San Manuel Casino Moves The Timeline For Its Expansion Opening Because Of Coronavirus

Article by : Helen Nov 25, 2020

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Updated: Apr 6, 2023

COVID-19 has negatively impacted Tribal Gaming. The last couple of weeks also became pretty difficult for Tribal casinos due to the pandemic’s continuing effects. However, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians tribe felt the harm most, as it got clear that its launch of the San Manuel Casino expansion in Highland, California, would be delayed until 2022.

The San Manuel Casino expansion has a planned budget of US$550 million, which must be enough for launching a 17-store hotel with 429 rooms, a new entertainment center, several restaurants, and an expanded gambling space, of course. If everything goes well, according to the initial plan, the constructions will be ready by the end of 2021. However, Peter Arceo, general manager for the San Manuel Casino, claims that the 2,700-seat entertainment center’s launch has been moved to 2022 due to coronavirus-related circumstances.

This is not about any construction delays, as a beam has already been placed on the hotel’s top floor, and everything is expected to be ready by the end of 2021. Peter Arceo said that the casino officials could not predict how the pandemic might impact in-house gambling in the next couple of years. That’s why delaying the entertainment center’s launch gives more time and chances to sort everything out.

Originally, the opening of the hotel was scheduled for the middle of 2021, but after the reopening of the San Manuel Casino in June after several months of being shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, the casino representatives stated that the hotel launch would be shifted to the end of the year, as the construction slowed a bit due to the lockdowns.

The event center, as well as the hotel and restaurants, will start holding private events as soon as the complex is finished in 2021.

However, the public events won’t be available until 2022, said Peter Arceo after the topping off ceremony for the complex. Besides hoisting the beam signed by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians’ members to the top of the 205-foot hotel on Friday, November 6, the public had a chance to see a huge 3D model of how the complex would look like. People could also notice that a new element to the hotel construction was the VIP lounge located on the top floor. According to Peter Arceo, it provides beautiful views of the surrounding area. “The sunrises and sunsets from there are just going to be amazing,” said Arceo. According to the initial plan, there should have been a restaurant on the top floor of the tower, but Arceo pointed out that the infrastructure required for the restaurant would have taken pretty much space from the hotel area.

The complex will also contain 2 pools that will be located above the casino floor. Of course, there will be a poolside restaurant and spa area. The Pines, known as a fine dining restaurant of the San Manuel Casino, will now be expanded and moved off the gambling area.

All in all, San Manuel turned out to be pretty quick and successful in expanding its complex. The construction works started less than 2 years ago, but the company had enough time to finish some major project elements, including a massive 205-foot hotel, a 6-story parking area, a new restaurant structure, and an expanded gift shop. There’s no doubt that the complex will be fully completed by the end of 2021. The further steps depend on whether the pandemic grans on or not.