Inside the resort: one building, many uses, a few firm rules

River Cree opened in October 2006 as what Wikipedia, citing the original developer, describes as a CA$180-million casino, hotel and sports complex on the northeast corner of the Enoch Cree Nation reserve. Twenty years on, the same building holds the hotel's 249 rooms, two casino areas, The Venue, a set of ballrooms and meeting rooms, nine places to eat and drink, a gift shop, and the Twin Rinks.

What is here

• Pool and fitness — an indoor pool and whirlpool, and a fitness centre the hotel overview calls 24-hour. No spa is listed.
• Twin Rinks — two NHL-sized rinks with a pro shop, run by River Cree Sports LP, an Enoch Cree Nation company.
• The Venue — the concert and event hall, 500 to 2,500 capacity depending on setup, 18+ for shows.
• Ballrooms and meeting rooms — the Enoch Grand Ballroom, the River Cree Ballroom, Strongwoods and the Chief's Boardroom.
• The casino floor — the main smoke-free casino and Embers, the smoke-friendly area; 18+.
• Restaurants and bars — nine outlets including Hell's Kitchen.

The gift shop

The gift shop sits on the left side of the main casino entrance and is open daily from 10 am to 2 am. The resort lists authentic Indigenous artwork, clothing and home decor, moccasins, handcrafted jewellery and dreamcatchers, as well as snacks and lottery tickets. River Cree gift cards are sold there and online; according to the shop's page they can be used at the hotel and at most restaurants, but not for gaming, lottery or show tickets.

House rules that apply to everyone

The resort publishes its rules on the casino house rules page and in The Venue's FAQ. The ones that affect hotel guests:

• Dress code in effect: shirts and shoes are mandatory. The Venue adds bottoms or pants, and bans clothing with offensive text or gang affiliation.
• Photo ID is checked for anyone who appears to be under 30.
• Under-18s must always be with an adult and are not allowed in gaming areas.
• No weapons of any kind, including pocket knives.
• Smoking only in designated areas; cigars, cannabis products, pipes, cigarillos and chewing tobacco are not permitted.
• Bags may be inspected. Faces must be free of face paint or masks inside the casino.
• No pets in the casino; documented service animals are allowed.

A warning the resort asked people to hear

River Cree posted a notice about fake social-media ads using its name to promote online gambling. Its position is plain: it offers no online gaming in its app, and it does not ask for payment or card details for online gaming. If you see such an ad, the resort asks you not to click it and to report it.

What is being built

The expansion announced in 2024 adds a hotel tower, a pool with two waterslides and a large hot tub, more than 40,000 square feet of event space and, per Daily Hive in September 2026, a two-storey indoor golf and games venue called RC Golf & Games due in spring 2027. Our journal entry on the expansion sets the reports side by side.