Eagle Mountain Casino opening today in California

Casino City Times
 
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Eagle Mountain Casino’s story humbly began in June of 1996 when the casino opened its doors with a few mobile trailers, a hotdog and hamburger stand, three blackjack tables, and just over 300 video lottery terminals.

Over the next 27 years, Eagle Mountain Casino became “The People’s Casino.”

On 9 May 2023, Eagle Mountain Casino begins a new chapter as it will hold a ribbon cutting and press conference to celebrate the opening of its new property, located at 1850 West Street, off Highway 65 next to the Porterville Fairgrounds in Porterville, California.

The “Grand Opening Celebration” will be open to the media and the public in front of the new casino location’s porte-cochere and fountain at the casino’s main entrance. Guest speakers and special ceremonies will kick off at 10 a.m. followed by the ribbon cutting at noon.

Members of the Tule River Tribe, Tule River Tribe’s Tribal Council, Chairman Neil Peyron, and Eagle Mountain Casino Executive Team, including General Manager Matthew Mingrone, will attend the press conference. No interviews will be allowed.

Due to traffic, the media and the public are encouraged to arrive early, and seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Tule River Tribe, owners and operators of Eagle Mountain Casino, recently celebrated their 150th anniversary of sovereignty this past January. The opening of the new casino location will be another milestone in the tribe’s storied history.

“On behalf of the Tule River Tribe, I want to congratulate the Eagle Mountain Casino team for their dedication and hard work,” said Neil Peyron, Chairman of the Tule River Tribe. “They are the backbone of our success. We are grateful for them and all our patrons that would drive the road to the reservation to go there and enjoy some of the best entertainment in our area.”

Porterville City Manager John Lollis is excited about the relocation of Eagle Mountain Casino and says the Tule River Tribe and the City of Porterville are working together to build economic development, tourism, and branding effort for Porterville.

Eagle Mountain Casino will be a full-service casino open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The new property is double in size, growing to over 100,000 square feet, featuring new dining options, 1,750 slot machines, 20 table games, and a 2,000-seat state-of-the-art event center. Guests must be 21 and older to drink alcohol and play on the gaming floor.

The new property will employ over 1,000 team members and boost economic growth for the local community and businesses. Vendors selected to work with the new property have local ties, including Pacific West Sound, Innovative Lighting, Stafford’s Chocolates, JR Meat Company, Visalia Tile, Stinson’s Business Supplies, and many other local contractors. All other vendors selected to be involved with the design of the new property were carefully chosen as they aligned with the vision, the culture, and all essential tribal aspects.

HBG Design was selected as the designer and architect for Eagle Mountain Casino’s highly anticipated casino relocation project and designed the new casino property with the vision of a lodge and a more mountainous style of architecture with a home in the Valley. The relocation also expands the gaming floor to 100,000 square feet of slot machines and table games.

“For the Tule River Tribe, it was imperative to tell their story,” said Joe Baruffaldi, AIA, Principal, HBG Design. “We researched their culture; they provided us with books and photos of artifacts. They were open about sharing their culture, which allowed us to find patterns within baskets to incorporate into our design that would give this property a uniqueness in the market when you look at some of the other competitive casinos because it tells their story.”

When the new property opens on May 9, it will be the first time Eagle Mountain Casino will serve alcohol.

“We will have full cocktail service throughout the casino floor,” said Bradford Hamilton, Food and Beverage Director at Eagle Mountain Casino.

The new property will also 24-hour Acorn Diner, Cedar Food Court, Yokuts Coffee House, and the award-winning River Steakhouse. The Redwood Taphouse will feature 208 seats with 24 slot machines in the bar. In addition, 66 TVs will be visible throughout the whole restaurant. The Center Bar will wow guests with its exquisite details of a Sequoia Tree and will be featured in the center of the gaming floor with slot machines at the bar.

“Congratulations to the Tule River Tribe and the Eagle Mountain Casino team for opening our new property,” said Matthew Mingrone, General Manager at Eagle Mountain Casino. “We’re happy to say that the new property is Tule River through and through, as there are artifacts and basket weaves throughout the property. This is truly Eagle Mountain Casino and the Tule River Tribe’s accomplishment. We’re happy to be able to tell you we are open for business, and we can’t wait to see the smiles on your faces.”