Viejas Casino Celebrates 10th Anniversary

The year 1991 was filled with memorable moments. The Cold War ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Silence of the Lambs won the Oscar for best picture. The Minnesota Twins beat the Atlanta Braves in an electrifying World Series. And the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians opened a one-room, upstart gaming operation called Viejas Casino and Turf Club in Alpine, California.

There's a lot to celebrate at Viejas Casino, which this month celebrates its 10th anniversary. As San Diego's largest (283,000 square feet) and most diverse gaming facility, Viejas Casino offers round-the-clock action with 80 card tables, 2,000 coin-operated slot machines, a bingo pavilion, cocktail service, and five restaurants. Across the street there's a 57-store outlet center featuring a 1,500-seat outdoor concert venue that hosts national headliner acts.

Poker and other card games attract a strong, loyal following at Viejas. The poker room consistently fills up on weekends and the morning and evening tournaments are as popular as ever with regular players. The action is strong, with low-limit players enjoying a steady diet of $1-$3 and $3-$6 stud, $2-$4 and $4-$8 Omaha, as well as $3-$6 and $4-$8 hold'em.

Meanwhile, higher-limit players feast on $8-$16, $15-$30, and $20-$40 hold'em games. In addition, Viejas' monthly and weekly jackpot freerolls are a hot draw among players.

Viejas also offers a number of cash incentives to its poker players. The casino gives away $5,000 every week to its $8-$16 hold'em and Omaha players. For every 20 hours of play, these players receive an entry into a drawing that awards $500 to each of 10 different players. The casino recently began an identical giveaway promotion for its $20-$40 hold'em players.

The casino keeps the poker action going round-the-clock with its late-night graveyard promotions. Every day from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m., Viejas offers $600 in "rack attacks." On six different occasions from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m., Viejas draws a table number and adds a $100 rack of chips to that table; whoever wins the hand also wins the $100 rack. Viejas also offers three hours of double jackpots (2 a.m.-3 a.m., 4 a.m.-5 a.m., and 7 a.m.-8 a.m.).

Other card games offered at Viejas include Caribbean Stud, Let it Ride, pai gow, super pan 9, minibaccarat, and double-hand baccarat. In all, Viejas Casino has 20 tables for poker, 35 for blackjack, and 22 for Asian games.

Art Van Loon began his career at Viejas as a dealer coordinator the first day the casino opened in 1991, and has risen through the ranks to become vice president of gaming operations today. And while he's seen a lot of growth over the years, he says he's not surprised to see Viejas become a premier gaming destination. "I knew that our commitment to guest service would serve us well over the long term, and our location right off the freeway makes us the easiest casino in town to get to," Van Loon said. "Plus, guests appreciate the fact that we're a full-service casino with a wide range of gaming and entertainment amenities."

The casino has benefited greatly from the leadership, vision, and resolve of the Viejas Tribal Government. "Under the direction of the Viejas tribe, the casino has come a long way in 10 years," said Andy Asselin, senior vice president and general manager of Viejas Casino.

Casino guests can take advantage of an array of special benefits with Viejas' VIP Rewards Club. Members of the free club can earn points while playing table games or slot machines – and points earned translate to credits for meals, concert tickets, merchandise, and gift certificates. Rewards Club members also receive discounts at many Viejas Outlet Center stores. The members of the VIP Rewards Club's Elite and Premier programs receive valet or preferred self-parking at no charge, along with a wide range of special privileges designed to fit their wants and needs.

"Other casinos have similar programs, but Viejas is unique in that it allows guests to use their club cards outside the casino," said Cyndy Fought, director of casino marketing. "The club helps us get to know our guests better, so that we can invite them to participate in special tournaments and promotions based on the games they enjoy the most."

Viejas guests can please their palates at the casino's five distinctly different restaurants, which cater to a wide variety of tastes. These restaurants include The Grove Steakhouse, Harvest Buffet, Sunrise Diner, China Camp Express, and Mezz Deli and Lounge.

When guests aren't at one table or another, they can enjoy a variety of national headliner acts across the street from the casino at Viejas Concerts in the Park. The 2001 concert series features performers such as Chicago (Sept. 18-19), Huey Lewis (Sept. 27), Rick Springfield (Sept. 30), and Randy Travis (Oct. 11). Performers earlier this year included Lyle Lovett & His Large Band, Bill Cosby, the Moody Blues, Kenny Loggins, and many others.

Gambling and dining aren't the only entertainment opportunities for casino guests. Viejas Outlet Center offers 57 national-brand stores, including Polo/Ralph Lauren, Nike, Perry Ellis, Levi's Dockers, Tommy Hilfiger, The Gap, Bass, and Nautica.

The transformation of Viejas from small gambling facility to major entertainment attraction has been gradual. When it opened 10 years ago, Viejas Casino offered poker, off-track betting, video lottery terminals, and a small restaurant. Soon afterward, player-pool blackjack arrived, and Viejas began to take on the look and feel of a real casino. And when house-banked card games and coin-operated slots became reality with the passage of Proposition 1A in March 2000, Viejas Casino reached a new level of entertainment and excitement.