Jamul Casino facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jamul Casino
Address	14145 Campo Road Jamul, California 91935
Opening date	October 2016
Notable restaurants	Prime Cut, Loft 94, Tony Gwynn's Sports Pub
Owner	Jamul Indian Village
Website	http://www.jamulcasinosd.com

The Jamul Casino is a special place run by the Jamul Indian Village. This Native American tribe operates a fun gambling and entertainment center. It's located on their 6-acre piece of land in Jamul, California.

The casino used to be called the Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego. Today, Mary Cheeks is the president and general manager. Inside, you can find 1,700 slot machines and 40 table games. The casino is about 20 miles east of downtown San Diego.

The Story of Jamul Casino

Early Plans and Challenges

In 1999, the Jamul Indian Village, a group of Kumeyaay Indians, had an idea. They wanted to build a new hotel and casino on their small, 6-acre reservation. At first, their plan involved adding more land. However, local people strongly disagreed with this idea.

Because of the opposition, the tribe changed their plans. They decided to build the casino only on their existing 6 acres. Even with this change, many townspeople were still against the project. But the tribe went ahead with a special groundbreaking ceremony in December 2005.

Funding and Community Concerns

A company from Minnesota, Lakes Entertainment, helped pay for the $200 million project. The casino was planned to follow California's rules for Native American gambling. Supporters of the casino said it would bring more money to the state and the tribe. They also said it would create 2,000 new jobs for everyone in the community.

However, many people in the town had worries. They were concerned about how the casino would affect local police and fire services. They also worried about the water supply. A big concern was that a tall, 15-story building would change the town's look forever. The biggest worry was about traffic. The casino's location meant that most cars would have to drive through the middle of town on Highway 94.

In February 2003, a meeting was held to talk about the casino's environmental impact. Hundreds of Jamul residents came to the meeting. Almost everyone there spoke against the casino project.

Discussing the Project with Locals

In September 2006, the casino organizers met with the townspeople again. They showed drawings of the planned six-story casino and 12-story hotel. People shared their thoughts, both for and against the project. Most of the negative comments were still about the increased traffic on California State Route 94. This road becomes a narrow two-lane road right where the casino was planned.

In March 2007, there were some disagreements on the tribal land. The tribe had to deal with people who were living on the land but were against the casino. This caused more discussion in the community. Around this time, the tribal leaders also decided they would not negotiate with the state about the casino. Instead, they planned a casino with only "Class II" games, which do not include slot machines. These types of casinos do not need special agreements with the State of California.

Road Access and New Partners

In October 2008, the tribe had a disagreement with Caltrans, the state's transportation department. The tribe believed they had the right to use their land as they wished. Caltrans, however, was concerned about public safety. They would not approve permits for a stoplight on State Route 94 without more environmental studies. The tribe felt Caltrans was interfering. A tribal leader explained that the company funding the casino needed to know gamblers could easily get to the casino before they would provide more money.

By March 2009, the tribe and Caltrans reached an agreement. The tribe agreed to do more environmental studies for the project. However, the company funding the casino, Lakes Entertainment, decided to reduce their investment in the project. They also said the casino might not be finished until 2014.

In March 2012, Lakes Entertainment ended their agreement with the Jamul Indian Tribe. After this, the tribe announced new plans. They wanted to work with the community to design a smaller casino. This new plan would address many of the concerns Jamul residents had. Finding a new partner was a bit tricky because the tribe still owed Lakes Entertainment money. Also, the tribe only had permission for Class II games, not the Class III games that include slot machines.

Finally, Penn National Gaming became the new partner. They helped fund, build, and manage the $400 million Hollywood Casino. The Hollywood Casino Jamul – San Diego officially opened on October 10, 2016. It has a three-story building with about 200,000 square feet for gaming and entertainment. There are over 1,700 slot machines, 40 live table games, and many restaurants and bars. It also has an underground parking garage with about 1,800 spaces.

In May 2018, Penn National Gaming, which owns many Hollywood casinos, handed over the management of the Jamul Casino. Now, the Jamul Indian Village Development Corp. runs the casino themselves.