New Eagle Mountain Casino in Porterville is 'Tule River Tribe through and through'
Tule River Tribe celebrated a new chapter in its long history with the grand opening of the relocated brand new Eagle Mountain Casino.
“I want to congratulate the Eagle Mountain Casino team for their dedication and hard work. They are the backbone of our success," Tule River Tribe Chairman Neil Peyron said, during the casino's opening Tuesday in Porterville. "We are grateful for them and all our patrons that would drive the road to the reservation to go there and enjoy some of the best entertainment in our area."
The move from the reservation to Porterville was a lengthy process that started in 2016, and addressed a critical water shortage that has hobbled development on reservation land for decades.
The old casino used 40,000 gallons of water a day, enough for dozens of new homes.
During Tuesday's ceremony, tribal leaders repeatedly said the new casino is a way to provide for the people of Tule River Reservation.
"When we got into gaming, it allowed us to pay for our children's education. It allowed us to provide for our elders," Peyron said. "It's always been about the people. There's nothing here about getting rich. It's about providing services. It's about taking care of your people."
Humble beginnings
Eagle Mountain Casino opened its doors in June 1996 with a few mobile trailers, a hotdog and hamburger stand, three blackjack tables, and roughly 300 video slots.
The new casino property has doubled in size from its previous location on the reservation and will employ over 1,000 people.
"Today is a day about celebration. Today is a day about initial steps," said Matthew Mingrone, Eagle Mountain Casino general manager. "This is not the end zone... this is another step in a new direction."
The tribe chose HBG Design, a firm with experience designing other tribal casinos, to oversee the project.
The casino's architecture pays homage to the Tule River Tribe's heritage, featuring a woodland lodge aesthetic, according casino officials. Guests from across the Central Valley will be greeted with replicas of the tribal Painted Rock with Bigfoot pictographs found on reservation lands.
“For the Tule River Tribe, it was imperative to tell their story. We researched their culture; they provided us with books and photos of artifacts," said Joe Baruffaldi, with HBG Design. "They were open about sharing their culture, which allowed us to find patterns within baskets to incorporate into our design that would give this property a uniqueness in the market when you look at some of the other competitive casinos because it tells their story."
Tule River Tribe and the city of Porterville are working together to build economic development, tourism, and branding effort for Porterville, City Manager John Lollis said.
The new property will feature a 2,000-seat event center, 24-hour diner, food court, Yokuts Coffee House, and the River Steakhouse. The Redwood Taphouse features 208 seats with 24 slot machines in the bar.
For the first time, Eagle Mountain Casino will also serve alcohol.
“We’re happy to say that the new property is Tule River (Tribe) through and through, as there are artifacts and basket weaves throughout the property," Mingrone said. "This is truly Eagle Mountain Casino and the Tule River Tribe’s accomplishment."
Eagle Mountain Casino’s new property is located at 1850 West Street in Porterville, off Highway 65, next to the Porterville Fairgrounds. It's open daily around the clock.
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This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: New Eagle Mountain Casino in Porterville pays homage to Tule tribe
