Ontario Provincial Cabinet Ministers Dwight Duncan and Sandra Pupatello today joined officials from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) and Caesars World, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Harrah’s Operating Company, Inc., to announce the signing of a Caesars trademark licensing agreement that will bring the world renowned Caesars brand to Casino Windsor.The casino will be re-named Caesars Windsor in early 2008 when the property completes its CD$400 million expansion that will include a new 22-story hotel tower and 5,000-seat entertainment centre featuring world-class, premier entertainers. The announcement was made at today’s unveiling of Casino Windsor’s elegant 9,545-square-foot Rotunda.

The two-level Rotunda, topped by a six-story dome with soaring skylights, opens onto the casino’s newly renovated main gaming floor and serves as the property’s town square. With carved archways, Romanesque sculptures and marble columns, the Rotunda draws its inspiration from the vitality of the great Italian piazzas and incorporates architectural and design elements consistent with the Caesars brand.

When re-branded in 2008, Caesars Windsor will set a new standard for casino entertainment in the Detroit-Windsor area. The resort will offer customers a spectacular experience, including elegant accommodations, fine dining featuring an array of cuisines, world-class gaming with an expanded selection of table games, world-renowned entertainment and an extraordinary level of attentive service. In keeping with the brand’s high standards of luxury, the existing 389-room hotel tower will be upgraded to Caesars’ exacting and luxury standards, giving the property a total of nearly 800 four-diamond hotel rooms when the renovation and expansion is completed.

“Caesars Windsor will set a new standard for casinos in the Windsor-Detroit area,” said Pupatello, MPP for Windsor West. “The provincial government investment in this upscale entertainment venue will create new jobs and help attract more tourists to Windsor.”

Dwight Duncan, MPP Windsor-Tecumseh, added, “Caesars Windsor will assume an even greater role as an economic engine for the city of Windsor and for the province.” Casino Windsor attracts approximately 4.5 million visitors annually and has created 15,000 direct and indirect jobs since it opened in 1994. Hundreds of new jobs will be added at the casino when the hotel tower and entertainment centre expansion is completed.

In independent research conducted with casino customers throughout North America, Caesars is consistently rated as the most recognized and respected brand in casino entertainment.

“The Caesars brand is what we aspire to in the world of casino gaming in North America and around the world. Today’s announcement ensures our property here in Windsor retains its status as one of OLG’s crown jewels, one that will provide the most exciting and entertaining experiences to our existing and new customers,” stated Duncan Brown, CEO OLG.

Along with the Caesars re-branding, Casino Windsor will, upon the receipt of all required regulatory approvals, introduce several new customer service and marketing programs, including Total Rewards®, the casino industry’s first and most successful customer loyalty program. Total Rewards is consistently rated one of the top relationship-marketing programs in any industry.

With a launch expected in the second quarter of 2007, Total Rewards will allow Casino Windsor customers to earn Reward Credits based on how much and which games they play. The Reward Credits can be redeemed for meals, merchandise, trips, concerts and other benefits at Casino Windsor, as well as any other casino operated under the Harrah’s, Caesars, Horseshoe, Harvey’s, Rio, Paris and Showboat brand names, including resorts in Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Atlantic City and New Orleans.

“We are bullish about the prospects of growing the casino’s business among players in the Detroit market and in neighboring states,” said Charles Atwood, vice chairman of the Board, Harrah’s Entertainment. “Combining Total Rewards, the Caesars brand and unmatched amenities will inspire customer loyalty among players seeking the region’s best casino experience.”

New Amenities

The Rotunda unveiled today features multiple venues in which customers can relax and enjoy a wide array of entertainment. The Cosmos Lounge on the ground floor is a full-service bar open until 2 a.m. daily. Vu Bar, a second-level Las Vegas-style nightclub, features spectacular panoramic views of the Detroit Skyline and the Detroit River from floor-to-ceiling windows or an outdoor patio. Vu is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The Artist Café, directly across from the Rotunda, offers light fare that can be enjoyed in the Rotunda patio setting. The new Premier Lounge is an exclusive venue for the casino’s most loyal customers, offering complimentary food and beverages in an upscale setting.

Energy thrives throughout the casino’s remodeled gaming floor where the hottest slots and table games are spaciously laid out as part of a new design. Wider aisles and shorter banks of machines allow customers to easily maneuver throughout the casino.

The selection of slot games is a mixture of customer favorites including Elvis, Jackpot Party, and Wheel of Fortune, along with a wide variety of new penny and 2-cent games, 50-line progressives and multi-line payouts featuring the latest “coinless” slot technology. Customers also can enjoy 56 table games including novelty poker, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and craps.

These enhancements complement several new additions unveiled at Casino Windsor earlier this year, including Legends Sports Lounge. The lounge features sports wagering on American football, baseball and college football and international hockey with higher wagering limits and expanded options not available at Ontario lottery dealers. The lounge also boasts the longest sports ticker in Canada, 36 video displays, three distinct seating areas for more than 170 customers, excellent pub food and famous Canadian beer on tap.

There will be two public performances only, on Thursday December 14 and Friday December 15, 7:30 pm. A third performance, for high school students only, will be held on the morning of December 14 at 11:00 a.m. Artistic Director Katherine Kaszas says it promises to be 70 minutes of nonstop Christmas snowball fun.

“We’re doing something that is funny and sad, features the traditional favourites while jazzing it up with some funky ballet, rock and roll, tap
dancing and waltzes,” says Kaszas. “It’s a cornucopia of Christmas delights. There will be something for the entire family.”

This is the first performance students staged by the St. Clair College music theatre performance program in a large venue like the Chrysler Theatre. The show will contain more than 30 songs and dance routines, and the cast will include students from all three years of the diploma program.

Third year student Ruth Stanton is thrilled with the chance to perform on a large stage.

“It’s exciting and terrifying all at the same time,” says Stanton. “This is what our training has been all about and it will be an incredible
experience to perform in a large venue such as the Chrysler Theatre. This is what I’ve been waiting for.”

DWBIA communications and marketing manager Barbara Peirce Marshall agrees.

“Judging by the students’ downtown caroling concerts, and what I’ve seen at their rehearsals, it’s what Downtown Windsor is waiting for, too!” she declared. “These kids are really talented, and we are delighted to see them performing in Downtown Windsor!”

Public Performances
December 14 and 15 at 7:00 p.m.
Tickets available through the Chrysler Theatre Box Office
519-252-6579.
Cost $10.

With an increase in development on Windsor’s east side, the thoroughfare was needed to connect east and west, providing much needed access for emergency vehicles, busses, motorists and pedestrians.

Spanning 30 metres, the bridge currently provides two motor vehicle lanes, two sidewalks and two bicycle paths. The vehicle capacity of the bridge can be expanded to four lanes, if needed. A two-metre clearance has been left under the bridge for boats on Little River.

Care was taken with both the practicality of the bridge and its aesthetics. Dillon Consulting Limited chose the arched structure because it is strong and yet also compact and elegant. Painted green, the bridge blends in nicely with the trees, riverbanks and footpaths of the natural surroundings.

Walters Incorporated pre-assembled the bridge in its steel shop to make sure it would fit together quickly and flawlessly, with minimal disturbance to neighbours and the environment. The on-site work was completed by Front Construction Incorporated.

Future plans for 2007 call for Wyandotte Street East to be extended to Florence Avenue.

Customers will be able to choose from custom-designed T-shirts, sweatshirts, baseball caps, fleece-lined toques and bags, all of which feature logos for both Windsor and Roots.

The collaboration between the city and the company began when Mayor Francis first contacted Roots last year. He wanted to create an original line of items to help enhance the image and cachet of the city. He had seen what Roots had done so successfully with its Olympic program for several countries, in addition to its innovative products for new movies and concert tours, and wanted to do something special for Windsor.

The result represents a first in the history of Roots in terms of creating a city-branded line of products. Mayor Francis and Roots are excited by its potential. He sees the merchandise as a way to offer local residents and out-of-town visitors something that displays pride, recognition, quality, and a proud-to-be-Canadian feel, which is why he turned to Roots.

“Roots Canada has worked very closely with the City of Windsor to design a very appealing line of clothing with a look that reflects our great pride in Windsor.”

“A good, stable credit rating has just become a very positive credit rating,” said Mayor Eddie Francis. “The rating reflects the fiscal responsibility and strong action of City Council over the past three years to control spending, give taxpayers value for their investment, diversify our local economy, and to support jobs and a great quality of life for Windsor residents. This announcement makes Windsor an even more attractive prospect for future investors.”

Today’s announcement by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services confirms that the revision is largely based on the City of Windsor’s effective financial policies and procedures:

• The city’s implementation of its debt reduction policy in recent years and the continuation of the 1% capital levy have placed the city’s direct debt burden, which stood at 28% of operating revenues as at the end of 2005, on a sustainable downward trend that should continue in the medium term. Standard & Poor’s expects Windsor’s direct debt burden to decline to 22% of revenues by the end of 2009, which would be below the middle of the range for similarly rated peers;
• The material improvement in the city’s annual budgetary performances in each of the past three years, as reflected in annual operating surpluses of about 16% of operating revenues. This is a significant improvement from below 9% of operating revenues only five years ago;
• Strong, albeit moderating, assessment growth in the three years ended Dec. 31, 2005; and
• Improving financial flexibility as a result of the city’s implementation of the aforementioned capital levy and receipt of federal and provincial gas tax revenues, which the city has earmarked for transit and road improvements.

The report also cited the City of Windsor’s pro-active approach to diversifying the local economy. Strong credit ratings are important to a municipality in order to reduce borrowing costs and attract investors to the community.

“The World Series in Detroit was a great event and we are proud to have been a part of it,” said Mayor Eddie Francis. “These banners are cherished by fans on both sides of the border, and that’s a very good indication of the close ties that bind our two cities.”

“By celebrating the World Series, and before that Super Bowl XL,” added Mayor Francis, “Detroit and Windsor together are making themselves very well known to sports fan across the continent.”

Residents who are interested can contact the Mayor’s Office at Windsor City Hall by telephoning (519) 255-6315 or e-mailing mayoro@city.windsor.on.ca

Last night, shortly after 11:30pm, Windsor Police Service reported a custody injury to a 39-year-old male that had occurred on Ottawa St.

At 8:00pm, Windsor Police Service received a report of a person carrying a gasoline container in the area of Ottawa St. Members of the Windsor Police Service responded to the incident and the male was located. It was reported that a police officer had engaged the male in conversation, when the male walked away, poured a liquid on his body, and the liquid started on fire.

The attending police officers and a citizen went to the man’s aid and smothered the fire. The man was transported to Metropolitan Hospital with life threatening injuries and has been transferred to the Hamilton General Hospital, Burn Unit for treatment.

Four SIU investigators and two SIU Forensic Identification Technicians have been dispatched to Windsor to investigate the circumstances of this incident.

The SIU is appealing for anyone who witnessed this incident to contact the Unit at 416-622-1965 or 1-800-787-8529 X 1965.

According to Chemical & Engineering News, chemistry researchers Professor Douglas Stephan and Gregory Welch have synthesised a phosphonium borate compound that is able to produce hydrogen molecules when heated.

The phosphonium borate splits into H2 molecules and phosphine borane, which the report says then re-combine under cooler temperatures to create the original compound.  However, the exact mechanism for this process is not yet fully understood, the researchers admit.

“Regardless of the mechanism, the discovery is important because of the reversible nature of the hydrogen activation,” commented chemist Gregory Kubas in a report on the research.

The researchers hope that phosphonium could be useful in hydrogen storage applications, although they admit that the density at which the compound can currently hold hydrogen needs improving.

© 2006 FuelCellToday.com

He says the government would demand assurances that making the new crossing a P3 project would benefit Canadians.

The new bridge, expected to be completed in 2013, would link Highway 401 to the U.S. Interstate I-75 - including plazas and access routes.

Cannon says the government will explore whether private companies can play a role in its construction after environmental studies - which begin next year - are complete.

Copyright © 2006 The Canadian Press, All Rights Reserved.

The award honours Celia’s 30 plus years of dedication to the development, awareness, and advancement of paralympic sport, and recreation and accessibility for people with disabilities.

This award provides national recognition to an individual or organization for outstanding achievement at the municipal, regional and/or the provincial level. The achievement must make a significant and distinct contribution to the advancement of some aspect of local parks and recreation.

The Windsor Classic Indoor Games for the Physically Disabled, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary was also honoured with the CPRA National Benefits Award. The award is given to individuals or organizations that have incorporated a benefits based approach to the delivery of a parks and recreation service at the municipal, provincial or national level, and have demonstrated that a positive change has occurred in their community.

The Windsor Classic Indoor Games for the Physically Disabled, chaired by Celia Southward for the past 25 years, was honoured for its impact on local athletes, as well as the international community of athletes with disabilities.

The citation in the Canadian Parks and Recreation Associations reads “Celia has enriched many lives and has improved both the physical and mental well being of literally tens of thousands of individuals. She is a highly motivated individual who sets high goals and will do what it takes to overcome any obstacles thrown in her way.”