Elk Grove casino’s groundbreaking is next week. Here’s when Wilton Rancheria plans to open
Tribal leaders will break ground next week on the Wilton Rancheria casino in Elk Grove, tribal officials announced Tuesday.
The planned March 9 groundbreaking on what was the abandoned “ghost mall” property in Elk Grove comes three months after Las Vegas gaming firm Boyd Gaming Corp., purchased the 64-acre site for an undisclosed amount.
Construction is slated to begin soon after the ceremonial shovel turn with plans to open to the public in the second half of 2022.
“After years of planning, our focus will now turn to bringing the tribe’s vision for this project to life,” Keith Smith, Boyd Gaming president and chief executive officer, said in a statement Tuesday announcing the plans.
Boyd Gaming operates 28 properties in 10 states, including Nevada, Louisiana and Missouri. The Wilton Rancheria site will be its first foray into the $7.8 billion California Indian gaming market.
An undisclosed third party is providing full financing for the $400 million project off of Grant Line Road, Boyd Gaming officials said in a statement.
The casino on the southern edge of Elk Grove will be the closest to Sacramento with plans for up to 2,000 slot machines and more than 80 table games on the gaming floor.
Boyd officials at the time of the December sale said the project will include a hotel, spa, restaurants and a convention center planned to be one of the largest in the Sacramento region once constructed.
The Wilton Rancheria casino and resort will join area casinos Thunder Valley Casino Resort near Lincoln, Red Hawk Casino in El Dorado County; Cache Creek Casino Resort in Yolo County; and Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort in Amador County.
Wilton tribal leaders in the statement called the multi-million dollar construction project “transformative” for the small, economically struggling tribe.
“This will be a transformative project that will provide resources to invest in housing, education and healthcare...to preserve our language and culture and give back to the community for decades to come,” said Jesus Tarango, Wilton Tribal Chair.
The Wilton tribe has more than 800 members and is the only federally recognized tribe in Sacramento County.
Wilton Rancheria in 2016 bought a 36-acre parcel next to the 64-acre casino plot bought by Boyd. The parcel is owned in federal trust for the Rancheria. U.S. Department of Interior approved its gambling agreement with California in January 2019.
