By Allison Jones

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced plans Monday to double the number of visitors to the Niagara Region, with visions of multiple new casinos, a theme park, an expanded airport and more.

Niagara's existing casinos attract more than five million visitors per year and generate more than $500 million a year for the province in gaming revenue, and Ford said he wants to see more in order to provide more jobs and spur more growth in hotels, restaurants and the rest of the tourism sector.

"All the big casinos in Las Vegas — we're serious," he said in Niagara Falls. 

"It's happening. Get on board. Come and put a proposal in. Come and tell us how you're going to build a billion-dollar hotel with attractions, with cinemas inside, with live theatre. That's what we're looking for."

Destination Niagara is a multibillion-dollar strategy, the government wrote in a press release, but it is unclear how much provincial money that will entail.

The average stay in the area is less than two days, Ford said, and he wants to see that grow to four days or even a week.

The plan aims to double the current 13 million people who visit Niagara Falls and area annually, and dreams up wide-ranging ideas for how to achieve that, including more casinos, a theme park and an electric tram with views of the falls.

The city is already home to lapsed theme park Marineland, and officials suggested there is interest in redeveloping it.

Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati said there have been a number of proposals, with proponents visiting the city to learn more about land use rules.

"I can tell you that right now, the size of that property is approximately three (of Disney's) Magic Kingdoms, to put it into perspective," he said.

"It used to be the No. 1 tourist attraction in the country, and obviously animal entertainment has fallen out of favour over the last 60 years. But I can tell you we're working closely with Marineland, with the trustees there, working closely with our government partners to find a soft landing for the animals and to turn that into the economic generator that it once was."

Marineland has not opened to the public since the end of summer in 2024.

Twenty whales, including 19 belugas and one killer whale, have died at the park since 2019, according to internal documents and official statements compiled by The Canadian Press. 

Niagara Parks has already opened bids and requests for interest to bring a new observation wheel in Queen Victoria Park overlooking the falls, redevelop the Niagara Parks Marina and turn the Ontario Power Generating Station at the bottom of the falls into a new visitor experience.

The former hydroelectric Toronto Power Generating Station is already being turned into a new attraction, including a museum and art gallery, spa, craft brewery, theatre, event space and boutique hotel. That project is being funded through more than $300 million in private-sector investment.

Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said that in order to help accommodate an increase in visitors, the province was issuing a request for proposals on Monday to upgrade and expand capacity at the Niagara District Airport.

The province wants to expand the runway and work with the federal government to allow passenger flights from around the world, Ford said.

(C) The Canadian Press

— With files from Liam Casey