Sky River Casino to open in early September

The Wilton Rancheria on July 18 announced that that it will open their Sky River Casino in Elk Grove in early September. A specific opening day has not been announced, as of press time. 

This $500 million project is located near Kammerer Road and Highway 99 on the former site of the “Ghost Mall” – Elk Grove’s longtime partially built outlet mall, which was demolished in 2019, after 11 years of construction inactivity.

The recent announcement of the casino opening marked a change to the tribe’s early timeline for the opening of this facility. Last December, Wilton Rancheria Tribal Chairman Jesus Tarango told the Citizen that the casino was targeting to open the doors of their casino this October.

Following several years of planning, the tribe broke ground on their casino project in March 2021 and progress on this facility has continued to move forward since that time.

Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen responded to the Wilton Rancheria’s announcement that it would open its casino earlier than it was previously planned.

“This is great news for Elk Grove and the Wilton Rancheria tribe,” she told the Citizen. “The early opening of Sky River Casino means new jobs and a major tourism draw for the city. I wish them tremendous success. Congratulations to the tribal leaders, members and ancestors that paved the way for this historical moment.”

Sky River Casino was developed by Boyd Gaming, which will operate the facility through a management agreement with the 900-member Wilton Rancheria.

This 100,000-square-foot casino, which will be the closest casino to Sacramento and San Francisco’s East and South Bay regions, will feature 2,000 slot machines, 80 table games and 12 distinct food and beverage venues.

Chris Gibase, president and COO for Sky River Casino, praised the casino’s dining options, which will include 17 restaurants and bars from prominent local and regional restauranteurs.

“Sky River Casino is an entertainment destination that will include a wide array of dining

experiences that are sure to excite foodies throughout the area,” he said. “The property features cutting-edge technology that allows for an innovative approach to our loyalty program, Sky River Rewards, designed to create a memorable experience for our guests.”

Upon its opening, Sky River Casino will be one of the larger employers in the Sacramento region.

In a press statement, Tarango described what the project means for the tribe and the community.

“Our people have fought for decades to achieve self-sufficiency,” he said. “We fought for tribal recognition, for our land and for this historic project. We are privileged to partner with Boyd Gaming and look forward to the opening of Sky River, which will bring jobs and long-term benefits to our tribe, our community and the region.”