Pechanga Resort Casino, the largest casino on the West Coast, announced March 21 that it anticipates that its closure will last longer than the end of the month. It added that it will begin layoffs on April 1. Employees will be paid base pay and benefits until March 31.
In the statement Pechanga Development Corporation President Jared Munoa said, “As much as we would love to bring everyone back April 1, the facts and circumstances indicate the closure will last much longer.” He added, “This temporary layoff means we will bring our team back together as soon as possible when we get through this. As painful as this decision is, we have to be honest and give our Team Members as much notice as possible so that they can make appropriate preparations.”
The casino resort, located in Riverside County, California has 4,683 employees. It is unclear how many will be affected by the layoff. It was one of the first tribal casinos in the state to close.
