Pechanga Resort & Casino is halfway through its $285 million expansion, a benchmark that was celebrated Wednesday at the Temecula property.
Pechanga tribal , employees, local elected officials, construction workers and a sizable contingent from the Asian media community attended the event, which was held in the shadow of a new hotel tower and a stand-alone, two-story spa.
“Today is a very important milestone for the Pechanga tribe,” said Edith Atwood, president of the Pechanga Development Corp. Atwood listed the scale of the resort when complete: 13 restaurants, nearly 1,100 total hotel rooms and suites, a 4 ½-acre pool, “and a casino floor that is bigger and better than any in Las Vegas.”
As part of a “topping-off” ceremony, the last 710 tons of concrete were poured into the upper framing of the 14th story of the new tower. A symbolic small oak tree and American flag were hoisted in a yellow, concrete-filled drum up to top of the south tower. The tree will be replanted on the resort’s ground when the expansion is complete.
“We were not the first in the casino business. We sat back and watched the landscape,” said Mark Macarro, tribal chairman of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians.
“It’s a proud moment for us … and when this is complete, Pechanga will be the true leader in Indian gaming.”
Already one of the largest casino properties in Southern California, Pechanga is more than doubling its room and suite capacity as well as adding 67,000 square feet of event space; the resort-style pool area; the spa, which will have 17 treatment rooms; a fitness center and hydrotherapy pool terrace; and two new restaurants.
The hotel, spa and other amenities are expected to open by December. Heavy winter rains delayed the pool area’s completion until early 2018.
On March 30, Pechanga held a grand opening for its new East Parking Garage. The five-level, 2,400-space garage was the first phase of the expansion project to be completed.
The garage’s first floor holds 44 electric vehicle charging stations — three of them exclusively for Tesla vehicles — bringing the property’s total to 57.
Pechanga is one of five San Diego-area casinos undergoing an expansion of varying sizes. The others are Sycuan Casino, Harrah’s Resort Southern California, Barona Resort & Casino, and Viejas Casino and Resort.
The design team for Pechanga’s project — which was kicked off in December 2015 — is once again being led by Delawie architects. The San Diego-based firm designed the original Pechanga Resort & Casino, which was built in 2002.
Tribal leaders on Wednesday stressed the economic importance of the latest expansion, citing the creation of nearly 3,000 construction-related jobs. More than 1,000 permanent jobs will also be filled when the project is complete.
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