The first months since the opening in August of the Sky River Casino near Sacramento, California have been promising, according to leaders of the Wilton Rancheria.
The 103,000-square foot casino, a partnership with Boyd Gaming, features over 2,000 slots, 80 gaming tables and 17 bars and eateries.
Wilton Rancheria Chairman Jesus Tarango told Comstock’s Magazine that the tribe worked for several years to bring the project to fruition.
“I think it’s more than what we thought it would be,” he said. “You know, seeing the renderings back in 2016, 2017 and then to be here now, the renderings that I have in my house are the same as what you see here.”
The casino design features homages to the Miwok and Nisenan tribal culture, such as chandeliers with acorns and oak trees, and large cracks in the walls that evoke rivers.
Sky River Casino President and COO Chris Gibase told Comstock’s, “I’ve never been in the red since the first 15 minutes. This property is busy. And we give a great product for a fair price.”
Tarango said tribal members will have to wait to see money from the resort: “The tribe really won’t see any benefits probably for another year,” He added, “But it’s good that we have this here. And I think it’s good for our community as well.”
The casino already benefits local government, such as the city of Elk Grove, which gets a casino built on a never-finished mall that had become known as the “ghost mall,” as well as $20 million paid to the city, county and state for services and infrastructure.
According to the city’s economic development director, Darrell Doan, Sky River Casino is a major win for the community. They employ just shy of 2,000 people, and approximately 40 percent of those are Elk Grove residents.
