Las Vegas casino owner offers to take Canadian dollars on par with U.S. currency

Dan Stevens, owner and CEO of Circa Resort and Casino, says he added the initiative to his hotel after seeing similar initiatives growing up in Detroit.

Three Sin City hotels are taking Canadian dollars at par with U.S. currency to entice their northern neighbours to return for vacations.

With Canadian tourism down across the U.S., the At Par program equalized the two currencies, so that “Johnny Canucks” know their “dollar goes further in downtown.”

Circa Resort and Casino, the D Las Vegas, and Golden Gate Hotel and Casino are running the program through the end of August

Derek Stevens, CEO of all three hotels, told CTV News Channel on Friday that despite “Las Vegas still doing very well,” he missed Canadian tourists.

“I think everyone knows that Canadian tourism to Las Vegas has been down,” he said.

Harry Reid International Airport has seen 10 months of decline in visitors, with Canadians making up a major portion, CTV News Calgary reported Thursday.

“I thought it was important for me to reach out and just consciously say: ‘Hey Canada, we miss you, we want you to come back.’“

Stevens, who grew up in Detroit, which sits across the Canadian-U.S. border with Windsor, Ont., said that the program was a callback to his childhood. Stevens recalls that after Detroit Red Wings hockey games, bars, hotels and restaurants in the city would create displays that featured Canadian and American flags with an equal sign between them, which signalled the establishment accepted the Canadian dollar at par.

The program was to “signify that you’re trying to be hospitable to Canadians when the exchange rate gets a little out of whack, like it is now,” he said, adding that he suspected the exchange rate as one factor in the decline of Canadian tourism.

However, Stevens admitted that tension between the two nations was having an effect.

“I’m not trying to hide from the fact that the Canadian boycott has a significant impact, as well,” he said.

“You’ve got some friends in Las Vegas, and you’re welcome here. If you’re ready to come, we want you to stay here.”

READ MORE: Three Las Vegas hotels now accepting Canadian dollar at par

The program applies to accommodations, drinks, and allows Canadians to redeem up to C$500 for slot machines.

Canadian identification is needed to activate the offer.

As of Jan. 23, US$1 is worth C$1.37, according to the Bank of Canada. Since 2017, the Canadian dollar has fluctuated between $1.21 and $1.44.