Yaamava’ Resort & Casino in San Manuel will celebrate the grand opening of its new 17-story, 432-room hotel for tribal members and guests on Dec. 13.

Yaamava’ Resort & Casino ready to welcome guests 

Yaamava, formerly known as San Manuel Casino, broke construction on the $760 million resort expansion in July 2018. Phase one opened this summer and comprised three new bars, two floors of enlarged gaming space with over 1,500 additional slot machines, a high-limit gaming room, and three retail locations. 

Guests can now book future hotel arrangements directly through the casino’s website. Since the booking link went online, several months have been booked in advance; however, the tribe anticipates cancellations. Additionally, the casino will offer a public promotion on Dec. 13 from 1 p.m. to midnight, with prizes totaling more than $120,000.

A sprawling pool deck with private cabanas, a full-service spa, and increased eating options will open alongside the hotel. On the top floor of the hotel tower, there is a lounge with views of the San Bernardino Mountains and food and beverage selections. The third and final phase of the casino expansion will include opening a separate 2,800-seat entertainment complex next spring.

COVID-19 caused a slight delay in hotel construction last year, but the expansion project’s casino additions remained on pace, Yaamava’s General Manager Peter Arceo told The Desert Sun in April. The leading casino returned in June 2020 after closing for several months voluntarily during the outset of the pandemic, as did other Southern California tribal casinos.

Arceo noted that the expansion would assist the San Manuel tribe and future generations to be “successful and sustainable” and provide full-time jobs in the neighboring county.

Quotes from the Press Release

“As Yaamava’ took shape over the previous three years, the San Manuel community understood we were creating something exceptional,” said Ken Ramirez, chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, which owns Yaamava Resort & Casino near Highland. “We cannot wait for our devoted casino customers and newcomers to discover all that Yaamava’ has to offer.”

“In my 30-plus years in the hotel industry, I have never been more excited to open a facility than I am about Yaamava’ Resort & Casino,” said Afsi Bird, vice president of hotel operations. “With the leadership and support of the tribe, we are creating something genuinely unique, founded in outstanding service and dedicated to providing visitors with remarkable experiences.”

“When we began this extension project a few years ago, we always believed, ‘This is an investment in the tribe’s long-term future and the local community’s long-term success,'” he explained.