Company breaks ground on Sacramento area casino

Friday, Nov. 15, 2002 | 11:11 a.m.

Las Vegas-based neighborhood casino operator Station Casinos Inc. broke ground Oct. 26 on its Thunder Valley Casino, a property it will manage for an Indian tribe near a busy highway linking San Francisco with Reno.

The casino will open by summer with the remainder of the property open by the fourth quarter of next year, Station Casinos announced in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company has also submitted its management agreement for approval by the National Indian Gaming Commission.

Thunder Valley will feature between 1,256 and 1,906 slot machines, about 100 table games, a VIP gaming area, a 500-seat bingo room, three specialty restaurants, a food court and a buffet.

The casino, which is being operated for the United Auburn Indian Community, has faced several legal challenges from surrounding communities and is considered a potentially serious threat to Reno's already-struggling tourism market.

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