The Tule River Reservation in Central California recently hosted 200 guests at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Eagle Mountain Casino in Porterville.
The new 100,000-square-foot casino on 40 acres will have 1,750 slot machines, gaming tables, a 2,000 seat events center and eateries with a planned 2022 opening.
Tribal Chairman William Garfield hailed the project, saying, “When we put those shovels in the ground, my heart goes out thanking you who put in the long hours, those of you walked the halls in D.C. and the State Capitol, those that moved machines all night long, those that worked double shifts because it was so busy and you didn’t want to leave your teammates hanging there—I thank you on behalf of the tribe, tribal members, descendants, and everyone whose been benefiting.”
W.E. O’Neil will build the project, which was designed by HGB Design. The casino will have lodge elements of wood and stone. Joe Baruffaldi, principal at HBG Design described the collaborative process with the tribe: “They have immersed the design team in tribal culture and heritage and graciously embraced our conceptual storytelling as it extends into the architectural and interior design aesthetic.”
