Eagle Mountain casino celebrates grand opening; tribe unveils new plans
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Members of the Tule River Indian Tribe cut the ribbon on their new Eagle Mountain Casino facility in Porterville. Photos by Ben Hensley
After years of anticipation, Eagle Mountain Casino has come down from the foothills and into the valley , celebrating the grand opening of their new casino May 9.
The new casino, located at 1850 West St. in Porterville, sits on 40 acres of land that was purchased by the Tule River Indian Tribe more than 30 years ago with the hopes to relocate the original casino location — approximately 17 miles east of Porterville — to a location more accessible for local residents and employees.
Groundbreaking for the casino, however, took some time, eventually taking place in 2021, following the granting of federal approval in December 2020.
“Today is a day to celebrate but it’s also a day to reflect on everything that’s happened in the past and to be thankful to all the people who helped us get here,” said William Garfield, Tule River Indian Tribal Chairman Emeritus. “We’ve all been on the Indian gaming roller coaster.”
The new casino boasts 1,750 slot machines, up from 1,200 previous, as well as 20 table games, up from 12. The casino has also nearly doubled in size from its original 60,000 square-foot facility, with more than 100,000 square feet of floor space.
Eagle Mountain is also home to four restaurants, including the new 24-hour Acorn Diner, and the Redwood Taphouse, which features 65 televisions and a full bar. Each of the new restaurants seats 200.
The completion and opening of the casino, however, is only stage one of a three-stage project. The Tribe hopes to see groundbreaking on a 250-room hotel and convention center as well as an entertainment complex.
“We’re in the middle of the master plan right now,” Eagle Mountain Casino General Manager Matthew Mingrone said. “We hope to break ground within six months on the hotel and convention center aspect.”
The relocation of the casino will also ease the strain on a quickly growing workforce. Mingrone said the team added 250 members following the pandemic and plans to hire an additional 150. Currently, Eagle Mountain Casino employs more than 700 people.
“With the hotel, we’ll be up over 1,000 team members,” he said.
The former casino, located on Reservation Road, will be converted into Tribal government offices and will also expand existing Tribal schools and health services to Tribal members. Some food options will also be retained for Tribal members.
