Where the resort stands

On Rama First Nation land

The resort is on the lands of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, and its story is tied to them. Here is a short, sourced account, written with care to repeat only what the sources say.

Illustration drawn for this guide — not a photograph of the resort.

The First Nation

The Chippewas of Rama First Nation — also known as Mnjikaning, from the Ojibwe Mnjikaning Anishinaabek — live on the eastern side of Lake Couchiching. The resort's page describes about 2,500 acres in Ontario's Lake Country, about 90 minutes north of Toronto, known as "the gathering place", and refers to the Seven Grandfather teachings. Wikipedia gives a slightly different area, about 2,350 acres on eight parcels. The name Mnjikaning refers to the fish weirs at the Atherley Narrows and is usually translated as "in, at or near the fence". The First Nation is a signatory of the Williams Treaties.

Timeline

1. 1994Rama is chosen as the site of a First Nation casino after a site-selection process (resort page).
2. 31 Jul 1996Casino Rama opens (Wikipedia).
3. 2013A multimillion-dollar renovation (Wikipedia).
4. Jul 2018Gateway Casinos & Entertainment takes over operations (CDC Gaming).
5. Mar 2020 – Jul 2021The resort closes during the pandemic and reopens (Wikipedia).
6. Fall 2024Refurbishment announced with OLG and Rama First Nation; Chow Lucky Noodle Bar opens (Gateway).
7. May 2025MATCH opens, the new spa operates on the ground floor, room renovations start on level 2 (CTV).
8. Nov 2025ATLAS steak + fish opens at St. Germain's (CDC Gaming).
9. 202630th year; the hotel page presents 292 renovated suites; the fitness centre reopens in March.

"Ontario's only First Nations resort casino"

The resort's hotel page uses this description. A CTV News report in July 2026 called it one of three First Nation resort casinos in Ontario. We quote the resort's phrase as its own claim and do not repeat it as fact.

The Gathering Place shops

The resort's retail space, The Gathering Place Collections, has two shops: Explore, with gifts and souvenirs including creations by Rama First Nation artisans, and the Biindigen convenience store. If you want to bring something home from the trip, Explore is the place for local work.

Visiting respectfully

The fish weirs are a National Historic Site under Parks Canada, and the First Nation's lands are a community, not a theme park. Our advice is simple: visit the weirs as a historic site, buy from the artisans, and look for events the First Nation itself publishes rather than relying on third-party listings. The First Nation's own website did not respond to our checks, so we do not quote it.