Century Casino Calgary - Gaming and Racing

What This Place Actually Is

Century Casino Calgary is not a classic standalone casino hall. The full operating name is Century Downs Racetrack and Casino, and the racetrack component is a core part of the venue. It is the main difference between this venue and many other gaming properties around Calgary.

On one side, there is live standardbred horse racing with pari-mutuel wagering. On the other, a casino floor with electronic gaming machines. Two products sharing the same site. In this part of Alberta, that combination is still less common than people usually assume.

The property is located at 260 Century Downs Drive, Rocky View County, Alberta, T4A 0V5. Technically it sits outside Calgary city limits, but functionally it is close - around a 20-minute drive north from downtown, and roughly 5 km from Calgary International Airport. Operations are handled by Century Casinos, Inc., a Colorado-based operator with properties in Canada, the U.S., and on cruise ships.

The building is wheelchair accessible. It is also listed on Travel Alberta as a regional attraction, and it runs as a year-round operation.

The official site describes the venue as having a racetrack for Standardbred, Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses paired with a casino, restaurant, bars and off-track betting in North Calgary. That broader racing profile is worth keeping in mind when planning a visit, since the type of racing on any given evening can vary.

Hours - Straightforward, But Worth Checking

Opening hours are set by weekday and weekend, with a clear split.

Friday and Saturday run an extra hour into the night. There is no midday shutdown or reset. Once the doors open at 9:30 a.m., the venue keeps running until the posted close.

For late-night weekday visits, that 3:00 a.m. cutoff is easy to misjudge if you are driving in from another part of the city. It is safer to double-check the current hours before getting on the road.

One practical habit we recommend, and it applies to this property and similar ones: check the official site or the Facebook page before heading out, especially when the main goal is live racing. Race dates and post times do not always mirror the general casino hours. Arriving on a simulcast-only or non-race evening changes the entire feel of the visit.

What You Can Actually Do There

The gaming offer breaks into two clear categories. On the casino floor you will find electronic gaming machines. On the racing side, live standardbred horse racing with pari-mutuel wagering during the racing season.

There is no confirmed proprietary online casino product linked specifically to the Century Downs name in public sources, and we have not seen a dedicated mobile sports-betting app tied directly to this venue. Activity is focused on the physical racetrack and casino floor.

Outside of betting, the property includes several on-site dining areas. Reservations are handled by phone at 403-465-0985 or by email through the main contact address. Promotional events rotate through the calendar. One confirmed example are the “Money Tree” prize draws that have run on Thursdays in March, scheduled at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Current promos and special events tend to show up on Facebook first. The official page uses the handle “centurydowns” and often posts details there before they appear anywhere else.

The venue is not built as an all-purpose resort. The core idea is simple: a racetrack-casino hybrid. That is the main reason people come.

Getting There

Access by car is straightforward, with several major routes feeding into the area: Highway 2 (QE II), Highway 566, Deerfoot Trail, CrossIron Drive, Dwight McLellan Trail, and Stoney Trail.

From central Calgary, most visitors drive north on Highway 2. From there, the route usually runs:

1. Head northbound on Highway 2 from Calgary.
2. Take the exit toward Highway 566 or CrossIron Drive, depending on your starting point.
3. Follow highway and local signage to 260 Century Downs Drive in Rocky View County.
4. Use the on-site parking lot and walk in from there.

Parking on the property is available and includes accessible spaces near the entrance. No current, verifiable public transit route is listed in the sources we rely on, so planning to drive is the realistic baseline for most trips.

If dining is part of the visit, it helps to fold in one more step and call 403-465-0985 in advance for a reservation, especially on race days or weekend evenings.

Before any of that, the first move should still be a quick check at centurydowns.com for hours and the latest live racing schedule.

Corporate Structure and Real Estate

Century Casinos, Inc. operates four Alberta locations under the Century name, and Century Downs is one of those four.

A Century Casinos Alberta LinkedIn listing places the Calgary-area location at 260 Century Downs Drive, Rockyview, Alberta T4A 0V5, Canada, consistent with the address published across other sources.

VICI Properties Inc., a U.S.-based gaming real estate investment trust, has announced an agreement to purchase the real estate assets of all four Alberta properties. The combined deal size is approximately $221.7 million USD.

Out of that reported total, about $192.3 million is allocated to Century Casinos subsidiaries for the real estate associated with the three full-ownership properties, and roughly $29.4 million covers the real estate interest in Century Downs held by ownership partners. Day-to-day operations remain with Century Casinos under a sale-leaseback model, which is a common structure in North American gaming real estate.

Regulation in Alberta

Century Downs operates under a licence from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC). This provincial regulator oversees all legal gambling across Alberta, from casinos to racing and online products.

Specific licence numbers are not highlighted in consumer-facing materials for this property, and that approach lines up with how most venues in the province present compliance details.

Continuous multi-year operation, plus the active listing on Travel Alberta, both indicate that the licence remains in good standing. We have not seen credible reports of enforcement actions, regulatory penalties, or fraud issues tied specifically to Century Downs.

How Century Downs Fits Into the Calgary Market

ACE Casino Airport is the other notable casino property near the airport, operating independently at 40 Aero Crescent NE in Calgary. It has its own ownership and brand structure, with no corporate link to Century Casinos, Inc. or to the Century name.

The two venues share a broad catchment area, but they are separate operations with different profiles. ACE Casino Airport does not have a racetrack component.

For visitors who specifically want live horse racing combined with casino gaming in the Calgary region, Century Downs is the primary option based on location. That is a geographic reality rather than a marketing claim.

Contact Channels

There are several direct ways to reach the property:

1. General phone: +1 587-349-7777
2. Dining reservations: 403-465-0985
3. Email: [email protected]
4. Website: centurydowns.com
5. Facebook page: Century Downs Racetrack and Casino - Calgary AB (handle: centurydowns)

The Facebook account is where most promotional announcements, contest details, and race-day event posts appear first. Phone and email are better for specific questions, private event inquiries, or booking tables. We have not seen a live chat function listed in verified public sources for this venue.

Choosing Between Phone and Email

For most practical purposes, the split between the 2 main contact methods is straightforward. The general line at +1 587-349-7777 works best for time-sensitive questions — confirming race-day schedules, checking same-day availability, or getting a quick answer on current promotions. The dining reservation line at 403-465-0985 is the more direct route when a table is the priority, particularly on busy race evenings or weekends. Email through [email protected] suits less urgent inquiries: private event planning, group bookings, or anything that benefits from a written record. Matching the channel to the question tends to get a faster, more useful response.