The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Yuba County, Northern California, will open in about a year if construction continues on schedule.
The resort is a partnership of Estom Yumeka Maidu Tribe of the Enterprise Rancheria and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, owners of Hard Rock International.
Representatives of both sat down for an interview with the Appeal-Democrat last week when Enterprise Rancheria Chairwoman Glenda Nelson declared, “We are blessed to have the Seminole Tribe of Florida partnered with us on this. It’s a game changer. I think we will all see that,” adding “We are blessed to have Mark Birtha join our team. We couldn’t have partnered with a better tribe.”
Birtha comes to the job of building the casino from being president of the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park in Ohio, the most successful of the 11 casinos in the Buckeye state.
The project is under construction on 40 acres near the Toyota Amphitheatre.
Calling Hard Rock “a global brand with local sensitivities,” Birtha pledged that the company will invest locally. “At the end of the day, we take care of our people, who take care of our guests, who end up taking care of their communities,” he said. “We plan on hiring local, building economic development opportunities and developing long-term partnerships.”
Hard Rock CEO Jon Lucas added, “This will be a great opportunity to reduce unemployment,” and noted that 1,000 construction workers have been employed so far. Birtha said up to 1,400 will be employed in permanent positions at the casino and hotel, with Yuba County residents and tribal members giving hiring preferences. He is currently hiring his executive staff, something he expects to finish by early next year. By summer he plans to begin hiring for hourly wage positions.
