The south end of Ottawa is about to change dramatically — and Greely is right in the middle of it. With the $350 million Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa set to open in late spring 2025, and a massive 163-acre land parcel up for sale just steps from the site, this isn’t just another new development — it’s a potential transformation of the region’s entertainment, housing, and investment landscape.
In this blog, we’ll explore how the Hard Rock project — along with the proposed Falcon Ridge Village — could reshape life in Greely, impact property values, and open up major opportunities for real estate buyers, sellers, and developers.
What’s Coming: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa
Located at the site of the current Rideau Carleton Raceway, the new Hard Rock complex will include:
• A 150-room hotel with 22 suites
• A 24/7 casino floor with 1,500 slot machines, 40 table games, and a high-limit gaming area
• An 1,800-seat live entertainment venue
• More than 10 bars and restaurants, including the iconic Hard Rock Café and Council Oak Steaks & Seafood
• Themed retail shops like the Rock Shop®
This is being positioned not just as a casino, but as a year-round destination for concerts, conferences, and tourism.
600+ Jobs, Major Economic Impact
According to Hard Rock and local officials, the development is expected to create over 600 permanent jobs in areas like:
• Hospitality (housekeeping, concierge, front desk)
• Gaming (dealers, slot machine technicians)
• Security and facilities
• Culinary staff (chefs, cooks, food runners)
• Management and operations
Hard Rock has a track record of investing in its people — in 2022, the company allocated $100M in wage increases for frontline staff at other properties.
Job seekers can apply at:
• Rideau Carleton Casino Careers: https://www.rideaucarletoncasino.com/careers
• Hard Rock International Careers: https://careers.hardrock.com/jobs
A New Live-Work Community Next Door: Falcon Ridge Village
Perhaps the most exciting — and overlooked — story here is the 163-acre land parcel for sale on Earl Armstrong Road, just south of the Hard Rock site.
Dubbed Falcon Ridge Village, this proposed development is:
• Zoned for residential and mixed-use under Ottawa’s Official Plan
• Estimated to support over 10,000 residential units
• Designed by Hobin Architecture with a plan that includes:
• High-density apartments near the future Bowesville LRT station
• Mid-rise condos and stacked townhomes in the core
• Single-family homes on the south end
• A new school and over 25 acres of parkland
• 8.5 million sq. ft. of total residential and commercial development
It’s being marketed by Avison Young as the largest tract of development-ready land in Ottawa, and a true 15-minute community, where homes, transit, shopping, and jobs are all accessible by foot.
As Avison Young VP Ron Milligan put it:
“It really is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.”
What This Means for Real Estate in Greely and Beyond
As someone who grew up in Greely, and moved back here to raise my family in 2020, here are some predictions on the impact of this new development:
1. Skyrocketing Development Interest
With the province demanding 151,000 new homes in Ottawa by 2031, large sites like Falcon Ridge Village are rare. Developers are eyeing this area due to:
• Fast LRT access
• Proximity to jobs and entertainment
• Available land at scale
Expect Greely to see more builder activity, zoning changes, and proposals in the coming years. The new official plan is set to take effect later in 2025 which will allow for more development across Ottawa, with significantly less red tape.
2. Property Value Growth
We’ve seen this before. In Bristol, Virginia, the Hard Rock Casino opened in 2022. Now, there are a lot of differences between Greely and Bristol, however there could always be some similarities with a project of this size. Here is what happened in Bristol
• Residential sale prices rose by 11.7% within the first 6 months
• Nearby commercial leases increased by 18%, driven by new traffic
• Developers launched mixed-use projects within a 2 km radius
Ottawa may not follow the exact same trajectory — but with 10,000 new homes planned nearby and a destination casino opening down the street, demand in Greely and south-end Ottawa is expected to climb sharply.
3. Rentals and Short-Term Housing Surge
Casino staff, construction workers, event-goers, and service workers will need nearby housing. This could:
• Increase rental rates in Greely, Riverside South, and Findlay Creek
• Make short-term rentals (like Airbnb) more attractive to investors
• Create incentive for secondary dwelling unit construction
My personal expectation is to see a much higher demand on the rental side, as well as entry level homes. I think having a direct access to the basement to add a secondary dwelling unit (SDU), or a coach house will have significant added value with the new demand. I also believe we could see a higher demand in the larger, luxury lots as we begin to have more and more amenities close by once a new development takes place less than 10 minutes away. Hopefully, the proposed Greely village center commercial development also begins the next phase in this timeframe to add more resources to our growing community.
Final Thoughts: Should You Buy or Sell Now?
The combination of:
• A landmark entertainment venue
• 10,000+ future housing units
• LRT connectivity
• And Ottawa’s ongoing housing shortage
…makes this one of the most strategically significant shifts in the south-end market in years.
If you’re a homeowner near Greely, this could be your opportunity to list at peak visibility in the next 12–24 months. If you’re an investor or buyer, it may be time to act before demand spikes.
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