Grand opening for Eagle Mountain Casino set for May 9

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The waiting is finally almost over.

A little more than two years after ground was broken for the new, relocated Eagle Mountain Casino near the Porterville Municipal Airport, the grand opening for the new casino has been set for May 9.

It's possible a soft opening will be held before then in which the casino will be open to the public. “We may open the doors before,” said Eagle Mountain Casino assistant general manager Tiffani Sahagun.

But Sahagun said the casino will only be open when it's completely ready and safe for the public but added the official grand opening date for the casino is May 9.

“Employees are working around the clock to get it ready,' Sahagun said. “We are excited to get it open as soon as possible.”

The casino has come a long way since it opened in the 1990s in a three manufactured trailers. The current location near the Tule River Indian Reservation was then developed.

That location had to be indefinitely closed due to the flooding which caused limited access to the Tule River Reservation and the casino. That casino location will remain closed until the new location is open.

There are a number of options for the use of the current casino location. The Tule River Tribal Council will determine the uses for the current casino location which could be used for such purposes as a health center and/or recreation.

The new casino will have many of the features of the current casino, including The River Steak House and the Yokuts Coffee House.

But there will also be plenty of new features including with a local flavor as Yokuts Coffee House will also feature Stafford's Chocolates, which will be featured throughout the casino as well. And Porterville's J & R Meat Company is partnering with the new casino to provide meat products and steaks from Harris Ranch to restaurants at the new casino.

The new casino will also feature a 2,000-seat event center, a 24-hour diner, 1,750 slots, 20 table games and a sports bar and grill.

A hotel-convention center will also be added to the casino. The hotel-convention center will be a 20,000 square foot banquet and conference space facility.

Ground was broken on the new casino in April, 2021. Sahagun has been with the casino for 26 years since it was originally located in the three manufactured trailers. “It's been a long time in coming,” Sahagun said.