The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians in Southern California last week held a “topping” ceremony for the six-story hotel that will be part of the Soboba Casino & Resort near San Jacinto.
The ceremony celebrated the lifting of the highest beams on the construction project. Three white beams, bearing signatures from tribal members, casino employees and building workers, was lifted to the top of the hotel.
The new phase will include a 140,000-square foot casino, 200-room hotel, dining, a sports bar, swimming pool and additional parking. It will replace an older casino the tribe opened in 1995.
Tribal Administrator Michael Castello declared, “This is one of the significant milestones of the whole construction project.” He added, “We’re trying to landmark all of these special milestones. It’s special to be able to have the tribal members sign their names on something that will be up for decades.”
The project is part of a $1 billion plus arms race that includes Pechanga Resort & Casino, San Manuel Casino and Pala Casino Spa & Resort in San Diego County. Pechanga will open its $285 million project, which includes a 14-story hotel, later this month. Pala just began its $170 million expansion, that will also include a new hotel tower.
The casino and hotel complex will be on 37.5 acres that the tribe put into trust two years ago—land that was then an empty field.
