Pechanga Resort & Casino on the Pechanga Indian Reservation in California will see $285 million worth of improvements.
This includes a luxury four-diamond hotel wing, a luxury spa, ballroom and meeting space, a resort-style pool complex and two restaurants, according to the venue’s owners, the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians.
“Almost 20 years ago, we started our journey toward self-sufficiency,” said Mark Macarro, tribal chairman, Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. “It’s a journey that has allowed us to provide for our people and the community, improving the quality of life along the way. To continue our viability and enable our competitiveness, we announce the next leg of our journey. As our region grows and matures, we must do so as well to position ourselves for the next 20 years. We believe this project will take us there.”
Pechanga Development Corp. oversees the resort and casino operations and will manage all aspects of the proposed development.
“This development will complement our current offerings, enhance the resort experience for guests, and cement Pechanga Resort & Casino as the preeminent luxury gaming destination in California,” said Patrick Murphy, president, Pechanga Development Corp. “This project will meet the demands of our guests – more rooms, a true resort-style pool experience, a luxury spa, and A-list entertainment acts.”
A recent study by the Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College found the combined economic impact of Pechanga tribal and resort activities in 2012 resulted in the direct employment of 5,257 people, making the tribe one of the 10 largest employers in Riverside County.
“We estimate the proposed expansion will result in a combined economic output of over $550 million, generating roughly 2,944 jobs up front as a result of construction-related activities,” said Dr. Christopher Thornberg, founding partner, Beacon Economics. “We estimate the local economy will benefit from an additional 560 jobs per year going forward as a result of expanded operations at the Pechanga Resort & Casino.”
Featuring approximately 550 rooms, the new wing will be located on the south side of the existing hotel and will be 14 stories tall, which is about the same height as the current resort. Reflecting Pechanga’s reputation for continuously improving the guest experience, more than one-third of the new wing will consist of suites.
The hotel development includes 67,000 square feet of custom-designed and configurable event and pre-function space for meetings, conventions, concerts and boxing and mixed martial arts.
The new two-story, 23,000 square-foot luxurious spa, salon, and fitness center will feature 17 treatment rooms and a terrace with hydrotherapy pools.
Pechanga guests will soon be able to enjoy a proper resort-style pool complex that will span four acres and will feature three pools and five hydrotherapy pools, including a family-friendly pool and a lagoon-style pool.
Two new restaurants will be added to Pechanga’s existing 11, including a pool grille restaurant with a roof top view and a restaurant and bar in the lobby of the new hotel wing.
The design team is led by Delawie architects, the original designers of the Pechanga Resort & Casino. Lifescapes International has been selected as the pool area and landscape architects. Over the past five decades, the firm has designed iconic landscapes at world-class resorts, including the Bellagio, Wynn, and Venetian hotels. CLEO Design out of Las Vegas and Los Angeles-based KNA Design will be leading the interior designs.
Pechanga will soon be undertaking an environmental impact report and will be working with the City of Temecula and the County of Riverside to execute intergovernmental agreements.
Over the years, Pechanga has contributed $10.4 million to the City of Temecula for widening Pechanga Parkway and construction of a new bridge spanning Temecula Creek. The Tribe has also provided more than $14 million to the City of Temecula to build the Ultimate Interchange at the I-15 and Temecula Parkway.
The Tribe hopes to break ground on the project in the first quarter of 2015, with construction expected to last approximately two years.
