Over the weekend, the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians celebrated the official grand opening of its $168 million Harrah’s Northern California casino in Amador County.

Located approximately 32 miles southeast of Sacramento, the new 71,000 square foot venue broke ground in March 2018, followed by a soft opening on April 29, 2019.

Caesars collaboration:

The celebration at the property situated south of Ione, in the Amador County foothills, reportedly welcomed guests from across the region. A partnership between Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR) and the Buena Vista Rancheria Me-Wuk tribe, it is Northern California’s only Caesars Rewards-affiliated casino.

Drone display:

Kicking off the weekend-long festivities at the eagerly-awaited entertainment destination was an Intel drone light show designed exclusively for the Caesars-operated venue, accompanied by a ‘dynamic 3D projection mapping of the casino exterior and spectacular pyrotechnics display.’ Hundreds of invited guests and players took advantage of around-the-clock promotional giveaways at the official grand opening, which began on Friday, May 17, after its successful soft opening almost three weeks prior.

Chairwoman for the Buena Vista Rancheria, Rhonda Pope-Flores, said…

“This weekend was as much a celebration of opening as it was a ‘thank you’ to the local community and our guests who have been so supportive of the development. The Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians have a long history of hospitality and this weekend was just the start of many celebrations we plan to bring to the community,” according to the press release.

Venue amenities:

The property features 950 slot machines, 20 tables games, three fast-casual dining options and one casual elegant dining venue, Louie Oliver’s Restaurant & Bar, and ultimately has plans to add a hotel for those visitors wishing to stay overnight.

Situated approximately 17 miles from the competition, Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort, the entertainment facility is to be the largest employer in the county behind the gambling venue operated by the federally-recognized Jackson Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians and the Mule Creek State Prison.

Community benefits:

The venue brings 500 jobs to Amador County, with 400 of them being full-time positions.

According to an earlier report from local KCRA-TV citing a statement from the casino, in addition to jobs, Harrah’s made a $20 million pre-opening community contribution and will make ongoing contributions of $8 million per year. The County Community Fund will also reportedly benefit from $1 million annually for a variety of community projects.