Soboba Tribal Administration

The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians replacement casino and resort project is starting to show off its design as framing is almost complete and preparation for roofing is taking place.

"Concrete work is 100 percent done and structural steel installation is 100 percent done," said Tom Groenendal, Senior Superintendent for C.W. Driver. "The majority of the framing is done and we will start the roofing soon."

He said each of those events are milestones in any construction project and he is glad to see good progress being made. It will take two months or less to complete all the roofing, which is made from thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO). These single-ply roofing membranes are among the fastest growing commercial roofing products and have gained broad industry acceptance for their many performance and installation advantages. As demand increases for heat-reflective and energy-efficient roofing systems, TPO single-ply roofing membranes continue to provide exceptional resistance to ultraviolet, ozone and chemical exposure.

Very visible from outside is the gold-colored DensGlass sheathing that has been installed to almost all outer walls of the project. This fiberglass mat gypsum sheathing has an exemplary track record that spans more than 30 years. It is a preferred substrate due to its ability to protect a structure against moisture damage during and after construction.

The project's work crew has grown to about 300 members and will double in the next month or so as the inner workings of the casino resort project start being installed.

"We are doing really good on the construction side," Groenendal said. "The Tribe is very attentive to taking care of any needs and the community has been very supportive."

There are three areas of construction concentration: casino, hotel and back-of-house operations. Each call for a distinct set of specifications and has its own dedicated crew of experts. Mold-resistant drywall is being added from the top down in some areas while fireproof material is being sprayed onto beams in other areas.

Building engineer Mike Wittmer, who primarily works at the back-of-house project area, said third-party inspectors are on site every day checking on each phase of operation to be sure everything is done per code and per specifications.

Along with the replacement casino and hotel, there will be three meeting rooms and a large banquet/conference room that can be converted into four conference break-out rooms, a food court, multiple indoor and outdoor eating and seating areas, a center bar and a cabaret with an additional bar, entertainment area, warehouse, supporting back-of-house offices and conference rooms. Guests will have a variety of opportunities to gather and enjoy the beautiful views of the San Jacinto Mountains to the north and the Soboba Springs Country Club golf course to the south.

The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians replacement casino and resort project has moved to the next level by installing 5,500 tons of structural steel that will allow the construction to move upwards.

Tom Groenendal, Senior Superintendent for C.W. Driver, said the replacement casino will use 3,900 tons of the product and the hotel will take the other 1,600 tons.

"The structural steel acts as the backbone for the entire project; it supports all the other elements," he said. "It will take roughly nine to 12 weeks to get all the steel in place."

Oklahoma City-based W&W/AFCO Steel was chosen after the scope of work was sent out for proposals from five companies.

"W&W was selected as a best value partner and presented ‘outside the box' ideas to meet the schedule," Groenendal said. "Before the steel could be placed we had to complete mass excavation and grading (leveling of the site), and have rebar and concrete in place for the foundations and walls that support the steel."

The American-made steel is being fabricated in Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Arkansas and Arizona. Delivery of beams began on Sept. 11.

"We don't purchase any foreign material for our projects, nor are we ever intending to do so," said Tim Hunter, W&W/AFCO Steel Vice President/Project Manager.

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The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians is pleased with the progress being made to complete its replacement casino for an expected grand opening in the fall of 2018. The project includes a 200-room hotel, pool, two restaurants, a food court and sports bar, a 15,000-sq. ft. banquet and meeting facility for conferences and special events. The casino itself will have 2,000 slot machines and 28 table games. The venue will be located north of Lake Park Drive, adjacent to The Country Club at Soboba Springs.

Since the groundbreaking on Feb. 28, which was attended by tribal council members from other Southern California tribes, Hemet and San Jacinto city council members and school district representatives and Riverside County law enforcement personnel, Soboba has worked closely with local companies to develop the utility and transportation infrastructure for the project. The Tribe would like to thank Eastern Municipal Water District, the city of San Jacinto, Southern California Edison and SoCal Gas for their continued support as this exciting new project moves forward with its promise for economic growth and shared prosperity for the entire community.

The venture is expected to create 300 to 500 permanent new jobs at the casino/resort, as well as drive economic development for the entire San Jacinto Valley, which includes the work of thousands of local contractors working on this project for the next 18-plus months. In conjunction with the casino replacement project, Soboba is planning to develop a fire station, office building and cultural center on the south side of Lake Park Drive, as well as a new home for the Soboba Indian Health Clinic currently located on the Ramona Expressway, west of the San Jacinto River.

Soboba has retained the internationally renowned Friedmutter Group to serve as the architects and engineers for the project's design. Friedmutter specializes exclusively in hospitality, gaming and entertainment projects of all sizes around the world. The general contractor for the project is C.W. Driver Companies, the oldest active licensed builder headquartered in Southern California.

One day a week, 300 cement mixers are constantly traveling back and forth to the site to deliver cement needed for the foundation of the basement that will be used for the facility's back-of-house operations. To date, 5,000 cubic yards of concrete has been poured. Recently, 2,000 tons of rebar was delivered to the site and tied to support the concrete walls.

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The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians continues to work closely with Eastern Municipal Water District, Southern California Edison and SoCal Gas as the Casino Replacement Facility's Utility Infrastructure plans begin to take shape. The Tribe would like to thank these companies and the cities of Hemet and San Jacinto for their continued support as this exciting new project moves forward with its promise of economic growth and shared prosperity for all communities.

Soboba has reached an agreement with Friedmutter Group to be the Architect/Engineering company for the design of the Tribe's Replacement Casino. The Soboba Tribal Council is working closely with Friedmutter Group on the replacement casino, which will include a 200-room hotel, 2000 slot machines, 24 table games, spa/fitness center, 15,000 square foot Mutli-Purpose Room for conferences and special events, 6 food outlets, pool and sports bar.

The Tribe's goal is to break ground in November of 2016. The project is expected to create approximately 700-800 new jobs at the Casino/Resort as well as drive economic development not only for Soboba but for the entire San Jacinto Valley.