Casino fans, it’s your lucky day — San Diego’s gaming industry has never been more dynamic.
The October opening of Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego brought the region’s count to 10. And expansion, renovation and upgrades are under way, or already taking place, at five of them, to the tune of an estimated $1 billion in development.
Sleek hotel towers are being built, innovative dining concepts are being cooked up, spas are being made more sumptuous and resorts are getting more resort-y — all a reflection of how the modern-day, 24/7 casino is so much more than slots and tables. You can bet, though, that gambling is still at the heart of casinos, so gaming floors are growing, too.
San Diego has come a long way since a few of the area’s Native American tribes opened bingo parlors on their land. Today, casinos are huge companies, employing thousands of locals, contributing millions to community causes and making significant efforts toward environmental sustainability.
Casinos have become part of our area’s social fabric — we celebrate holidays there, watch Chargers games, throw girlfriend getaways, play 18 rounds of golf, or simply enjoy dinner.
And we’re not the only ones. Visitors from Orange, Riverside and Los Angeles counties, as well as Tijuana and northern Baja California, make up a big part of San Diego’s burgeoning casino demographic.
With all that casinos have to offer in this high-stakes competitive market, how do you choose which one is right for you? Like we said, it’s your lucky day. For this Ultimate Guide, our intrepid team spent countless hours touring nearly every property — eating at the buffet, luxuriating in the presidential suites and, yes, even gambling a little.
In this online guide, you’ll find detailed descriptions of each casino property and our video profiles have captured all the sights, sounds and special offerings.
With all the transformations afoot, the specifics are subject to change. And you can wager on more changes to come.
Twitter: @sdeditgirl