‘Opportunity, opportunity, opportunity’: What’s next for Halifax Casino property?

The site of the downtown Halifax casino could offer real estate opportunities.

When Dalhousie University’s School of Planning director heard the Halifax Casino property would be up for sale, his first thought was: “Opportunity, opportunity, opportunity.”

“Since I came to Nova Scotia (17 years ago), I haven’t seen a great opportunity site like this open up,” says Eric Rapaport.

The Casino has been a staple on the Halifax waterfront for decades now.

The property has been assessed at $48.5-million, based on last January’s Property Valuation Services Corporation’s assessment.

Rapaport says mixed-use development and open public space would be a good combination.

“I’m thinking basketball courts, some hard-court things, maybe some pickleball courts,” he says. “Really, truly recreational open space where people are living in the downtown.”

That could be particularly beneficial with a promise to build 3,400 residential units across the street as part of the Cogswell redevelopment project.

But if the next buyer wants to do something entirely different, there’s a massive job ahead.

“It is a very unique property,” says Mark Turner, the president of commercial real estate consulting firm Turner Drake & Partners. “Generally speaking, the more unique a property, the more it can present challenges for repurposing it.”

Regardless, he says a lot of thought will be needed.

“Any new development there, a developer would have to consider, are we going to want to continue to be integrated into the pedway system? That’s something to take into account. What are we going to do about the waterfront there? Are we going to continue to make that publicly accessible?”

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Premier Tim Houston says Halifax has a “remarkable” and “unrivalled” waterfront.

“Obviously, a best use like that where people could enjoy, can have something to be proud of,” he says.

But it’s clear there’s no public decision yet.

“I don’t know that the province needs to own that waterfront property,” says Houston. “It’s a extremely valuable piece of real estate. So, we’ll work through the best use of that.”

With the Casino’s move to Dartmouth Crossing and a new build there not expected to open until 2029, what is clear is that it will be years before Halifax’s waterfront changes.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page