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Posted on: March 13, 2023, 12:56h.
Last updated on: March 13, 2023, 01:33h.
California’s Eagle Mountain Casino has shuttered because of recent storms that melted snow and caused floods across the region.
The roads heading to the gaming property and to the rest of the Tule River Reservation are impassable for most vehicles. That’s because of flooding and damaged pavement caused by the rash of recent storms throughout California.
Eagle Mountain Casino will be closed until further notice,” Neil Peyron, chairman of the Tule River Tribe, was quoted this weekend by California TV station KSEE. “The goal is trying to restore the road to a point where we can have regular vehicle traffic.”
No Heavy Vehicles Allowed
As of now, the Tule River Indian Tribe of California’s priority is the safety of the tribal community. That includes providing access for emergency vehicles, such as ambulances and fire crews, as well as repair of the roadway, Peyron said.
“No heavy vehicles are allowed, foot traffic and light side-by-side vehicles are allowed at this time to shuttle casino guests and to deliver emergency essentials to residents,” Peyron added.
Road closed to Tile River Reservation and 🦅 Mountain Casino. Please do not drive up to let construction do their work!
— EagleMountainCasino (@EagleMtnCasino) March 12, 2023
Over the weekend, emergency crews evacuated workers and visitors to the Porterville, Calif. casino, which is owned and operated by the Tule River Tribe.
On Saturday, hail and heavy rain fell — and there were bursts of heavy lightning throughout the Central Valley, which includes the reservation and the nearby city of Frenso.
A new atmospheric river, which are long, narrow bands of moisture, was to hit California on Monday, CNN reported. That means heavy rain and more floods are expected in Central and Northern California, according to the National Weather Service.
Eagle Mountain Casino to Relocate on Reservation
Later this year, the tribe is likely to open a new Eagle Mountain Casino on the Tule River Reservation. The project was given federal approval in 2019.
The new site is about 17 miles from the current casino location. It’s on 40 acres located near the Porterville Airport off Highway 65.
Construction on the new complex began in April 2021. The new casino floor will include 1,750 slot machines and 20 table games.
The first phase of construction will include the gaming floor and a new 2,000-seat entertainment center, a steak house, coffee house, a 24-hour diner, and a sports bar and grill. The second phase of construction will include a 125-room hotel and a 20,000-square-foot banquet and conference center.
Eagle Mountain Casino’s current location has more than 1,200 slot machines, a poker room, and table games. The relocation will lead to hundreds of jobs to construct the new complex. After opening, some 300 full- and part-time jobs will be created.
The new casino site is more centrally located than the current complex, and the new casino’s design will feature Tule River culture in the building and gaming experience.
The existing casino will be turned into a multipurpose building that will include a school, tribal health clinic, tribal government offices, and possibly some food outlets and restaurants.
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