San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino Features a New Look

San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino in Highland, California, now features a whole new look, with the addition of 43,950 square feet of gaming space and 2,000 slot machines. The casino continues to be a popular spot to "get away from it all" for a few hours of gaming fun and action.

In the cardroom, the poker tables are busy and the action is brisk. "We've always got games going, even in the middle of the night," said Denise Obermeyer, cardroom manager. "Our players know that, and they like the fact that we have the late-night action – not just midday or early evenings – that some of the other casinos might not have."

Earlier this year, San Manuel added three-card poker and Let it Ride to its offerings, and both games have proved to be popular with players. The casino currently features two tables of three-card poker and hopes to add more to accommodate demand for the game. "Now that the new addition to the facility is complete, we're looking at how to expand our cardroom. We'd like to add more tables and give everyone a little more to play, as well as widen the variety of games that we offer," Casino Director Lee Hughes stated. "It's coming; it's just a matter of when."

San Manuel poker players enjoy the cardroom's variety of regular promotions, which include Double Poker Jackpots, $250 High-Hand-of-the-Hour, the Far Out Friday promotion, which gives players a chance to win up to $1,000, and a monthly freeroll tournament with prize money of $15,000.

Blackjack players have their share of action with the Blockbuster Thursdays promotion (31 drawings are held over the course of the day, each worth $500), which often carries over to other days of the week, as well. Wacky Wednesdays continue to be popular, with chances to win cash for both suited blackjack hands and bonus hands, and once a month there is a freeroll tournament with prize money of $15,000. The casino is proud of its ongoing bonus payouts on blackjack.

The slots area at San Manuel has grown enormously in the past year, with most of the casino's new space devoted to slot play. With the passage of California's Proposition 1A in 1999, slot machines became legal in Indian casinos, and San Manuel has taken advantage of that in expanding its slot offerings. While video keno and video poker, especially the newer versions, continue to be popular among players, many players are sampling a wider variety of slot machines these days. Games such as Sizzling Sevens, Little Green Men, and Double Diamonds are becoming player favorites, and the addition of wide-area progressives has given slot players even more options from which to choose. In fact, San Manuel has paid out almost $4 million in progressive jackpots since July of this year.

"Slots have performed tremendously since the new addition opened last May," said Rick Rothenberger, director of slots operations. "The new machines have been extremely popular, and we're seeing more crossover to slots from both the cardroom and bingo. The new slots have increased our player base significantly."

Current projects at San Manuel include an expanded Player's Club program to reward play in all areas of the casino, and expanded entertainment offerings on weekends. Headline acts such as the Smothers Brothers, the rock group War, and R&B singers K-Ci and Jo Jo are just a few of the performers who have appeared at San Manuel during the past year. The casino showcases live entertainment every weekend, and plans to continue this trend through the coming year.

"It's been a great year for us," said Ron Mastandrea, general manager. "I've been with the company since day one, and it's exciting to see us grow and change. It's only going to get better as time goes on."

From the look of San Manuel's busy cardroom, slot areas, and huge bingo hall filled with players, he may just be right.