The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, owners of the San Manuel Casino in Highland, California will open Phase 1 of its casino expansion project on July 24, the same day the casino opened 35 years ago.
Phase 1 additions include a larger gaming area, a 24-hour restaurant, a high-end dining venue and new retail shops. The expansion also added 1,300 more slot machines. Later this year, San Manuel will open its first onsite hotel, featuring 432 luxury rooms and suites, premium dining venues and a best-in-class event venue.
At the same time, San Manuel is filling nearly 2,500 new positions, offering $1,000 welcome bonuses and up to $300 in perks for junior chefs, cooks, kitchen workers, environmental services technicians and custodial staff.
More than 40 percent of the current staff has been with San Manuel for more than five years, and five team members have worked with the enterprise since it opened as a bingo hall in 1986. In 1994, the bingo hall expanded into a 100,000-square-foot casino with slot machines and card games.
“I remember sitting in the building when the tables were still being bolted into the floor, and the ceiling hadn’t been put in. There were about 100 employees talking about how San Manuel was going to be the biggest bingo hall and that we had a great opportunity for something that was new to the community,” said Dianna Scina, director of experiential marketing and a 35-year veteran employee.
According to another day-one team member, Karen Knight, table games floor supervisor, “I’ve really enjoyed all the people I’ve worked with in each department, and it’s been fun for me. It doesn’t even feel like 35 years. The time flies by, but I’m having a good time.”
The tribe has donated millions of dollars to charitable causes in the area, including $7 million to Mary’s Mercy Center for a homeless shelter and $25 million to Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital. It’s all in keeping with San Manuel’s core value of “Yawa”—to act on one’s beliefs.
“I worked for 35 years in the casino, and now I get to be part of something that is absolutely giving back to the tribe,” said Tom Hedrick, vice president of tribal community services.
