April 20–The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians raised an oak tree into the air on Wedneday as tribal leaders shared their raised expectations for their Temecula Valley resort.
Pechanga Resort & Casino is more than halfway through a $285 million expansion that should be completed between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Pechanga Development Corporation president Edith Atwood announced at a topping-off ceremony for a 14-story hotel wing.
"Once this development is completed, Pechanga will be the biggest Native American-owned resort casino on the West Coast," she said.
Atwood said construction, which began at the end of 2015, created more than 3,000 jobs and the addition of hotel rooms, a new spa, pool complex, convention space and restaurants will generate employment for several hundred people.
This week, Pechanga announced the promotion of Shannon Weidauer to vice president of human resources and talent management as it gears up to fill 750 positions.
The resort is an economic engine for the region, said tribal chairman Mark Macarro.
"This expansion — this hotel and all the amenities that are part of it — will mean an additional $550 million in economic output. That is on top of the current $1.1 billion combined economic impact that our casino does have in the region right now. So we're expecting to have at least a $1.6 billion indirect and direct combined economic impact here in the region beginning next year and in the future."
The ceremony ended with the last of 710 tons of concrete being hoisted by crane to the top of the 14-story tower. The bucket also carried an oak tree that was displaced by construction.
It will be taken down and replanted elsewhere on the property.
When expansion is complete
Casino square footage: 200,000
Meeting and events square footage: 100,000 indoor; 174,500 outdoor
Hotel rooms: 1,090
Restaurants: 13
Pools and spas: 13
Employees: 4,560
Source: Pechanga Resort & Casino
