Groundbreaking ceremony held for California casino, resort set to be managed by Las Vegas-based company

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Las Vegas-based company, Station Casinos, is branching out of the Silver State and partnering with North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California to open a long-awaited casino and resort project in California.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Saturday for the project located at 17770 Golden State Boulevard along California State Highway 99 just north of the City of Madera. Hundreds of tribal citizens, community members, and dignitaries gathered at the tribe’s federal trust land.

The casino and resort will be fully owned by the Tribe and managed by an affiliate of Station Casinos.

“Today’s groundbreaking culminates over 20 years of careful and respectful collaboration between our sovereign nation and governmental partners at all levels,” North Fork Rancheria Tribal Chairman Fred Beihn said. “Today we stand on the shoulders of many tribal leaders who came before us and wish to thank the numerous regional leaders who respected our cause, our approach, and our ambition to improve the quality of life for our citizens as well as our
surrounding community.”

The project, formally known as the North Fork Mono Casino & Resort, dates back to the early 2000s and through the years has garnered local, state, and federal support. In 2012, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior determined that the Tribe’s land was eligible for gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The California governor at the time, Jerry Brown, concurred the decision. In 2019 the secretary issued procedures authorizing the Tribe to conduct Class III Gaming on the land, according to a Saturday press release.

Pre-construction activity has begun and is set to ramp up in the upcoming months. The grand opening date has yet to be announced. Once it is open, it will be open 24/7 for guests 21 and older. The property is set to have high-quality gaming, entertainment, and hospitality options for its patrons including 2,000 slots and 40 table games, two full-service restaurants and six quick-serve dining options, 3,000 parking spaces, and free valet parking. For more information, click here.

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