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By Ethan Banegas

The Journal of San Diego History
San Diego History Center Quarterly
Winter 2017, Volume 63, Number 1
Indian Gaming in the Kumeyaay Nation (PDF)

San Diego County has the largest concentration of Indian casinos in the nation. Gaming has allowed Indian tribes to pursue the policy of self-determination, which means that Indian tribal governments can conduct their own affairs. The process of winning the right to gamble took place over the course of nine years and involved three landmark cases: Seminole Tribe of Florida v. Butterfield (1979), Barona Group of the Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians v. Duffy (1982), and California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians (1987). This article examines the political climate that allowed the courts to favor Indian gaming. It also includes the shared history of the Barona, Sycuan, and Viejas casinos.

In the 1960s, Indians began to demand control over programs that affected their welfare. The federal government gradually allowed a higher degree of tribal sovereignty and self-determination. W. Dale Mason wrote:

Beginning with initiatives in the Kennedy administration, the 1960s brought about another dramatic change in Indian policy. By de facto ending termination and turning responsibility for federal programs over to the tribes, Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon set in motion a process that by the 1990s resulted in dynamic, thriving tribal governments.¹

The Reagan (1981-1989) and Bush Sr. (1989-1993) administrations solidified a policy of self-determination that began in the 1960s.

Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino, 2017. Photo by Ethan Banegas.

In the early 1980s, programs run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs were at risk of being cut when the Reagan administration decided to balance the budget.² Sen. Thomas Slade Gorton (Republican-WA) remarked, “no one can or should expect to be exempt from the inevitable cuts which ensue from balancing the budget.”³ A “longtime tribal antagonist” and chairman of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, Gorton successfully pushed to cut Indian programs.⁴ The pieces were in place for the state and federal governments to open the door for Indian gaming as a way to relieve tribal dependence on the federal government. Even a decade later in 1995, during the Clinton administration, the Senate refused to restore $200 million in cuts to the Bureau of Indian Affairs by a vote of 61 to 36.⁵ Pro-Indian supporters like Barbara Boxer (Democrat-CA), Edward Kennedy (Democrat-MA), and Majority Leader Tom Daschle (Democrat-SD) voted with the Republican majority.

With the 1980s cuts in federal funding, tribal governments looked for other ways of generating the revenue necessary to fund their programs. In 1975, the Seminole Tribe of Florida had established a high-stakes bingo operation that generated significant revenues for education, welfare, and economic development. Indian gaming was challenged when Broward County Sheriff Robert Butterfield, acting on behalf of the State of Florida, threatened to close the Seminole bingo hall because they offered prizes over $100. The Seminoles were granted a preliminary injunction by the district court and pursued a case against Florida, Seminole v. Butterfield. Attorneys for the State of Florida defended Butterfield by arguing that the state had criminal jurisdiction over Indian tribes. In 1953, Congress had passed Public Law 83-280 that permitted certain states to transfer criminal jurisdiction from Indian country to the state government. The law applied to California, Nebraska, Minnesota, Oregon, and Wisconsin with the exception of three reservations: Red Lake Chippewa Reservation, Warm Springs Reservation, and Menominee Reservation.⁶ Attorneys for the Seminole Tribe, however, successfully argued in 1979 that PL 83-280 only applied to criminal jurisdiction and not to gambling. The district and circuit courts agreed and ruled in favor of the Seminole Indian Tribe because “the playing of bingo halls and operation of bingo halls is not contrary to the public policy.”⁷ The court explained:

The district court held that Florida’s gambling laws were civil/ regulatory not criminal/prohibitory. Therefore, notwithstanding the state’s assumption of criminal jurisdiction over Indians in Florida reservations under Public Law 83-280, the state limits on bingo did not apply to the Seminole games.⁸

Barona Valley Barn (1932), 2017. Photo by Ethan Banegas.

Seminole v. Butterfield paved the way for the Barona Band of Mission Indians to commence gaming. Tribal chairman (1981-1988) Edward “Joe” Welch traveled to the Seminole Reservation in Florida to evaluate their gambling operation. After his return, the Barona tribal council voted to open their own high stakes bingo with both tribal money and funds from Welch’s personal account. Barona was among the first tribes to have bingo games on a federally recognized tribal reservation.⁹ Like Florida, however, the State of California had laws forbidding high-stakes bingo. San Diego County Sheriff John Duffy, acting on behalf of the state, threatened to close the Barona bingo hall. Barona filed suit in district court in Barona Group of the Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians v. Duffy and used the Seminole case as a precedent. Barona won in district court.¹⁰ The courts use the same language as the Seminole case to rule in favor of Barona, stating that California’s gaming policy was permissive/regulatory and bingo was beyond the Sheriff’s jurisdiction.¹¹ A plaque at the Barona Museum pays homage to Barona’s victory; it reads, “In 1982 Barona won US Supreme Court ruling Duffy v Barona, allowing high-stakes Bingo.”¹²

In the wake of the Barona and Seminole cases, which decided in favor of Indian gaming, approximately 80 other tribes entered the gaming business.¹³ Although these court cases ruled that gaming was beyond the reach of the state’s jurisdiction to prosecute, “states continued to enforce their gambling regulations on reservations.”¹⁴ The final showdown took place in California almost a decade after Seminole v. Butterfield in the California v. Cabazon case (1987).¹⁵ Eighteen tribes and two Indian organizations battled twenty-five states in the Supreme Court over the role of state governments and Indian gaming.¹⁶ Like the Barona and Seminole cases, the state’s main argument rested on Public Law 83-280 giving the state jurisdiction over federally recognized tribes.

On February 25, 1987, the Supreme Court ruled 6 to 3 to reject California’s position. Using the same language as Seminole and Barona, the court found that Public Law 83-280 gave California the ability to regulate gaming but not to prohibit it. Congress had passed the law in an effort to combat lawlessness on reservations; it permitted states to intervene in tribal affairs only if criminal activity was taking place. California v. Cabazon settled the issue of states trying to forbid Indian gaming once and for all. Significantly, it was no coincidence there was a continuity of language used in all three court cases. During the author’s interview with Don Speer, long-time business advisor to the Barona Band of Mission Indians, he shared that the Cabazon attorneys used the Barona and Seminole cases as templates to win the case.¹⁷

Speer, working with the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians as an investor with a management contract for their Desert Oasis Casino at the time, emphasized that Barona was a massive influence on the steps taken to win the Cabazon case. These three court cases are inextricably linked. To summarize: in the beginning was the Seminole victory, which led Joe Welch (Barona’s Chairman) to visit the Seminoles and open a high-stakes bingo operation on Barona. Thereafter, Sheriff Duffy’s threat brought about Barona’s case and eventual victory, using the argument from prosecuting attorneys representing the Seminoles. After Barona’s victory, Cabazon had the final showdown in the Supreme Court and won by replicating Barona’s and Seminole’s arguments.

Barona Bingo Cardroom and Casino

Under Chairman Welch, Barona’s high-stakes bingo continued in an unassuming gymnasium at the center of the reservation and generated money.¹⁸ Tribal sovereignty gave Barona’s bingo a competitive advantage over off-reservation games because the state could not limit hours and jackpots.

In 1983, the Sycuan tribe, located eleven miles from Barona, followed suit and opened up a bingo hall. Sycuan’s high-stakes bingo enjoyed the same competitive advantage as Barona, and it was located much closer to large population centers in San Diego. It was not long before Sycuan took most of Barona’s business, leaving their neighboring tribe in a vulnerable situation. Barona’s nascent gaming business closed four times due to both mismanagement and Sycuan’s proximity to San Diego.

Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino, 2017. Photo by Ethan Banegas.

Clifford LaChappa, who succeeded Joe Welch as tribal chairman of Barona, inherited a gaming business in dire straits. After closing four times, Barona’s high- stakes bingo was hardly producing any income for tribal members. Chairman LaChappa was working for the San Diego Gas and Electric Company, and when he heard about a man named Don Speer who was recognized in the gaming industry for successfully turning around the bankrupt gaming business on the Cabazon reservation near Palm Springs, California, he reached out to him. After working with the Cabazon tribe for nearly six years, he was reluctant to come to the Barona reservation because it had a bad track record and an extremely remote location. Chairman LaChappa talked him into visiting the reservation and the rest is history. Speer was drawn to the people of Barona. On a handshake deal, he committed to not only investing his own money to help Barona turn its struggling business around but had a clear vision and determination to turn it into a financial success that would rival casinos on the Las Vegas strip. He took a gamble on Barona’s high-stakes bingo and built a new cardroom investing his own money in the operation.¹⁹

Speer and the people of Barona soon turned their gaming operation around. Eventually the tribe accumulated enough money to expand into a bona fide casino, the Big Top Barona Casino, that opened in 1994. Building this casino was not without risk because Barona did not yet have a state compact. Authorities could have closed the operation if a compact between the tribe and state was not agreed upon. Fortunately, the Las Vegas-style casino became an instant success. It was housed in a 39,000 square-foot tent, had 1,000 slot machines, and consisted of a vintage Barnum and Bailey circus theme. With the construction of the Barona Big Top, Barona’s gaming operation went from the third most successful casino in San Diego to the first.

In anticipation of a Barona compact with the State of California, Speer and the people of Barona began plans in 1998 with world-renowned Las Vegas architect Joel Bergman to build a new $225 million resort casino. Bergman had designed the Golden Nugget (Atlantic City), the MGM Resort & Casino (Las Vegas), the Mirage (Las Vegas), Caesar’s Palace (Las Vegas), The Paris Casino and Resort (Las Vegas), and numerous other projects. Significantly, Barona’s first gaming compact with the state was signed on October 8, 1999, during the preliminary stages of the new resort and casino.²⁰ After four years of planning and construction, Barona’s new casino was completed on December 31, 2002. There is a detailed description of Barona’s resort and casino on their website:

About Barona Resort & Casino: Named Best Casino and “Loosest Slots” for six consecutive years in the San Diego’s Best Union- Tribune Readers Poll, Barona Resort & Casino is the ultimate gaming entertainment destination featuring 2,000 slot and video poker machines and over 90 table games. The AAA Four Diamond rated property features 400 spacious guest rooms and suites with beautiful views of Barona Valley, award-winning dining, the AmBience Day Spa, a full-service events center and the 18-hole championship Barona Creek Golf Club, which was rated the 4th Best Resort Course in California by Golfweek Magazine.²¹

Sycuan Aims for Economic Diversity

Barona and Sycuan share a common history in Indian gaming. Among the most noteworthy correlations are bingo history and a pioneering tribal chair. In 1972, Anna Prieto Sandoval won the tribal chair of the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. There were approximately eighty tribal members at the time and “none had a steady job.”²² Life on the reservation was full of extreme hardships and Sandoval walked ten miles one day to retrieve milk for her children. News travels fast among reservations in San Diego County due to ancient kinship ties, and Sandoval heard about Barona’s successful high-stakes bingo operation eleven miles away. In 1983, Chairwoman Sandoval was approached by Pan American International (PAI), a management company, to open a high-stakes bingo operation on Sycuan. This was the same management company that managed Seminole bingo in Florida.

A year after Chairman Edward “Joe” Welch opened a bingo hall in Barona’s recreation center, Sandoval pioneered Sycuan’s high-stakes bingo. Like Welch, Sandoval used her own personal assets to start a gambling operation. PAI’s proposition had created strong opposition among a faction of Sycuan’s tribal members who feared that traffic jams and strangers would change their quiet reservation life. Sandoval, however, offered a remote site on the outskirts of the reservation (she owned half the title) to satisfy the tribal opposition. The Sycuan Bingo Palace, as it was called, irked those who had doubted Sandoval, particularly after her business venture became profitable.²³

Sycuan had a competitive advantage over Barona because it was located closer to large population centers in San Diego and just ten miles from the city of El Cajon. The tribe’s early success allowed them to part ways with PAI management in 1987 and to manage the bingo game themselves. Profits eventually allowed them to pay for an expansion that was completed in 1990. The new bingo hall consisted of a 68,000 square-foot structure and included a 1,500-seat bingo parlor, 35 poker tables, and 20 off-track betting seats. Chairwoman Sandoval was the

Sycuan Casino interior, 2017. Photo by Ethan Banegas.

leader of Sycuan for twenty years (1972 to 1992) and brought Sycuan’s eighty tribal members out of abject poverty. By the early 1990s unemployment disappeared.²⁴

In 2002 Sycuan hired Steve Penhall to be the general manager of their casino. He previously worked at the Sandia Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for three years, and at the Ute Mountain Casino in Durango, Colorado, for seven years.²⁵ Penhall resigned in 2008 and Sycuan returned to managing their own casino for a second time. Hank Murphy, an elder tribal member of Sycuan, said that he could not believe so many Indian casinos spent money on management companies. With great pride, Murphy explained that the people of Sycuan and the tribal council “run our own affairs.”²⁶

Don Speer mentioned that management companies are often important for financial investment and gaming expertise to open an Indian casino. For example, he stated that San Diego’s newest casino on the Jamul Reservation “probably would not have gotten off the ground without a management company.”²⁷ He also believed the same was true for Harrah’s Rincon Casino in San Diego County, which is operated by the largest management company in the world. Notably, Barona, Viejas, and Sycuan all entered the casino industry with management companies. However, after their casinos became profitable, they no longer thought it was necessary to hire management companies.

There are costs and benefits to Indians managing their own casinos. Management companies are extremely expensive and their employees make all the daily decisions for the casinos. As a result, tribal members know very little about their own business and often feel worlds apart due to a lack of involvement. On the other hand, many Indians lack experience in the casino industry. In that business, decisions that seem counter-intuitive are often the right ones. Sometimes it helps to have a management company with decades of experience in the casino industry. The question of whether to self-manage or hire a management company remains a debate that is extremely important for gaming tribes and a topic that deserves more study.

Daniel Tucker was the tribal chair of Sycuan for most of the development of Class III Vegas-style gaming. He served as tribal chairman for fourteen years (1993-1996 and 2003-2014). Before his tenure, El Cajon’s major golf course, Singing Hills, had been bought by Sycuan in 2001 to attract customers to play at the casino. Singing Hills was renamed the Sycuan Golf Resort and includes fifty-four holes, two restaurants, a swimming pool, one-hundred-twenty rooms and suites, and shuttle service to the casino, located three miles away.

In 2011, Sycuan Casino spent twenty-seven million dollars to renovate their casino “reminiscent of a Sultan’s palace.” They gutted “the entire casino, section by section,” added a world class sports bar, and expanded the buffet.²⁸ The total square footage is 305,000, which is equivalent to Viejas’ floor plan. Currently, the Sycuan casino has a total of five restaurants and “the Bingo Palace on the second floor…can easily be said to be the most elegant bingo in San Diego.”²⁹

Viejas—A Casino plus a Factory Outlet

In 1977, before the Seminoles opened their high-stakes bingo hall, Viejas opened a bingo room in their Ma Tar Awa RV Park. This event, however, is insignificant to the genesis of Indian gaming because it did not challenge the state with high-stakes jackpots and extended hours of operation, as Barona did six years later.

Viejas Casino and Resort, 2017. Photo by Ethan Banegas.

Following the three cases that made Indian gaming legal in United States, the people of Viejas voted to open a 100,000 square-foot casino in 1991. Eight years later, in 1999, they expanded to a 300,000 square-foot casino.³⁰ This new expansion coincided with the signing of a state compact with then-Governor Gray Davis of California.

September 10, 1999 is considered the “economic Independence Day of California Indians” because 58 state compacts, including Sycuan and Viejas, were signed by tribal leaders and Governor Davis. Three more compacts were signed, including Barona’s compact, on October 8, 1999.³¹ Gaming compacts limited Indian casinos to 2,000 slot machines; Viejas, Barona, and Sycuan maxed out their allotted quota at the turn of the twenty-first century. On June 14, 2000, Viejas was the first casino to have Las Vegas-style (coin operated) slot machines on a reservation.³²

On March 21, 2013, Viejas Casino became the Viejas Casino and Resort after a $36 million dollar expansion added a hotel.33 Tribal chairman Anthony Pico said Viejas originally planned for a six-hundred room hotel in 2007, but after the economic downturn, the hotel was reduced to approximately 80 percent less square footage. The Viejas hotel currently has a total of 128 rooms, which include ninety-nine deluxe and twenty-nine luxury suites. Like Barona and Sycuan, the people of Viejas manage their hotel without a management company.³⁴

Viejas Outlet Center, 2017. Photo by Ethan Banegas.

To make way for the new hotel, the old bingo hall was razed and a new four- hundred-seat bingo hall was constructed across the street from the casino in the Viejas Outlet shopping center.³⁵ Currently, the Viejas Casino has six restaurants, a night club called the “Dream Catcher,” an RV park, and a sixty-store retail outlet mall. Although the Viejas Outlet Center has struggled in recent years, it grossed twenty million dollars in 2013 according to tax yields.³⁶ In addition, the mall has managed to attract and sustain several designer brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren, Levi’s Outlet, Guess Factory Store, Gap Outlet, Eddie Bauer, Coach, Sunglass Hut, Nike Clearance Store, and eight eateries.³⁷

Comparing Three Native Nations

In the early history of the Kumeyaay Nation, Barona and Viejas shared a common history on the Capitan Grande Reservation. This was mostly a mutual political relationship because the kinship ties between Los Conejos and the Barona Band were tenuous. This political relationship became most evident during the relocation of 1932. Later, Barona and Sycuan enjoyed a common gaming history. Both tribes pioneered high-stakes bingo in San Diego County with trailblazing chairs, Edward “Joe” Welch and Anne Prieto Sandoval. Intense competition between Sycuan and Barona ensued in the burgeoning high-stakes bingo business, but in the end there were no losers. As Don Speer said, “Gambling begets more gambling.”³⁸ Sycuan still leads the Kumeyaay Nation in bingo, Viejas opened a new bingo hall in 2013, and Barona is out of the bingo business altogether, but is recognized as the leading gaming resort destination in the San Diego market.

Hollywood Casino in Jamul, 2017. Photo by Ethan Banegas.

Juxtaposing economic diversity among Barona, Viejas, and Sycuan is significant. Barona is the least diversified and possesses almost no other form of income outside of gaming. Viejas owns an outlet shopping mall that grossed approximately $20 million in 2013. Sycuan owns the U.S. Grant Hotel which it purchased in 2003 for $45 million (with an additional $10 million set aside for renovations). Its namesake President Ulysses S. Grant created Sycuan via executive order in 1875, irony which is not lost on Sycuan’s tribal members.³⁹ In 2007, Chairman Danny Tucker was honored inside the Grant Hotel by the San Diego History Center at the History Makers Gala with the George W. Marston Award for civic leadership. According to The Journal of San Diego History, “to date, the casino has been the Band’s most noteworthy economic success.”⁴⁰ Such a bold statement deserves qualification.

If Barona, Viejas, and Sycuan were judged simply by economic output, Barona is the most successful casino by a large margin. Strictly from a gaming perspective, the Barona Valley Resort and Casino grosses more than Sycuan and Viejas combined and is the envy of the casino industry. If we measure Sycuan, Viejas, and Barona on economic diversity, then Sycuan is the clear winner. So far, Barona’s attempts at economic diversity have been nominal, and their economic development committee, SIGNATUS, has only invested in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. SIGNATUS was created approximately a decade ago and consists seven board members (all tribal). The people of Barona recently approved a $40 million casino expansion in 2016.

In contrast to Barona, the people of Viejas have attempted other business ventures outside of gaming. The Viejas Factory Outlet Center is 255,000 square feet and includes allotments for 60 stores.⁴¹ Currently, San Diego’s newest outlet center is operating 30 stores and grossing $20 million.

After building their casino, Sycuan established the Sycuan Tribal Development Corporation to diversify their economic portfolio. They have made several noteworthy acquisitions. Their first major purchase was in 2001, with the Singing Hills Golf Couse. In 2003, the U.S. Grant Hotel was purchased followed by the procurement of Ringside Promotions (boxing promotions).⁴² In addition, in 2003 the Sycuan Tribal Development Corporation proposed a twenty-five-million- dollar hotel in National City and launched a mutual fund to invest in large and medium American stocks.⁴³ The drastic and subtle differences among these three tribes make for an intriguing case study indeed. One can only speculate about their future competition.

Big Top interior, Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino, 2017. Photo by Ethan Banegas.

Notes (PDF)

1. W. Dale Mason, “Indian Gaming: Tribal Sovereignty and American Politics,” Sovereignty
Symposium XVIII (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2005), 37.
2. Ibid., 26.
3. 98 Cong. Rec. H34,184 (November 18, 1983) (statement of Rep. Udall).
4. Mason, “Indian Gaming,” 27.
5. Bill McAllister, “Native Americans, Scientists Protest Cuts in Key Programs,” The Washington
Post, September 12, 1995; 98 Cong. Rec. H11,018 (October 3, 1984), statement of Rep. Shumay.
6. California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, 480 U.S. 202, 207 (1987). The Cabazon reservation
is located in Coachella, 7 miles (11 km) from Indio, California, and 18 miles (29 km) from
Palm Springs in Riverside County.
7. Seminole Tribe of Florida v. Butterfield, 491 F. Supp. 1015, 1020 (S.D. Flor. 1979).
8. Mason, “Indian Gaming,” 47.
9. Don Speer, interview by Ethan Banegas, Barona Resort and Casino, November 25, 2015.
10. Barona Group of the Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians v. Duffy, 694 F.2d 1185.
11. Mason, “Indian Gaming,” 48.
12. Museum Label for 1981-88 Edward (Joe) Welch Administration, Barona, California, The
Barona Museum, May 2, 2016.
13. Steven Andrew Light and Kathryn R.I. Rand, Indian Gaming and Tribal Sovereignty: The Casino
Compromise (Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 2005), 40.
14. Ibid.
15. California v. Cabazon, 480 U.S. 202. See Iris Engstrand, San Diego: California’s Cornerstone (San
Diego: Sunbelt Publications, 2016), 17-20.
16. Mason, “Indian Gaming,” 49.
17. Speer, interview by Banegas; California v. Cabazon, 480 U.S. 202, 208.
18. Edward (Joe) Welch served as Chairman 1968-1976 and 1981-1988.
19. Speer, interview by Banegas.
20. California Gambling Control Commission, “Ratified Tribal-State Gaming Compacts,” Cgcc.
ca.gov. http://www.cgcc.ca.gov/?pageID=compacts (accessed on May 1, 2016).
21. Barona Valley Casino and Resort, “About Us,” Barona.com; http://www.barona.com/aboutbarona/press-center/
(accessed December 10, 2015).
22. “Anna Prieto Sandoval, 76; Sycuan Leader was a Pioneer in Indian Gaming,” Los Angeles Times,
November 1, 2011.
23. Ibid.
24. Ibid.
25. David J. Valley and Diana Lindsay, Jackpot Trail: Indian Gaming in Southern California (San Diego,
Sunbelt Publications, 2003), 149.
26. Hank Murphy, interview by Ethan Banegas, Sycuan Reservation, November 5, 2015.
27. Don Speer, interview by Ethan Banegas, Barona Resort and Casino, December 11, 2016.
28. “Sycuan Casino Undergoes Major Renovations,” The San Diego Union-Tribune, June 21, 2011.
29. Valley and Lindsay, Jackpot Trail, 150.
87
Indian Gaming In The Kumeyaay Nation
30. Ibid., 155.
31. Viejas Band of Kumeyaay, “Tribal Gaming History,” viejasbandofkumeyaay.org http://
viejasbandofkumeyaay.org/tribal-gaming-history/ (accessed October 14, 2016).
32. Ibid.
33. “Viejas Casino to Add 150-Room Hotel,” The San Diego Union-Tribune, August 31, 2011.
34. “Viejas Casino Opens New Bingo Hall,” The San Diego Union-Tribune, March 27, 2012.
35. Ibid.
36. Michael Connolly Miskwish, Quantification of the Public Benefit of Indian Economies in San Diego
County California (Campo: Laguna Resource Services, 2015).
37. Viejas Casino and Resort, “Outlet Stores Directory,” Viejas.com, http://viejas.com/san-diegospremier-outlet-mall/viejas-outlets-main-directory
(accessed October 14, 2016).
38. Speer, interview by Banegas.
39. “Tribe Buys Downtown San Diego Landmark,” Los Angeles Times, December 6, 2003.
40. “The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation,” The Journal of San Diego History, 53, no. 3 (Summer
2007), 150.
41. Don Speer, interview by Ethan Banegas, Barona Resort and Casino, December 11, 2016.
42. Bobby Barrett, “Spotlight on the Economy,” Indian Gaming (November 2008): 24. Accessed
December 13, 2016. http://www.indiangaming.com/istore/Nov08_TLR.pdf.
43. “Tribe Buys Downtown San Diego Landmark.

Ethan Banegas, a member of both the Luiseño and Kumeyaay bands of Native Americans, grew up on the Barona Reservation in San Diego County. He received his BA degree in History, Religious Studies and Political Science in 2009 and his MA degree in January 2017 from the University of San Diego. This article is extracted from his MA thesis entitled The Socioeconomic Impact of Indian Gaming on Kumeyaay Nations: A Case Study of Barona, Viejas, and Sycuan, 1982-2016.

¹¹

Barona Tribal Museum and Cultural Center. Photo courtesy Barona Tribal Museum.

Nation Tribe: Sycuan Tribe

5469 Casino Way
El Cajon, California 92019-1810

(800) 2-SYCUAN
(800) 279-2826
(619) 445-6002

Sycuan Casino History

Sycuan Casino was opened in 1983 by the Sycuan Tribe as an Indian bingo hall. Business was profitable and the bingo hall was expanded in 1990 to 1,500-seat bingo parlor in a 68,000 square-foot building. It included 35 poker tables and 20 seats for off-track betting.

To attract more customers the Sycuan Tribe purchased Singing Hills in 2001. With that acquisition Sycuan became a casino, a golf course anad a 120-room hotel. There were two resaurants and a shuttle bus to connect the properties.

In 2011, Sycuan Casino completed a $27 million renovation of the casino expanding the buffet and adding a sports bar. At that time Sycuan had grown to 305,000 square feet.

Sycuan Casino became the 'Sycuan Casino Resort' on March 27, 2019 when a $260 expansion project was completed and opened to the public.

The 2019 expansion added a 12-story hotel tower with 300 rooms, spa and sauna, adult pool, cabanas area, lazy river and 42,000 square feet for new meeting space. It also added a new 60,000-square-foot non-smoking gaming floor and ten new restaurants and bars.

News Headlines

Sycuan Casino receives Forbes & Sharecare health security verificationFebruary 12, 2021 - Sycuan Casino Resort has been Sharecare health security verified with Forbes Travel Guide. The casino, hotel and Singing Hills Golf Resort are included in the certification.... Read moreSycuan Casino Resort reopened today May 20May 20, 2020 - Sycuan opened today with limited operating hours, limited gaming and limited restaurant capacity. The hotel is open with limited services. Spa Ritual and Retreat Pool & Cabanas are closed.... Read moreSan Diego Indian casinos plan May 18th reopeningsMay 11, 2020 - The Sacramento Bee reported yesterday that eight San Diego County have told Gov. Gavin they plan to reopen their casinos on May 18th.... Read more4 San Diego Casino Hotels Earn AAA 4-Diamond RatingFebruary 26, 2020 - The Auto Club has awarded Four-Diamond ratings to Pala Casino Spa and Resort, Sycuan Casino Resort, Viejas Casino & Resort and... Read more Headlines continued...

Awards

Gaming Guide 2020 Southern California Reader's Choice Awards
Source: www.thegamingguide.com

Best Poker
Best Bingo

Best of Uptown San Diego
Source: San Diego Uptown News

2019 Best Casino
2019 Best Casino Buffet

AAA Four Diamond by Automobile Club of Southern California 2020

2019 Top Workplace by The San Diego Union-Tribune

Gaming Guide 2018 Southern California Reader's Choice Awards
Source: www.thegamingguide.com

2018 Luckiest Casino (1st Place)

2018 Best Players Club (3rd Place)
2018 Best Poker (3rd Place)
2018 Best Bingo (3rd Place)

Gaming Guide 2016 Southern California Reader's Choice Awards
Source: www.thegamingguide.com

2016 Luckiest Casino

Sycuan's $260 Million Expansion Project 2019

Plans for this huge expansion project was first announced in November 2016, and construction began in early 2017. It added 60,000 new square feet of non-smoking casino floor and built a 300 guest room eleven story hotel. Other additions include ten new bars and restaurants, fitness center, full-service spa and sauna, swimming pools and a 2,000-car parking area.

Sycuan Casino originally opened as an Indian bingo hall in 1983.

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2,300 slot machines including 750 in the non-smoking area

40 table games

19 poker tables - smoke free area

Bingo - Daily sessions times:

Matinee I - 9:30AM
Matinee II - 11:45AM
Matinee III - 2:00PM
Evenings - 6:00PM

High Limit - VIP gaming lounge

Asian games - EZ Baccarat and Pai Gow Poker

Off-track betting

Restaurants

All restaurants at Sycuan are 100% smoke-free and some have age restrictions.

the unCommon

This is a restaurant row within the dining corridor featuring Phils BBQ, Luna Grill, Lucha Libre Taco Shop, Hodad's and the Hangry Slice

Hours:
Sunday - Thursday: 11:00am - 10:00pm
Friday & Saturday: 11:00am - Midnight
Lucha Libre Taco Shop is open 24/7

100% non-smoking, All ages are welcome.

Rank & File

Comfort food and 30 taps

Dining Hours 11:00am - 1:00am daily
Limited menu Monday - Friday 11:00am - 5:00pm

Bull and Bourbon

Classic steakhouse cuisine

Hours:
Sunday - Thursday 5pm - 10pm
Friday & Saturday 5pm - 11pm

Viewpoint Neighborhood Kitchen

Contemporary indoor/outdoor dinin

Hours:
Sunday - Thursday 6:00am - 10:00pm
Friday & Saturday 6:00am - Midnight

Retreat Pool & Cabanas

Located in the pool deck area

Open 10am - 6pm daily

The Buffet

Open Mon-Fri 5pm - 10pm, Sat-Sun: 11:30am-10pm

Sycuan Casino Bingo Hours Saturday

Wachena

Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with patio dining.

Hours:
Breakfast: Mon-Fri 6am - 11am, Sat-Sun 6am - 10:30am
Lunch: Mon - Fri 11am - 4pm
Late Night Dining: Daily 11pm - 5am

Double Down Grill - open 24 hours daily

Elicit Bar & Lounge

Cocktail lounge with live DJs

Hours:
Tuesday - Thursday 5pm - Midnight
Friday & Saturday 5pm - 2am

More information at elicitlounge.com

Starbucks - open 6am-2am

Entertainment

Sycuan Live & Up Close - 457 seats
Must be 21 or older to attend concerts

Sycuan Resort Hotel

AAA Four-Diamond Rating

The new Sycuan hotel opened March 27, 2019. This is a 12-story hotel tower with 300 guest rooms, including over 50 suites.

The amenities include a full-service Spa and Fitness open 24/7, pool, swim-up bar, poolside cabanas, lazy river and gardens.

Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sycuan

This golf course was riginally opened in 1956. In December 2018 it was renamed Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sycuan from the former Sycuan Golf Resort.

For more information, visit the website Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sycuan

Tennis

Sycuan Square

16-pump fuel station open 24 hours

Sycuan Market - 5,500-square-foot convenience store and drive-through Tribal Smoke Shop. Open 6AM-11PM.

Located outside Sycuan Casino Resort at 4915 Dehesa Rd El Cajon, CA 92019.

News Articles

Sycuan Casino receives Forbes & Sharecare health security verification

February 12, 2021

Sycuan Casino Resort has been Sharecare health security verified with Forbes Travel Guide. The casino, hotel and Singing Hills Golf Resort are included in the certification.

The health safety verification comes with a 'seal of approval' to recognize the minimized risk and impact of COVID-19 at the Sycuan properties. The seal confirms that appropriate health safety procedures are in place that will protect Sycuan visitors and employees.

The program was developed by Forbes Travel Guide and Sharecare to help travelers plan safe trips. It incorporates 360 standards for health protocols, procedures and cleaning products.

CEO of Forbes Travel Guide, Filip Boyen, said: 'By becoming verified, both Sycuan Casino Resort and Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sycuan have demonstrated its commitment to creating a culture of accountability and following global best practices to heighten health security, certified by a third party.'

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Sycuan Casino Resort reopened today May 20

May 20, 2020

Sycuan's casino and hotel reopened today after shutting down two months ago due to COVID-19.

Sycuan is providing an aggressive health and cleaning program to ensure the safety of guests and workers. This includes limitations to the casino's operating hours, the available gaming, restaurant capacities and hotel services.

In the casino players are spaced at safer distances. Every other slot machine is turned off and table games are limited to 3 players per table. Poker and bingo are closed.

Food venues have limited hours. The only open venues are Double-Down Grill, House of Fortune, Rank & File and Hangry's Sunset Deli and Pizza.

The hotel is open. Spa Ritual and Retreat Pool & Cabanas are closed.

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Sycuan Awarded Best Casino and Best Casino Buffet

November 13, 2019

San Diego Uptown News has recognized Sycuan Casino Resort with two awards this year in its 2019 Best of Uptown San Diego issue. In a vote by local residents, Sycuan was chosen Best Casino and Best Casino Buffet.

Dan Morales, vice president of marketing at Sycuan Casino Resort, expressed appreciation:

'We are honored to be awarded by the readers of San Diego Uptown News for the third consecutive year. We significantly expanded our casino floor in 2019 to include several new gaming options and the feedback from our guests has been overwhelmingly positive.'

Sycuan Casino Bingo Hours Red Wing

Sycuan Casino originally opened as an Indian bingo hall in 1983. This month it is celebrating its 36th anniversary with $2.5 million in cash and prizes.

The Sycuan Buffet serves seafood, prime rib, and a variety of cuisines for lunch and dinner. Weekday lunch is $21.95 and dinner is $32.95. Weekends are $36.95.

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Sycuan Celebrates 36th Anniversary with $2.5M in Giveaways

November 7, 2019

To celebrate its 36th anniversary, Sycuan Casino Resort is giving away $2.5 million in cash, free plays, prizes and car giveaways. The promotions run through the entire month of November with the major prizes given out on November 16th.

WEEKLY PROMOTIONS
These promotions run weekly thoughout November:

Weekly Slots Hot Seat Drawings

• Every Tuesdays in November
• Two $500 cash winners every hour from 2PM to 2AM

Weekly Table Games Hot Seat Drawings

• Every Wednesdays & Thursdays in November
• Win a share of $30,000 cash
• Five $100 cash winners every hour on the half hour between 12:30PM and 4:30PM

NOVEMBER 16 ONLY

Saturday November 16th is Sycuan's official date of its 36th anniversary. The following promotions are only scheduled for that date:

Tables Games' Bonus Cash Drawings

• November 16 from 4:30PM to 9:30PM
• Four $250 cash winners every half hour from 4:30PM to 8:30PM.
• Grand Prize $5,000 Cash Drawing at 9:30pm

Poker Hot Seat Gas Card Drawings

• 100 gas cards to be given away
• Four $25 Gas Card winners every half hour starting at 12PM
• Must be playing in a live Poker game to qualify

36th Anniversary Poker Tournament

• November 16 10AM
• $60 + $15
• Limited seating

Bingo Car Giveaway

• Win up to $10,000 in Matinee Spin & Win Blackout game
• $90,000 guarnteed in the matinee sessions
• $185,000 guaranteed in evening session
• Win a 2019 Infiniti Q60 Coupe

Anniversary Hot Seat Drawings & Grand Finale Car Giveaway

• Win a share of $100,000 in cash, free play and prizes
• Win tee shirts and coffee mugs starting at 10AM
• Free cupcakes all day starting at 10AM
• Hot Seat Drawings every hour from 2PM to 9PM with 36 $100 FREEplay winners every hour.
• Cake Cutting and Entertainment starting at 7PM
• Grand Finale Drawing at 10pm for one $10,000 cash winner and one 2019 Infiniti QX50 Luxe winner
• VIP Hot Seat Drawings from 11PM to 2AM with one $3,600 cash winner every hour

For more information and official rules, visit Sycuan Casino Resort.

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Sycuan Square opens to the public

October 6, 2019

Sycuan Square is a new convenience market and 16-pump fuel station just outside Sycuan Casino Resort. Gas prices are the lowest in San Diego's East County and open 24 hours.

Sycuan Market, the convenience store, is 5,500 square feet with fresh sandwiches and salads, hot foods, beverages and drive-through Tribal Smoke Shop. Market hours are 6AM-11PM.

Sycuan Square is located at 4915 Dehesa Rd El Cajon, CA 92019 near the casino. It is a new development of Sycuan Tribal Development Corporation (STDC). The revenues it generates will benefit the reservation communities.

'Every gallon of gas, every candy bar and every bottle of water sold will contribute to the funding of quality healthcare, decent roads and infrastructure and educational programs for future generations of the Sycuan Nation,' said Cody J. Martinez, chairman of the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation.

The gas station and market are the first of three phases planned for Sycuan Square. Future additions include more retail space, mixed-use facilities, a car wash, and relocation of the Sycuan Medical and Dental Center.

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Sycuan Casino Resort Rated AAA Four Diamonds

August 17, 2019

Five months after Sycuan Casino opened its new 12-story hotel, the hotel received a Four Diamond inspector rating by the Automobile Club of Southern California.

The AAA Four Diamond recognition is awarded to upscale hotels with exceptional standards in all areas including hospitality, amenities and services. Only 6.3 percent of all hotels inspected by AAA have received the Four Diamond rating.

The Auto Club website has published this summary if the AAA Inspector's Report:

Sycuan Casino Resort

AAA Inspector Rating Details (scale 1-5)

Overall 4.1
Room 4.2
Bath 3.7
Public Areas 4.3

AAA Inspector Notes

This brand-new resort features modern accommodations, a lazy river, pools with cabanas and swim-up bars, plus a variety of entertainment and dining options, including an upscale steakhouse and lounge. Guest rooms are decorated in neutral colors and furnished with amenities such as luxurious robes and slippers. Many rooms have balconies that look out onto the surrounding mountains. Top-floor Chairman Suites are a great option for special occasions. 302 units. 2-12 stories, interior corridors.

Source: AAA

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Sycuan Casino partners with Del Mar Racetrack

June 25, 2019

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) announced an exclusive partnership today with Sycuan Casino Resort. Beginning next month Sycuan will be promoted as the official and exclusive partner of the Del Mar Racetrack.

The key features of the agreement include:

• Sycuan Casino Resort signage will reside at the finish line

• Sycuan will be the presenting sponsor of Del Mar's Handicapping Challenge in July

• Sycuan branding will appear on daily race replays

• Del Mar will host Sycuan players during race season

Sycuan Casino Resort GM John Dinius said:

'We are thrilled to partner with the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club starting with the 2019 racing season. Del Mar is truly a premier destination for entertainment, sports and special events. Through this partnership, we will be able to offer exclusive access and one-of-a-kind experiences to both Del Mar patrons and Club Sycuan Members.'

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Director of Sponsorships, Walker McBride said:

'We see this as a natural marriage between a natural pair. We believe Sycuan is the ultimate destination in San Diego for those seeking the casino experience and we see ourselves in a similar light when it comes to a premier day at the races.'

The effective date for this partnership is July 17th when Del Mar kicks off its 80th season of racing.

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Sycuan Casino Resort Celebrates Grand Opening!

March 27, 2019

Today the Sycuan Casino officially became to Sycuan Casino Resort with the completion of a $228 million construction project that added a 12-story hotel tower with 300 room, ten new restaurants and bars, a new 60,000-square-foot non-smoking gaming floor, spa and sauna, adult pool, cabanas area, lazy river and 42,000 square feet for new meeting space.

The new Sycuan Resort Hotel is now open and accepting guests. The ten new restaurants and bars include:

The UnCommons - pizza, burgers
Hangry Slice - pizza
Luna Grill - fresh mediterranean
Hodad's
Lucha Libra Taco Shop
Phils BBQ
Elicit Bar & Lounge
Rank & File - tap house
Bull and Bourbon Steakhouse
Viewpoint Neighborhood Kitchen

The new 60,000-square-foot, non-smoking casino area has 750 slot machines and is the largest non-smoking gaming facility in San Diego County.

This major construction project was announced in November 2016 and the ground-breaking was early 2017. The grand opening was celebrated March 27, 2019.

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Sycuan opening The Uncommons Market

January 21, 2019

When Sycuan Casino Resort opens its new $226 million renovations in March, it will introduce 'The UnCommons', a restaurant row within the dining corridor featuring 5 fast, casual outlets of San Diego eateries.

The featured brands include:

• Hangry Slice (pizza and calzones)
• Hodad's (acclaimed specialty burgers and sides)
• Lucha Libre Gourmet Taco Shop
• Luna Grill (fresh Mediterranean food items)
• Phil's BBQ (bbq appetite satifaction)

In a news release John Dinius, GM at Sycuan Casino, wrote: 'Sycuan chose top-tier, fast casual brands that have original roots in San Diego, each offering their unique and iconic dishes that will appeal to a wide range of guests. These brands are well-known for consistent quality and a passion for giving back to the local community, and each seemed like a natural fit for The UnCommons. This collection of San Diego's best will surely solidify Sycuan Casino as a place where guests can visit and enjoy a multitude of dining, gaming and entertainment options.'

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Sycuan's 2019 Expansion Will Include 'Bull & Bourbon', 'Elicit Bar & Lounge' and 'Retreat Pool & Cabanas'

January 2, 2019

CliQue Hospitality of Las Vegas is developing three new food and drink venues for Sycuan Casino. They will open in Spring 2019.

Bull & Bourbon is expected to be a 'casino-defining' steakhouse with an in-house butchery, aging room and wood-fire grill. Premium bourbons will be offered for pairing with the steaks. The executive chef of Bull & Bourbon will be Aldo Negrete.

Elicit Bar & Lounge will be a luxury cocktail lounge with Asian-style appetizers and live DJs.

Retreat Pool & Cabanas is a relaxing outdoor area with two pools, a lazy river and a pool deck where guests can enjoy oversized daybeds and cabanas. The menu will include appetizers, mojitos, margaritas, and champagne cocktails.

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Sycuan Now Accepting Room Reservations for 2019

December 17, 2018

An announcement was made that starting today, hotel reservations will be accepted for the new hotel tower at Sycuan Casino. Reservation dates start in March 2019.

The new hotel tower will offer over 300 guest rooms. 57 rooms will be suites.

Each room will have Sealy mattresses with pillow tops. The sheets are 300 thread count. There will also be in room coffee makers and refrigerators. Smart TVs will be in every guest room as well.

Room service will be available 24 hours daily. There will be a shuttle service at no charge. Also, full service concierge.

An in room tablet will allow guests to make reservations, order room service, and communicate with guest services.

The casino has been undergoing a renovation project that is scheduled to be completed in March of next year. The cost of the project is $226 million.

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Sycuan Casino celebrates 'topping-off' hotel construction

NEWS PROVIDED BY
Sycuan Casino
May 23, 2018

SAN DIEGO, May 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sycuan Casino announced that its expansion project has reached another major milestone. The organization hosted a Topping Off Celebration on Tuesday to place the final beam on its new hotel tower.

During the celebration, Chairman, Cody Martinez and General Manager, John Dinius acknowledged the hard work of the team and gave the latest project milestones before raising the final beam into place. The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation Tribal Council, Sycuan Casino Executive Team and Swinerton Project Management Team were all in attendance for the event.

'Without the support of our people, we would have never been able to get this project off the ground,' said Cody Martinez, chairman of the Sycuan Tribal Council. 'I want to thank the members of our Tribal Council, the Casino Executive team, Swinerton and everyone that is here bringing together the vision that is going to take Sycuan to the next level.'

'Seeing this project go from two-dimensional paper drawings to what we have now, is truly inspiring,' said John Dinius, general manager at Sycuan Casino. 'It's been a monumental task, but with the collaboration of every aspect of our organization, it's a very rewarding process.'

Last March, Sycuan began construction on its $226 million hotel and resort expansion. The project includes a 12-story, 300-room hotel, meetings and event spaces, pool and gardens area, a lazy river and seven new restaurants.

Additionally, the expansion project has created over 700 new casino and resort jobs. The organization is currently hiring for departmental leadership positions and will host a series of job fairs mid to late 2018.

The new hotel and resort is on schedule to open in March 2019.

Source: PR Newswire

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Sycuan Recognized as 'Best Casino 2017' by Downtown San Diego News

Press Release

NEWS PROVIDED BY
Sycuan Casino
Mar 02, 2018

February 28th, 2018

Sycuan Awarded 'Best Casino' from 2017 Best of Downtown San Diego Awards

(San Diego, Calif.) - March 2, 2018 - Sycuan Casino announced today that the organization has been awarded Best Casino from San Diego Downtown News' 2017 Best of Downtown San Diego Awards. Other award winners include Bertrand at Mister A's, Ballast Point Brewery, The Oceanaire Seafood Room, Torrey Pines Golf Course and several other prominent organizations.

Each year, San Diego Downtown News releases the Best of Downtown San Diego issue, which puts a spotlight on those who are doing the very best in a variety of categories. Hundreds of nominations from local residents are submitted and tallied and the winners are announced

'We are honored to be awarded Best Casino in the 2017 Best of Downtown San Diego Awards,' said John Dinius, general manager at Sycuan Casino. 'In early 2019, we will be opening our new hotel resort and are excited for guests to experience new amenities including a spa and fitness center, pool and gardens, lazy river, seven new restaurants and much more.'

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Sycuan resort expansion opening in early 2019

January 24, 2018

Over 700 new jobs will be created by the Sycuan Casino expansion project. The announcement was made on Wednesday. Additional employees will be needed to fulfill positions in both the hotel and the casino.

The project is scheduled to be completed by the start of 2019.

Starting in the middle and towards the end of this year job fairs will be held for the job openings. Positions needing to be filled will be in the casino, hotel, and food service.

The $226 million project broke ground in March 2017. Plans include a hotel with 300 guest rooms, meeting and event space, restaurants, gardens, pool, and lazy river.

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More Headlines

Sycuan Awarded Best Casino and Best Casino BuffetNovember 13, 2019 - The readers of San Diego Uptown News have voted Sycuan Casino Resort as Best Casino and Best Casino Buffet in this year's poll of local businesses. This is the third consecutive year... Read moreSycuan Celebrates 36th Anniversary with $2.5M in GiveawaysNovember 7, 2019 - Sycuan Casino Resort is giving away $2.5M in cash, free plays, prizes and car giveaways throughout the month of November as Sycuan celebrates its 36th anniversary.... Read moreSycuan Square opens to the publicOctober 6, 2019 - The Sycuan Tribe has opened the first phase of Sycuan Square with the 5,500-sq-ft Sycuan Market, drive-through smoke shop and a 16-pump fuel station. Revenues will benefit the reservation communities... Read moreSycuan Casino Resort Rated AAA Four DiamondsAugust 17, 2019 - The new 12-story Sycuan hotel has been inspected by the Auto Club and given the AAA Four Diamond Rating. Only 6.3 percent of all AAA-inspected hotels have received Four Diamonds.... Read moreSycuan Casino partners with Del Mar RacetrackJune 25, 2019 - Two major attractions in San Diego have agreed on a promotional partnership beginning July 17 that includes Sycuan signage at the finish line and other throughout the track plus video replays will display... Read moreSycuan Casino Resort Celebrates Grand Opening!March 27, 2019 - Sycuan Casino has officially become the Sycuan Casino Resort with the grand opening of its $228M expansion project adding a 12-story hotel tower with 300 rooms, 10 new restaurants and bars,... Read moreSycuan opening The Uncommons MarketJanuary 21, 2019 - When Sycuan opens its $226 million in March, it will include 'The UnCommons', a restaurant row within the dining corridor featuring 5 fast, casual outlets of San Diego eateries.... Read moreSycuan's 2019 Expansion Will Include 'Bull & Bourbon', 'Elicit Bar & Lounge' and 'Retreat Pool & Cabanas'January 2, 2019 - Sycuan is developing three excitingly new food and drink venues opening in Spring 2019.... Read moreSycuan Now Accepting Room Reservations for 2019December 17, 2018 - Sycuan is now accepting guest reservations for their new hotel tower for dates astarting in March 2019.... Read more2018 Best Southern California CasinosOctober 4, 2019 - Readers of the Southern California Gaming Guide^TM voted for the top casinos in each of 17 categories. The Top 3 in each category are listed here.... Read moreSycuan Casino celebrates 'topping-off' hotel construction milestoneMay 23, 2018 - The grand opening of the new Sycuan hotel will be March 2019. A 'topping off' milestone was celebrated Tuesday when the final beam was hoisted atop the new tower.... Read moreSycuan Recognized as 'Best Casino 2017' by Downtown San Diego News03.02.2018 - Sycuan was recognized as 'Best Casino' in the 2017 Best of Downtown San Diego Awards. This is an annual award chosen by readers of... Read moreSycuan resort expansion opening in early 2019
01.24.2018 - Over 700 new jobs will be created by the Sycuan Casino expansion project. The announcement was made on Wednesday. Additional employees will be needed to fulfill positions in both... Read more11.11.2016 Sycuan Casino Undergoing $260M Expansion10.11.2016 $214,568 Jackpot Won at Sycuan Casino08.04.2015 New Branding for Sycuan Casino05.30.2013 Sycuan Casino Eases Member Sign Ups with Mobile System12.07.2008 Sycuan will not expand

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