Harrah’s Northern California casino held a soft opening last week in Ione, Amador County. The 71,000 square foot casino has 950 slots, 20 gaming tables, a restaurant, a three fast-food options.
Thousands attended, in fact more than the facility could allow inside safely. Every parking space was filled shortly after the doors opened. That forced the casino and the California Highway Patrol to turn many away.
The casino will employ 500. The grand opening is set for May 17-19.
Although some local residents were highly critical of the casino for its alleged lack of planning for the first day, and the resultant traffic jam, the casino said it expected lots of people. Harrah’s Northern San Diego General Manager J.C. Rieger told Fox 40 “That’s why we partnered with CHP to kind of help us with traffic control and everything like that.” He said that in normal circumstances the casino will have far fewer customers waiting to get in.
