2020 marks another year of growth and change for some Southern California casinos

Coronavirus also had some impacts on building schedules, with some casinos having to slow down their construction and delay their openings. Others, however, continued their building aspirations, taking their closures as an opportunity to finish the work they had started or forging ahead on new building projects altogether.

Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City
This casino, the third casino from the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, is slated for completion in November, according to posts made on the casino’s official Facebook. Casino officials had previously said they were looking at a fall opening date but November marks a more specific timeline for when the 30,000-square-foot facility near the Mary Pickford Theater will open.

The facility will have 536 slot machines and 8 table games on its gaming floor and will boast an entertainment center, dubbed the Agua Caliente Pavilion, that will seat about 1,000 people and will be used for a variety of community events.

Looking out at the Agua Caliente Pavilion by glass will be the Agave Caliente bar which will specialize in tequila and mezcal-based cocktails and a food menu with a Latin flair. Other restaurants include three-meal sit down restaurant Cafe One Eleven, sports bar 360 Sports (a duplicate of the concept in Rancho Mirage), and quick service coffee shop  Java Caliente Cafe.

Cahuilla Casino Hotel
This was the year that Cahuilla Casino, located along Highway 371 in rural Anza, turned into a resort property.

The Cahuilla Band of Indians completed construction on its 58-room hotel and casino in time for an April 2 opening, though the coronavirus prompted the opening to be postponed until May 27.

In addition to the hotel, the property has a gaming floor anchored by a large bar; a sit-down restaurant; a gift shop; and small conference space for people staying at the hotel.
The original, tent-like structure that the casino had been located in for 24 years was pulled down as part of the opening of the new casino property, leaving space for possible other additions in the future.

Casino Morongo
The original casino property opened by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians — adjacent to the newer resort property that opened in 2004 — saw some changes that were actually prompted by the novel coronavirus.

Simon Farmer, executive director of marketing for the casinos, wrote that former bingo hall was supposed to be a non-smoking room, “but guest and Team Member feedback led the team to expand the non-smoking directive to the entire casino.” Farmer wrote that the casino was still exploring how to bring bingo back, possibly in another location.

Harrah’s Resort Southern California

Casino Morongo is not the only casino property that reconfigured things because of the pandemic. In Valley Center, Harrah’s Resort Southern California took a portion of its shuttered buffet and turned into fast casual Italian restaurant Che Bello.

In an interview around the time of the restaurant’s opening, Harrah’s Food and Beverage Director Abigail Jestis said there were multiple reasons for the change, including that it’s hard to physically distance people at buffets and it’s also hard to keep such a large space up to the health and safety standards the casino would like to achieve.
She said making sure there was another dining option also alleviated pressure on other outlets on property.

Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa
The Cabazon complex completed its major expansion effort that started in January 2019 that included adding 65,000 square feet and 800 slot machines to the casino floor, making over some of the restaurants and adding a valet parking structure for 750 vehicles.

Much of the new dining and bar offerings that were part of the expansion were completed before the end of 2019 but at least two bars opened in 2020 in space created by the expansion. The two bars, which opened soon after Morongo resumed operation from its novel coronavirus closure, are The Splash Bar and Sideline Bar & Grill.

Adorned with color changing LED lights, The Splash Bar offers beer and spirits and features built-in video poker games.

Sideline Bar & Grill meanwhile serves drinks as well as stadium-inspired game day foods such as buffalo wings and hamburgers. Located next to Sideline is a 20-foot video wall where sports games can be viewed. A casino representative recently wrote in an email that screen will show every NFL game.

San Manuel Casino
The Highland-area casino is still in the midst of its multiphase $550 million expansion, which will give it an approximately 450-room hotel, a pool complex, spa and fitness center; an entertainment venue and several new restaurants and retail shops.

Completed in 2019 was a six-story parking garage with 2,200 stalls, several new high limit rooms and Asian restaurant Hong Bao Kitchen.

In early 2020, the casino completed an expansion of its gift shop.

Still to be completed are the hotel and entertainment center. Before coronavirus hit, casino officials had eyed second quarter of 2021 for the completion of those things, but are now looking at the final quarter of next year after having to slow down construction somewhat during their closure period.