to have a second smaller branch in Ice District more focused on serving retail rather than commercial or business customers. Two banking locations downtown - what a concept!
 
I'm curious to know what will happen to that boarded-up space in Rogers Place. Wasn't there supposed to be storage for a zamboni that services the ICE District Plaza?
 

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