Tuesday, April 17, 2001 | 10:54 a.m.
VALLEY CENTER, Calif. -- The San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians is preparing for Wednesday's opening of another casino in San Diego County.
The 45,000-square foot Valley View casino with 750 slot machines and 12 card tables is the third Indian casino to open this year in the county.
The Pala Band opened a 185,000-square foot casino earlier this month north of Escondido. The Pauma Band, near Valley Center, and the Campo band, east of Alpine, are expected to open casinos in May.
The tribes are rushing to open casinos before of a May 15 deadline to begin operating slot machines or risk losing them under tribal agreements with state. State regulators, however, have said the deadline is likely to be extended.
San Pasqual's Valley View casino was built in southwestern adobe style with the financial backing of Alaska-based Sealaska Corp. and the gambling expertise of Louisiana-based First Nation Gaming.
The 300-member tribe hopes it will be the first phase of a $180-million project that will include a full-scale resort, hotel and casino overlooking Lake Wohlford.
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