The $500 million Sky River Casino in Elk Grove, California the Wilton Rancheria tribe broke ground on March 12, will include a 12-table poker room.
The resort will also have a hotel and convention center, 2,000 slots, more than 80 gaming tables and 12 restaurants.
Attending the groundbreaking were local officials such as Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen, and Governor Gavin Newsom, via video.
The tribe is building the casino on nearly 40 acres near Hwy 99, near Sacramento in association with Nevada-based Boyd Gaming, that will have a management contract. It is scheduled to open in late 2022 and will be the seventh tribal casino in the Bay Area, Sacramento market.
The land they are building on is known locally as the “Ghost Mall” because it was partially developed but never finished. It sat abandoned for more than 10 years and was demolished last year.
The tribe lost its tribal status in 1958 and was restored in 2009, but without land. Boyd Gaming purchased the land for the tribe. The casino project was approved by the National Indian Gaming Commission 2019 after it was put into trust in 2017. The tribe signed a tribal state gaming compact with former Governor Jerry Brown shortly thereafter.
The 853-member tribe has committed to investing $186 million with the City of Elk Grove and Sacramento County over the next two decades.
Tribal Chairman Jesus Tarango commented, “We are excited to achieve this critical milestone in our economic development and path toward self-sufficiency. We thank Boyd Gaming, the Elk Grove community, the City, and leaders at the local, state, and federal level for their tireless support and for believing in our vision of a better future.”
Boyd CEO Keith Smith added, “We are honored to partner with our friends at Wilton Rancheria in creating a secure and prosperous future for the Tribal membership and their generations to come.”
He added, “Together, we will create an entertainment destination that this entire community can take pride in, one that will deliver significant and lasting benefits for the tribe and the city of Elk Grove.”
