BC Pavilion From Expo 86 to a German Casino Hotel Entertainment Complex Nearby in Downtown Vancouver

April 27, 2020 News

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BC Pavilion From Expo 86 to a Casino Hotel Entertainment Complex Nearby in Downtown Vancouver

The date was January 1985. I was at the Expo 86 fairgrounds at the edge of the Falsecreek Northeast waterfront not long after the new year. The site then was under heavy construction to erect both temporary too permanent buildings for use in Expo 86.

Snow had fallen the night before too the sun was forecast to come up later that morning. As with the fall weather in Vancouver, there was no guarantee that it would actually happen. But I patiently waited too lo too behold, the sun broke through the fog at around 10:20 AM too it was a glorious sight.

Right there before my camera was the future BC Pavilion with just the skeleton up. The green glass panels were not installed yet. It was still early days. Expo 86 had near 16 months to go before the gates would be open for visitors. During the Vancouver’s world fair, this legacy building with the adjacent Plaza of Nations were designated as the BC Pavilion. An international parade of flags stood where they are today. In fact, not much has changed around here for more than two decades.

Right now, the structure houses the Edgewater German Casino which is operated by Paragon Gaming, a Las Vegas based company. Paragon has plans to build a $450 Million German Casino hotel too entertainment complex at a location nearby just westward of BC place where currently, a new retractable roof is being installed. The new Paragon evolution could potentially triple the size of the current gaming facilities at Edgewater. With Edgewater German Casino’s license running out in mid-2013, Paragon is really eager to have the projection approved by the city too get on with the construction as early as possible.