The North Folk Mono Indian tribe is expected to break ground before the end of June. Red Rocks Resorts, the parent company of Las Vegas-based station casinos is partnering on the project with the Indian tribe.
Red Rock’s Chief Financial Officer Stephen Cootey, said on an investor conference call this week: “We continue to expect to have a shovel in the ground in the second quarter of 2021 with the construction expected to take 15 to 18 months,” GV Wire reports.
A project of nearly $400 million, which will be built in a 213,000 square-foot area, will include 2000 slot machines, 40 table games, two standalone restaurants, and a ‘food hall’ concept. Earlier descriptions had also included a 200-room hotel, however, Cotey did not mention it in his comment this week.
The casino will be built on 305 acres adjacent to the highway between Avenue 17 and Avenue 18 in Madera County, California.
Cotey added: “As of now, the budget for the full completion of this project excluding any financing costs is expected to be between $350 million and $400 million.”
A spokesman for North Fork Rancheria said the tribe had nothing to add to Cootey’s comments at this time.
A proposal in 2003 was originally approved for the Madera casino by the federal government and then-Gov. Jerry Brown in 2011. However, a lawsuit by another California tribe wanting to derail the North Fork tribe’s project ultimately reached the State Supreme Court.
The court majority issued a ruling last August allowing the project to move forward, as reported by Yogonet earlier last year.