A Vision 150 Years in The Making

This past January, the Tule River Tribe celebrated its 150th anniversary. “We have accomplished so much over the last 150 years because of the resiliency and the strength of our people”, said Neil Peyron, Chairman of the Tule River Tribe. Overcoming adversity is the way of life for the Tule River Tribe, and perseverance is how they live. “This Anniversary is a testament to the Tule River Tribe’s tenacity, determination, and overall strength to overcome all obstacles to take care of its people and the community at large. The Tule River Tribe has demonstrated unbelievable resolve, time and time again, in their pursuit of self-governance and sovereignty, despite the historic powers that have been impediments against them. It has been my extreme pleasure and honor to work for such a generous and caring group of people,” said Matthew Mingrone, General Manager at Eagle Mountain Casino.

 

A Shared Vision Becomes Reality

Porterville City Manager John Lollis is excited about the relocation of Eagle Mountain Casino and expanded on how the Tule River Tribe and the City of Porterville are working together to build economic development, tourism, and branding effort for Porterville. The Porterville Area Development Authority (PADA) was created as the authorized Joint Powers Agreement to implement improvements to support the Casino and the development of the entire resort. The city is looking past the Casino’s relocation development, providing additional water for housing, business growth, and economic development. “Through PADA, we will see joint economic development as the Tribe looks for other business opportunities beyond the casino,” said Lollis.

 

 

Opening The Doors to Eagle Mountain Casino’s New Location May 9th and Local Opportunities

The highly anticipated new casino property’s “Grand Opening Celebration” will be held on May 9, 2023, and will be located off Highway 65 in Porterville, CA, next to the Porterville Fair Grounds. It will double in size, growing to over 100,000 square feet, featuring new dining options, 1,750 slot machines, 20 table games, and a 2,000-seat state-of-the-art event center.

The new property will employ over 1,000 team members and boost economic growth for the local community and businesses. Vendors selected to work with the new property have local ties, including Pacific West Sound, Innovative Lighting, Stafford’s Chocolates, JR Meat Company, Visalia Tile, Stinson’s Business Supplies, and many other local contractors. All other vendors selected to be involved with the design of the new property were carefully chosen as they aligned with the vision, the culture, and all essential tribal aspects.

HBG Design was selected as the designer and architect for Eagle Mountain Casino’s highly anticipated casino relocation project and designed the new casino property with the vision of a lodge and a more mountainous style of architecture with a home in the Valley. The relocation also expands the gaming floor to 100,000 square feet of slot machines and table games. “For the Tule River Tribe, it was imperative to tell their story. We researched their culture; they provided us with books and photos of artifacts. They were open about sharing their culture, which allowed us to find patterns within baskets to incorporate into our design that would give this property a uniqueness in the market when you look at some of the other competitive casinos because it tells their story,” said Joe Baruffaldi, AIA, Principal, HBG Design.

 

When the new property opens on May 9th, it will be the first time Eagle Mountain Casino will serve alcohol. “We will have full cocktail service throughout the casino floor,” said Bradford Hamilton, Food and Beverage Director at Eagle Mountain Casino. The new property will also feature a 2,000-seat state-of-the-art Event Center, 24-hour Acorn Diner, Cedar Food Court, Yokuts Coffee House, and the award-winning River Steakhouse. The Redwood Taphouse will feature 208 seats with 24 slot machines in the bar. In addition, 66 TVs will be visible throughout the whole restaurant. The Center Bar will wow guests with its exquisite details of a Sequoia Tree and will be featured in the center of the gaming floor with slot machines at the bar.

The Tule River Tribe has been very generous in supporting several community organizations. The relocation into the city reinforces its ability to influence the community positively. For 27 years, Eagle Mountain Casino has donated to many local events and charitable organizations. Eagle Mountain Casino is also a proud member of nine Chambers of Commerce in Kern, Tulare, and Kings Counties.

Over 1,000 jobs will be added to the local area as the Tule River Tribe continues to be an economic engine for Tulare County. A career at Eagle Mountain Casino means longevity, great benefits, and a wide variety of positions and schedules with the opportunity to advance.

The Casino’s new location will also strengthen the city and Tribal partnership by moving the most prominent water consumer on the Tule River Reservation into the City of Porterville, allowing for a much-needed housing development on the Reservation. In addition, a 400,000-gallon-per-day recycled water tertiary treatment facility and a million-gallon water reservoir are now under construction in Porterville. It will enable the city to irrigate its 100-acre Sports Complex with recycled water, demonstrating the ability of the city and Tribe to collaboratively work together with more efficient use of water being the number one priority resource.

“Every time we meet, we arrive at new ideas for the future. That’s the exciting part; it’s not just talking anymore, the reality of these visions is coming together, and extraordinary things are in store for the Porterville community,” said Lollis. 

For more information, visit Eagle Mountain Casino’s official website: www.eaglemtncasino.com