LV company in pact for Canadian casino

Viva Gaming & Resorts of Las Vegas announced it will develop and operate an Indian casino in the Canadian province of Alberta.

The casino, owned by the Onion Lake First Nation tribe, will be operated at an undetermined site near the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, about two hours from Edmonton. Company President and Chief Executive Martin Gross said it will be the first casino to open in the province of Alberta.

"There are five (properties) in Saskatchewan, but Alberta and Manitoba are both virgin territory," Gross said.

The facility will start with 300 machines and 10 table games. The property, whose size and price haven't been determined yet, will open sometime in 2000.

Under terms of its agreement with the tribe, Viva Gaming will finance, design and operate the property, although the company has just started looking for financing. Its initial contract is for five years, with an additional five-year option.

It is the first agreement signed by Viva Gaming, a company formed in February. Gross said the company is currently in talks for additional opportunities in Canada and Las Vegas.

"Those are our two primary focuses right now," Gross said.

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