British Columbia’s Parq Casino Names Suzanne Lalonde as New CEO

Parq Casino in Vancouver, British Columbia, announced on Tuesday that Suzanne Lalonde has been named the property’s new CEO. Lalonde brings more than three decades of casino gaming experience spanning the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, the Caribbean and North America, having held roles with organizations including Casino Austria International, Caesars Entertainment and PURE Canadian Gaming.

The appointment puts a veteran operator at the helm of one of Western Canada’s most prominent gaming and hospitality destinations, a 72,000-square-foot casino floor situated alongside two Marriott-branded hotels in the heart of downtown Vancouver.

A Career Built From the Casino Floor Up

Lalonde’s path to the top of Parq’s organization began at the ground level. She started her career as a casino floor dealer before working her way into leadership and operational positions across the industry. Her resume includes a stint as Assistant General Manager at Casino Nova Scotia in Halifax, and she later served as Executive Director of Casino Operations with Paragon Gaming at River Cree Resort & Casino in Enoch, Alberta.

She also spent significant time with PURE Canadian Gaming Corp., holding titles including General Manager, Senior Vice President, and Regional General Manager, where she oversaw Casino Calgary and Casino Lethbridge — two of the four properties in the company’s Alberta portfolio.

Leadership Focused on Culture and Growth

Parq Casino Director Paul Bouzanis welcomed Lalonde’s hiring in a statement, saying she brings “a rare combination of front-line operating experience, senior leadership capability and a strong commitment to people.” He added that Lalonde “understands that sustained performance comes from engaged employees, disciplined operations and a culture where teams are empowered to succeed.”

According to a news release announcing the move, Lalonde will lead the casino’s “next phase of growth and development with a focus on the guest experience, employee engagement, regulatory excellence and operational discipline.”

Lalonde struck a similar tone in her own statement. “My career has shown me that the strongest organizations are built by people who feel valued, supported and connected to a shared purpose, and I look forward to listening, learning and working together to build on Parq’s strengths,” she said.

About Parq Casino

Parq opened in downtown Vancouver in September 2017, adjacent to BC Place, and has grown into one of the city’s marquee entertainment complexes. The property combines its casino floor with the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver and The Douglas, an Autograph Collection hotel, giving guests hundreds of rooms alongside gaming, dining and event space right in the city’s core.

Beyond her professional resume, Lalonde has a track record of community involvement, having volunteered and led fundraising efforts for organizations including Habitat for Humanity Canada, Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Calgary Drop-In and Rehab Centre Society. Parq’s leadership team is betting that same people-first approach translates into her new role overseeing operations at the casino.

For bettors and casino fans tracking how North American gaming operators are shifting leadership as competition intensifies, moves like this one signal how much operators are leaning on operational veterans to manage growth, guest experience and casino floor performance simultaneously.