Exterior Structure Complete for Anticipated Hotel and Casino

Wheatland, CA (MPG) - The exterior of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain (located at 3317 Forty Mile Road in Wheatland) is now complete. On February 13, the final steel beam was set atop the structure during a topping-off ceremony celebrating the construction efforts and the hard work and commitment of everyone involved. The project is the result of a historic partnership between the owners of Hard Rock International and two Native American Tribes—the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Estom YumekaMaidu Tribe of the Enterprise Rancheria.

Despite a downpour of heavy rain, the event tent was crowded with people and surrounded by the workers who had constructed the building from the ground up. The day began with a performance by an all-female group of native drummers. Tribal Elder Ren Reynolds opened the ceremony with a prayer to the Great Spirit and the ceremonial lighting of sage to bless the speakers.

Mark Birtha, president of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain, said, “Topping off is a major milestone, for us it denotes placing the last structural piece of steel…Today symbolizes the hope that this building will be everlasting…It is meant to celebrate the beginning of a new life, a new destination.” The property will be a destination hotel casino resort, offering gaming along with a variety of amenities and entertainment options.

Jon Lucas, chief operating officer of Hard Rock International, said, “This special day is just another milestone along the journey that’s going to get us to this world-class destination resort. We’re going to be the best in this market, and it will set us apart from the competition…It’s about delivering authentic experiences that rock… It’s the culture that we create with the brand, the personalities of the people who deliver the service like nobody else.”

Lucas explained that the experiences and the non-gaming amenities will set them apart from the competition. “We’re really excited today to reach this milestone and move on to the next phases so we can deliver a great, great product for this community that everyone will be proud of. Most importantly, it will employ over a thousand people, and that will help the economy here both indirectly and directly.”

Enterprise Rancheria Tribal Chairperson Glenda Nelson detailed the challenges the tribe has faced on their journey, such as obtaining and maintaining federal recognition and losing 40 acres of their ancestral land during construction of the Oroville Dam: “Many of you know how long the road to this day has been…We have worked diligently over the past 17 years to re-establish a land base within our aboriginal area to conduct  meaningful economic development for our citizens and for our community. Along the way, we never lost hope, we never lost our vision of who we were and where we were going. And we never lost faith that eventually truth, fairness, and justice would prevail. Today’s milestone affirms that hope, vision, and faith.”

Nelson expressed her gratitude to be working with Hard Rock International and the Seminole Tribe of Florida: “It is such a blessing to our tribe to be able to partner with another tribe that shares our same values and vision for the future of all Native Americans, and…partnering with Hard Rock is a real game changer, for our community and for tribal gaming in California.”

The project has already created more than 2,000 construction jobs in the Sacramento area. Scheduled to open later this year, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain will employ more than 1,000 people and will offer the latest in live music and entertainment, hospitality, world-class gaming, and exceptional cuisine.