Just days after securing funding, Boyd Gaming and the Wilton Rancheria Tribe announced Tuesday that plans for a long-anticipated casino will commence next week. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for March 9 in Elk Grove, California, 15 miles south of Sacramento, for the Wilton Rancheria Resort and Casino.
“Today we celebrate the hard-fought determination of generations of tribal members to create a future of dignity and self-sufficiency for Wilton Rancheria,” said Wilton Tribal Chair Jesus Tarango in a statement. “This will be a transformative project that will provide resources to invest in housing, education, and healthcare for our more than 800 members, to preserve our language and culture, and to give back to the community for decades to come.”
The project has been in the works for years, with Boyd Gaming funding the $35.1 million acquisition of land for the Wilton Rancheria casino in January 2017 and the National Indian Gaming Commission approving Boyd’s management contract with Wilton Rancheria in October 2018. The groundbreaking was originally scheduled for 2020, but concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic and credit markets halted plans.
On February 28, tribal leaders announced they secured third-party funding for the resort and casino. Boyd Gaming confirmed the next day through its 10-K annual report that the parties wanted to break ground by the end of March.
“Next week’s groundbreaking will be a key milestone in Wilton Rancheria’s and Boyd Gaming’s shared commitment to creating an exceptional gaming experience in northern California,” said Keith Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer of Boyd Gaming. “After years of planning, our focus will now turn to bringing the tribe’s vision for this project to life.”
The casino is slated to feature up to 2,000 slot machines, more than 80 table games, and food and beverage offerings featuring local and regional brands from across Northern California.
The property was designed by Friedmutter Group, Tandem Design and Dez Motif. Construction will be led by general contractors AECOM Tishman and Yates Construction.
