Hard Rock Casino Sacramento opens new sports bar built for future sports betting

The Hard Rock Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain has opened a new sports bar. The space, catering to casino goers and sports enthusiasts in the northern part of the state, is designed to be ready for sports betting when it becomes legal in California.

"We know it's on the horizon. Clearly, California will be the largest state in the country with that opportunity," Mark Birtha, the casino's President, told KCRA3 in regards to the possibility of sports betting eventually being legalized in the state.

The Hard Rock Sports Bar hosted a high-profile VIP celebration on Monday, followed by a public opening on Tuesday. The casino donated $10,000 to the Yuba City College athletics program, supporting student-athletes across the school’s sports teams, as part of the milestone.

The Sports Bar is located next to the entrance of Hard Rock Live, on the northern end of the casino floor. It offers a curated menu, craft cocktails, and draft beers, and operates daily from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. 

The bar was built with the ability to handle sports betting, should it become legal. Officials said they are prepared to convert the existing space to accommodate wagering when the time comes.

"We have built this in a manner that as soon as we know that it is approved legislatively, we will be able to convert it to phase two and then have the ability to have kiosks in a sports betting window and the ability to begin to offer that amenity when the time comes," Birtha said.

The Enterprise Rancheria is working alongside lawmakers and other tribes to bring sports wagering to the state. Birtha also emphasized the tribe's commitment to the area through initiatives such as the new sports bar.

"The Enterprise Rancheria tribe, they've been committed to reinvesting in the property, creating new jobs, building economic development in the region, and making sure that we continue to have an impact," Birtha said.

The space is currently filled with memorabilia of sports stars from Northern California and around the world. It also features a ticker displaying scores 24/7, while an immersive video wall can simultaneously broadcast up to 20 sporting events at the same time, offering a dynamic viewing experience for patrons.

The amenity also seats up to 82 people, has 14 bar-top games, provides a cigar lounge, and will introduce a new slot progressive.