The North Fork Rancheria and Las Vegas-based Red Rock Resorts will soon break ground on a $350 million casino on 305 acres just off Highway 99 near Madera, Central California.
The casino will take about 18 months to complete. Its nearest competition will be the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino. The 213,000 square foot project will include 100,000 SF of gaming space, 2,000 slots and 40 gaming tables. It will also have two restaurants and a food hall. Originally a 200-room hotel had been included in designs, but that seems to have been dropped.
Last year the California Supreme Court ended all legal challenges to build the “off reservation” casino. It was originally proposed in 2003 but legal challenges by another tribe delayed approval until last August.
Red Rock Chief Financial Officer Stephen Cootey told investors May 4, “As of now, the budget for the full completion of this project excluding any financing costs is expected to be between $350 million and $400 million.”
Madera County Economic Development Commission Executive Director Bobb Kahn told the Las Vegas Sun: “It’s going to be a huge job creator. In some point in time, they’ll be employing somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,500 or 1,700 people.”
The tribe has agreements with Madera Count and the towns of Chowchilla and Madera to help pay for roads and public safety.
