Thunder Valley Casino Resort is a hotel and casino located in unincorporated Placer County in Whitney, California near the city of Lincoln, California, 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Sacramento. It is owned and operated by the United Auburn Indian Community and designed by architect Edward Vance of JMA Architecture Studios, located in Las Vegas, Nevada. The resort opened on June 9, 2003. It was operated by Station Casinos from 2003 to 2010.[1]
| Thunder Valley Casino Resort | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Thunder Valley Casino Resort in 2013 | |
| Location | near Lincoln, California, U.S. |
| Address | 1200 Athens Avenue |
| Opening date | June 9, 2003 |
| No. of rooms | 300 |
| Total gaming space | 144,500 sq ft (13,420 m2) |
| Notable restaurants | Cafe Food Court: Fatburger, Panda Express, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Pizza Hut and Subway High Steaks Red Lantern The Buffet |
| Casino type | Native American |
| Owner | United Auburn Indian Community |
| Architect | JMA Architecture Studios |
| Renovated in | Expansion: July 2010 |
| Coordinates | 38°50′27″N 121°18′44″W / 38.84083°N 121.31222°W |
| Website | thundervalleyresort |
The 275,000-square-foot (25,550 m2) facility offers a variety of gaming including slot machines, live poker and various other table games.
History
editThunder Valley Casino Resort is owned by the United Auburn Indian Community, a Native American tribe consisting of mostly Miwuk and Maidu Indians indigenous to the Sacramento Valley region. In the 1950s and '60s, the United States government terminated 41 California rancherias—mini-reservations, including that of the Miwok and Maidu Auburn band. As a way to lift themselves out of poverty, the members of the tribe decided to build a casino after Congress restored the tribe's federal status in 1994, allowing the tribe to acquire land under tribal sovereignty.[2]
The United Auburn Indian Community entered into a tribal-state gaming compact with the State of California in September 1999 in order to conduct Class III gaming on trust land. This compact was later successfully renegotiated with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2004.
Thunder Valley was designed by JMA Architecture Studios and built by the PENTA Building Group.[3] The casino was opened in June 2003 and then expanded starting in March 2009 and finishing July 2010.
The UAIC is known for their efforts to abide by state and local land-use laws, even though they are not obligated to do so under sovereignty law. For example, the UAIC chose to include the California Environmental Quality Act in its local agreement, something only a handful of tribes submit to.[2]
Gambling
editThe casino has over 3,000 slot and video machines, 125 table games (including blackjack and paigow) and a live poker room with enough space for 160 players. The casino regularly holds promotions and special events including drawings, cash prizes, and tournaments.
Attractions
editThe expansion completed in July 2010 includes a 17-story luxury hotel with 408 rooms, with 46 suites. Inside the hotel is a large banquet and entertainment hall (Pano Hall) with the capacity of 1,000 guests, meeting rooms, bars and a gift shop. The pool has surrounding private cabanas and a poolside bar, Coconut. There are a total of 14 restaurants and bars.
The spa offers facials, massages, pedicures, manicures, Lomi Lomi, hot stone massages, and the signature 24-karat gold leaf facial. There is also a sauna, whirlpool, steam room, and health club. Steelman Partners was the architect and interior designers. shop12 was the lighting designers for the major expansion in 2010.
Thunder Valley Casino Resort hosts a number of concerts and shows in the summertime in their outdoor amphitheater.
Entertainment
editThe Venue
editThe Venue at Thunder Valley is a new $100 million entertainment venue which opening on February 17, 2023 with a performance by the Eagles. It hosts 4,500 seats inside a 150,000 square foot state-of-the art theater.[4][5]
| Date | Event | Tour | Attendance | Revenue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 17 | Eagles | Hotel California 2023 Tour | — | — | Opening night of The Venue |
| February 18 | Bruno Mars | — | — | — | |
| February 19 | Santana | Blessings and Miracles Tour | — | — | — |
| February 24-25 | Gabriel Iglesias | — | — | — | |
| March 3 | Sammy Hagar And Friends | Live | — | — | — |
| March 4 | Charlie Wilson | — | — | After 7 will serve as opening act | |
| March 11 | Xuan Hoi NGO | Vietnamese Show | — | — | First foreign event |
| March 17 | Dirty Heads | — | — | Common Kings will serve as opening act | |
| March 18 | The Beach Boys | — | — | — | |
| March 24 | Jeff Dunham | Still Not Canceled | — | — | — |
| March 25 | Anjelah Johnson-Reyes | — | — | — | |
| March 31 | Kevin James | The Irregardless Tour | — | — | — |
| April 1 | Kansas | — | — | Blue Öyster Cult will serve as opening act | |
| April 7 | Boyz II Men | — | — | Troop and Soul For Real will serve as opening acts | |
| April 8 | Michael Carbonaro | Lies On Stage | — | — | — |
| April 14 | Third Eye Blind | An Evening with Third Eye Blind | — | — | — |
| April 15 | One Vision of Queen | — | — | — | |
| April 22 | Vivian Chow | A Long and Lasting Love | — | — | — |
| April 28 | Bryan Adams | So Happy It Hurts Tour | — | — | — |
| April 29 | Train | ||||
| May 5 | Mi Banda El Mexicano, Banda Marcos, Banda Maguey | Quebradita Time! | — | — | — |
| May 6 | The Black Crowes | — | — | — | |
| May 12 | Sarah Silverman | ||||
| May 13 | John Fogerty | ||||
| May 19 | Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons | — | — | — | |
| May 20 | Journey | ||||
| May 25-26 | Eraserheads | Huling El Bimbo Tour | — | — | — |
| May 27 | REO Speedwagon | — | — | John Waite will serve as opening act | |
| June 2 | Kid Rock | Bad Reputation Tour | — | — | — |
| June 3 | V101 Summer Jam, Nelly, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Chingy, Twista, Luniz | — | — | — | |
| June 8 | Kevin Hart | Reality Check Tour | |||
| June 9 | Ringo Starr and His All Star Band | — | — | — | |
| June 10 | Tesla | Full Throttle Live 2023 | — | — | Buckcherry will serve as opening act |
| June 17 | Australia's Thunder from Down Under | — | — | — | |
| June 23 | Johnny Mathis | The Voice of Romance Tour | — | — | — |
| August 11 | The Australian Pink Floyd Show | — | — | — | |
| October 27 | Janet Jackson | Together Again Tour | — | — | — |
| November 4 | Gwen Stefani[7] | — | — | — | |
| February 3, 2024 | Duran Duran | — | — | — | |
| February 17, 2024 | Red Hot Chili Peppers | Global Stadium Tour | — | — | |
| May 31, 2024 | Sublime with Rome | Farewell Tour | |||
Philanthropy
editUsing the revenue generated from Thunder Valley, the UAIC gives about $1 million annually to nonprofit groups in Placer County. Some beneficiaries of ongoing and previous donations include the Lighthouse Counseling & Family Resource Center, Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital Foundation, and Foothill Volunteer Center.
In January 2005, the UAIC donated $250,000 to assist Habitat for Humanity International's (HFHI) relief efforts in southern Asia following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.[8]
In January 2010, the UAIC donated $50,000 to Partners in Health for their efforts in the 2010 Haiti earthquake aftermath.[9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Stutz, Howard (July 7, 2014). "California Indian casino built and managed by Station Casinos rising to the top of class". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
- ^ a b "Building of Thunder Valley Casino". United Auburn Indian Community Official Site (Press release). Archived from the original on 2011-09-30.
- ^ Ross, David. "California Complex: Thunder Valley Casino Hotel Expansion". CASINO Design. Casino Design Magazine. Archived from the original on 2011-11-18.
- ^ "Concert Sites - Thunder Valley Casino Resort". thundervalleyresort.com. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
- ^ Staff (2022-10-02). "Thunder Valley Casino Concert Series at The Venue". Roseville Today. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
- ^ a b "Events - Thunder Valley Casino Resort". thundervalleyresort.com. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
- ^ "Gwen Stefani concert scheduled for November 2023 at Thunder Valley Casino - CBS Sacramento". www.cbsnews.com. 2023-07-11. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ "Tribes Recognize Save the Children and Habitat for Humanity, International's Relief Efforts in Southern Asia". Auburn Rancheria. Archived from the original on 2008-08-19.
- ^ "United Auburn Indian Community donates $50K for Haiti". Roseville & Rocklin Today.
