The Soboba Indian's Casino is a charming little casino nestled at the base of the Soboba Mountain range and is expanding into the most elaborate new complex this year. I can't wait to experience the new complex. Soboba Casino features approximately 2,000 of the newest, hottest slot machines, an expansive and modern non-smoking room, 20 classic gaming tables featuring all your favorite card games, and a large outdoor event arena which easily accommodates over 10,000 people.
- View the menu for Soboba Steakhouse at Soboba Casino and restaurants in San Jacinto, CA. See restaurant menus, reviews, hours, photos, maps and directions.
- A view of the Soboba Springs Golf Course and pool from one of the 6th floor suites in the new Soboba Casino Resort as construction is almost complete in San Jacinto on Tuesday, February 12, 2019.
- Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City opened to the public on Tuesday, Nov. 24, according to the casino's social media accounts. Just after 8 p.m. The casino's Twitter account featured a message.
The newest of Southern California's Indian casino resorts that make for memorable vacation destinations is probably the oldest when it comes to its history of getting to where it is today.
The sleek new Soboba Casino Resort, which opened less than a year ago next to the Soboba Springs Golf Club in the San Jacinto foothill region of Southern California that is less than an hour's drive outside of Palm Springs, has a long history in both golf, gambling and the inhabitants of this area that date back centuries.
Going back to 1780 when the village settled by the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians came under the control of the San Juan Capistrano Mission when California was still a territory of Mexico, to 1995's opening of the first Soboba Casino in a tent structure crowded with slot machines, table games and one lounge, to the new luxury resort that features 200 finely appointed rooms in six stories, an events center, numerous fine dining options, the tribe has come a long way and developed a top-notch destination complex.
The San Jacinto Valley is ideally positioned as a resort location with its mild temperatures' year-around, picturesque mountains and ideal location between the Los Angeles basin and the desert regions of the Coachella Valley.
Not only does the Soboba casino have a rich history, but the Soboba Springs golf course that was originally designed in 1966 by Desmond Muirhead and redesigned in 2006 and 2018 by Cary Bickler, also has a connection to the PGA Tour–and the two winningest players in its history.
But the centerpiece of this resort complex is the brand new casino that features 1,800-square foot Presidential Suites with breathtaking views of the San Jacinto Mountains, 34,000 square foot events center, a beautiful 180,000-gallon pool that looks onto the golf course and is ringed by ten cabanas that feature TV's, refrigerators, ceiling fan and sitting area.
The Casino itself features 2,000 slot machines and 38 table games such as poker, baccarat, blackjack and roulette, while the Cabaret Lounge is lined with televisions showing all the latest sporting events.
The dining selections are outstanding, with the Noodle Bar, Chick'n It, La Casetta (Italian cuisine), Soboba Pub & Grill, El Comal (Latin kitchen), Fairway Café and Koffee Kiicha available for a variety of cuisine. The top choice for fine dining at the casino is the Canyons, which is already earning a reputation as one of the better seafood and steak restaurants in the area and takes the dinner experience to another level with its savory appetizers, creative entrées, decadent desserts and an exquisite selection of wine. The halibut is one of the best selections on the menu, and the attentive staff and relaxing ambiance is a great way to finish a day of golf and gambling!
Even though the golf course dates back over a half century, the redesign of holes 13, 14, 15 and 16 by Bickler just a couple years ago and the classic elements make this one of the better golf experiences in So Cal. A classic design that has been beautifully updated is very playable but can be challenging for even the best players. It measures 7339 from the back 'Tour' tees with a rating of 75.3 and a 140 slope, but most vacationers will want to play from the Blue or Black tees that check in at 5970 and 6497 yards.
The Soboba Springs Golf Club is kept in great shape with finally manicured greens and with five sets of tees, this Par-72 layout is a great test for just about any ability. Not long after its first redesign in 2006, it served as the host of the Soboba Golf Classic on the (then) Web.com Tour as part of the PGA Tour's developmental circuit for four years (2009-2012).
The newly designed holes were altered in part to accommodate the building of the Casino Resort, and the signature hole–# 13—is a fantastic Par 4 that runs along the hotel and its pool complex and features an island green that is surrounded by water, arched bridges and multiple water falls that make it a true scene stealer.
The new No. 15th hole—a Par 5–is said to be the fourth longest ever played on the PGA Tour at 641 yards from the back tees. It is even a hefty 542 yards from the Blue tees.
'Both of these new design elements add a unique level of excitement,' said Bickler about the changes. 'Of the four (redesigned) holes, there are two very demanding Par 3s from the Tour Tees at Hole #14 (206 yards) and at Hole #16 (235 yards). Holes #13 through #16 will be a strong test in the golfer's finishing portion of the round.
'The original golf course architect (Muirhead), had been a mentor of mine and I appreciate the value of his work. I understand what his intention was as he routed and designed this course. The new holes I designed fit seamlessly with the existing portion of the course. They mirror many of the elements that were preserved, and at the same time, they bring the overall golf course experience to an incomparable level.'
Another bit of history goes back even further. According to a number of published reports and quoting Rudy Duran—Tiger Wood's golf instructor during his youth—Tiger was introduced to Hall of Fame golfer Sam Snead and played a couple holes with him at the Soboba Golf Club back in 1982 when Woods was six years old and Snead was 70. Ironically, both men are currently tied for the most tournament wins in PGA Tour history at 82 apiece entering the new decade after Woods notched his 82nd Tour victory last fall.
Even with so many golf resorts in Southern California, the new Soboba Casino Resort looks to have the kind of golf experience and amenities to become a major vacation destination in this region in the years to come.
To learn more about the Soboba Casino Resort, visit: www.soboba.com
Story by Terry Ross
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SAN JACINTO - The Soboba Indian tribe's proposal to annex more than500 acres and build a new casino-hotel near their existing gamblingcomplex has some San Jacinto residents worried their neighborhoodscould be swallowed into a zone devoid of public services.
And recent shootouts between local sheriff's deputiesand alleged criminals hiding on the Soboba reservation have apparentlygiven residents concern. At one point last year, a union representingRiverside County sheriff's deputies declared the reservation and itsexisting casino unsafe.
'We've done a lot of extensive study on this, andeverywhere they put a casino in the crime rate goes up and thecommunity goes downhill,' David Christian, a member of a group calledSave Our Communities, told City News Service today.
'Like the one in San Bernardino. That neighborhoodturned into a ghetto, just about. It's not the neighborhood it used tobe.'
Tribal leaders and gambling promoters told theRiverside Press-Enterprise that the new complex would create more jobsand boost the local economy. Soboba tribal officials could notimmediately be reached for additional comment today.
The Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians already operates theSoboba Casino --with ``2,000 slot machines, over 20 table games, tworestaurants, a 12,000-seat entertainment pavilion and one huge sportslounge' -- on its reservation about a mile from the proposeddevelopment, according to information on the
tribe's casino Web site ``Soboba Casino -- Where Winning is Just the Beginning.'
Now the tribe wants to annex non-reservation land that it owns alongSoboba Road near Lake Park Drive into federal ``fee to trust' status,adding to the more than 3,000-acre reservation, the Press-Enterprisereported today.
In trust, the land is held by the U.S. government onbehalf of the tribe, while the tribe controls the land's use, thePress-Enterprise reported.
The proposed 729,500-square-foot casino-hotel complexwould include a 300-room hotel, casino, restaurants, convention center,events arena, retail establishments and a parking structure, thePress-Enterprise reported.
If the annexation goes through, residents of threeneighborhoods --Soboba Springs Mobile Estates, a housing developmentadjacent to the Country Club at Soboba golf course, and a hillsideneighborhood -- would have to travel through the reservation to get totheir homes in the city of San Jacinto, the
The dining selections are outstanding, with the Noodle Bar, Chick'n It, La Casetta (Italian cuisine), Soboba Pub & Grill, El Comal (Latin kitchen), Fairway Café and Koffee Kiicha available for a variety of cuisine. The top choice for fine dining at the casino is the Canyons, which is already earning a reputation as one of the better seafood and steak restaurants in the area and takes the dinner experience to another level with its savory appetizers, creative entrées, decadent desserts and an exquisite selection of wine. The halibut is one of the best selections on the menu, and the attentive staff and relaxing ambiance is a great way to finish a day of golf and gambling!
Even though the golf course dates back over a half century, the redesign of holes 13, 14, 15 and 16 by Bickler just a couple years ago and the classic elements make this one of the better golf experiences in So Cal. A classic design that has been beautifully updated is very playable but can be challenging for even the best players. It measures 7339 from the back 'Tour' tees with a rating of 75.3 and a 140 slope, but most vacationers will want to play from the Blue or Black tees that check in at 5970 and 6497 yards.
The Soboba Springs Golf Club is kept in great shape with finally manicured greens and with five sets of tees, this Par-72 layout is a great test for just about any ability. Not long after its first redesign in 2006, it served as the host of the Soboba Golf Classic on the (then) Web.com Tour as part of the PGA Tour's developmental circuit for four years (2009-2012).
The newly designed holes were altered in part to accommodate the building of the Casino Resort, and the signature hole–# 13—is a fantastic Par 4 that runs along the hotel and its pool complex and features an island green that is surrounded by water, arched bridges and multiple water falls that make it a true scene stealer.
The new No. 15th hole—a Par 5–is said to be the fourth longest ever played on the PGA Tour at 641 yards from the back tees. It is even a hefty 542 yards from the Blue tees.
'Both of these new design elements add a unique level of excitement,' said Bickler about the changes. 'Of the four (redesigned) holes, there are two very demanding Par 3s from the Tour Tees at Hole #14 (206 yards) and at Hole #16 (235 yards). Holes #13 through #16 will be a strong test in the golfer's finishing portion of the round.
'The original golf course architect (Muirhead), had been a mentor of mine and I appreciate the value of his work. I understand what his intention was as he routed and designed this course. The new holes I designed fit seamlessly with the existing portion of the course. They mirror many of the elements that were preserved, and at the same time, they bring the overall golf course experience to an incomparable level.'
Another bit of history goes back even further. According to a number of published reports and quoting Rudy Duran—Tiger Wood's golf instructor during his youth—Tiger was introduced to Hall of Fame golfer Sam Snead and played a couple holes with him at the Soboba Golf Club back in 1982 when Woods was six years old and Snead was 70. Ironically, both men are currently tied for the most tournament wins in PGA Tour history at 82 apiece entering the new decade after Woods notched his 82nd Tour victory last fall.
Even with so many golf resorts in Southern California, the new Soboba Casino Resort looks to have the kind of golf experience and amenities to become a major vacation destination in this region in the years to come.
To learn more about the Soboba Casino Resort, visit: www.soboba.com
Story by Terry Ross
SAN JACINTO - The Soboba Indian tribe's proposal to annex more than500 acres and build a new casino-hotel near their existing gamblingcomplex has some San Jacinto residents worried their neighborhoodscould be swallowed into a zone devoid of public services.
And recent shootouts between local sheriff's deputiesand alleged criminals hiding on the Soboba reservation have apparentlygiven residents concern. At one point last year, a union representingRiverside County sheriff's deputies declared the reservation and itsexisting casino unsafe.
'We've done a lot of extensive study on this, andeverywhere they put a casino in the crime rate goes up and thecommunity goes downhill,' David Christian, a member of a group calledSave Our Communities, told City News Service today.
'Like the one in San Bernardino. That neighborhoodturned into a ghetto, just about. It's not the neighborhood it used tobe.'
Tribal leaders and gambling promoters told theRiverside Press-Enterprise that the new complex would create more jobsand boost the local economy. Soboba tribal officials could notimmediately be reached for additional comment today.
The Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians already operates theSoboba Casino --with ``2,000 slot machines, over 20 table games, tworestaurants, a 12,000-seat entertainment pavilion and one huge sportslounge' -- on its reservation about a mile from the proposeddevelopment, according to information on the
tribe's casino Web site ``Soboba Casino -- Where Winning is Just the Beginning.'
Now the tribe wants to annex non-reservation land that it owns alongSoboba Road near Lake Park Drive into federal ``fee to trust' status,adding to the more than 3,000-acre reservation, the Press-Enterprisereported today.
In trust, the land is held by the U.S. government onbehalf of the tribe, while the tribe controls the land's use, thePress-Enterprise reported.
The proposed 729,500-square-foot casino-hotel complexwould include a 300-room hotel, casino, restaurants, convention center,events arena, retail establishments and a parking structure, thePress-Enterprise reported.
If the annexation goes through, residents of threeneighborhoods --Soboba Springs Mobile Estates, a housing developmentadjacent to the Country Club at Soboba golf course, and a hillsideneighborhood -- would have to travel through the reservation to get totheir homes in the city of San Jacinto, the
Press-Enterprise reported.
A Bureau ofIndian Affairs public hearing is scheduled Wednesday at the HemetPublic Library. The bureau will accept written comments about theproposed development until Sept. 15.
'The key issue is the ownership transfer of U.S. landto tribal land, which would isolate us,' Tish Arciniega, anothermember of Save Our Communities, told CNS. ``It will create islands. Wewill be embedded in the reservation. We will be surrounded by triballands.'
Asked about possible public safety concerns, Arciniega referred the topic to public safety agencies and returned to the issue of land ownership transfer.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department has had disputes with Sobobaleaders about public safety and access on the Soboba reservation in therecent past. The tribe and the Sheriff's Department have also engagedin summit discussions and found ways to cooperate.
A Sheriff's Department spokeswoman today referredquestions about the proposed land annex and casino-hotel complex tosheriff's administration officials.
The Soboba tribal response to public concern about thenew gambling complex has been restrained, and a tribal lawyer describedit as a relocation of the casino with no expansion of gaming, thePress-Enterprise reported.
``The fee to trust application is a government togovernment transaction, that involves and considers the public throughthe public comment phase, ' Mike Hiles, Soboba tribal informationofficer, said in a written statement cited by the Press-Enterprise.``This critical component of the process provides for all publicconcerns . . . to be identified so that they may be considered in theFinal (environmental impact statement). The tribe remains committed tothis process.'
Back in the neighborhoods that could be affected byannexation and a new casino-hotel complex, Christian said gamblingtraffic is already a problem in the area where he and Arciniega live,north of the existing casino and off Soboba Road.
'There are three senior communities up here and whenthere's functions going on at the casino, an ambulance can't get in.They have to send a helicopter,' Christian told CNS. ``That's with theexisting casino. If they build another one it's going to be worse.'
If the land in question gets deeded to the Sobobatribe, Christian said he and his neighbors should no longer have to paytaxes.
New Soboba Casino Restaurants Buffet
'We should be exempt from all city, state and federaltaxes, because they won't be able to service us any more,' Christiansaid.
Loren Pratt, another concerned resident, saidannexation would remove property from government tax roles, while aresort would lure visitors who would have an impact on roads andservices, the Press-Enterprise reported.
Pratt also said visitors may bypass non-Indian businesses and spend their money at the Soboba complex.
But a draft environmental report on the development suggests it wouldcreate jobs, and employees would live and spend money in the valley,the Press-Enterprise reported.
New Soboba Casino Restaurants Atlantic City
Wednesday's hearing and all written comments will beaddressed in a federal final environmental impact statement, thePress-Enterprise reported, citing information from Patrick O'Mallan,environmental protection specialist with the Bureau of Indian Affairs'Sacramento regional office. The final
environmental impact statement may not be ready until next year, the Press-Enterprise reported.
A regional BIA director will make a recommendation to Larry Echo Hawk,the U.S. Department of the Interior's assistant secretary of Indianaffairs, who will make the decision about the land annexation,according to O'Mallan.
