This page contains archived news updates for Sky River Casino from 2021. These items were originally posted on the casino's profile page and have been preserved here as part of the 500 Nations legacy news archive. Major stories from this year may also appear as standalone articles in the main News section.
Sky River Casino celebrates 'topping off' event in Elk Grove
August 28, 2021
In a news release this week Wilton Rancheria announced the final steel beam has been hoisted into place atop the Sky River Casino construction site. The event marks the completion of the structural steel framing for the future Elk Grove casino.
Wilton Rancheria, along with its partner Boyd Gaming and general contractor AECOM Tishman | Yate, held a celebration August 20th to thank all the workers, companies and subcontractors that had contributed to the work to reach this milestone.
All the foundation work and the underground utilities were completed prior to starting the steel framing. Construction will now begin the casino's exterior and interior buildout which will take about a full year. Completion is expected in the second half of 2022.
The grand opening of Sky River Casino is expected in Fall 2022.
Aerial footage of the Sky River Casino's construction site last week shows extensive foundation work and the initial steel framing are underway. The construction can be seen from Highway 99 in Elk Grove, California.
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Sky River Casino Construction Footage - Courtesy of Sky River Casino, Aug 12, 2021. Available from YouTube
The groundbreaking for Sky River Casino was held March 9, 2021. Construction crews began clearing the site soon afterwards in preparation for the first stages of construction.
Full-scale construction began in late April after Wilton Rancheria won a decisive court ruling over Stand Up For California in a case in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Sky River Casino in Elk Grove moves ahead after court victory
April 24, 2021
Wilton Rancheria will proceed with building the new Sky River Casino in Elk Grove, CA after winning a major lawsuit to stop its construction. The tribe was sued by Stand Up For California, an anti-casino activist group, who claimed the tribe was wrongly granted indigenous status by the U.S. Department of Interior, and also claimed the Sky River Casino should have an environmental impact statement.
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit disagreed with the arguments. The court sided with the tribe and the Interior Department on both issues.
Wilton Rancheria Tribal Chairman Jesus Tarango released a statement after the decision which included:
"Time after time, courts have rejected these desperate and baseless attempts to stop our project. We had to fight for federal recognition. We had to fight for our land. And now, thanks to the U.S. Court of Appeals, we've taken another major step toward our goal of self-sufficiency."
Sky River Casino held a groundbreaking ceremony on March 9 and plans to open in Fall 2022.
Sky River Casino clears building site in Elk Grove
March 24, 2021
Crews are clearing the building site for the new Sky River Casino and preparing it for the first stages of construction. This follows the groundbreaking ceremony held earlier this month by local officials and the Wilton Rancheria.
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Site preparation underway at Elk Grove's Sky River Casino - Courtesy of ElkGroveNews, Mar 18, 2021. Available from YouTube
Sky River Casino is located 15 miles south of downtown Sacramento and will open in Fall 2022. The $500 million construction project included a 110,260 sq-ft casino, a 302-room hotel and a 30,000-square-foot event center.
The Wilton Rancheria celebrated the groundbreaking today for construction of a $500 million resort casino in Elk Grove near Sacramento, California. The casino name "Sky River Casino" was unveiled during the ceremony as the selected name for the Wilton Rancheria casino.
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Watch as officials break ground at Wilton Rancheria Casino in Elk Grove - Courtesy of Sacramento Bee, Mar 9, 2021. Available from YouTube
Sky River Casino will open in the second half of 2022 and feature 2,190 slot machines, 81 table games, a steakhouse, pub and a Chinese eatery. There is also plans for a hotel, spa and convention center.
Sky River Casino will break ground in Elk Grove on March 9
March 5, 2021
Wilton Rancheria Tribe announced Tuesday that construction of their $500 million resort casino will kick off next week with a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday March 9.
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Groundbreaking ceremony set for new casino at site of Elk Grove's 'Ghost Mall' - Courtesy of ABC 10, Mar 2. Available from YouTube
Wilton Tribal Chair Jesus Tarango released the following statement:
"Today we celebrate the hard-fought determination of generations of Tribal members to create a future of dignity and self-sufficiency for Wilton Rancheria. 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."
Construction of the Sky River Casino will be finished in Fall 2022.
Sky River Casino project at Elk Grove secures funding
March 1, 2021
Wilton Rancheria announced Friday that financing has been secured for the proposed Sky River Casino in Elk Grove, California. The groundbreaking date for construction will be announced soon.
Wilton Rancheria Office of the Chair and Tribal Council released a letter Friday stating:
"This historic accomplishment results from over a decade of intensive research, communication, and relationship building with the City of Elk Grove and our Development Partner, Boyd Gaming.
"As part of this financing, we are also proud to announce that a Ground-Breaking ceremony is under development and will be announced in the coming days."
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Update: Sky River Casino construction status
