Thunder Valley Casino Resort has over 270,000sq ft of gaming floor space, which has 3,500+ slot machines. These include both classic slots and more modern Link titles. Denominations range from 1¢ to $100 and there are slot ambassadors on hand specifically for this area. The casino also has a Thunder Strike Jackpot in play, which starts at $50,000. For guests who want to play with higher denominations, there is the Premier Slot Salon that operates as a High-Limit Gaming area.
There are 100 table games on offer in the casino pit too, with traditional games such as baccarat and blackjack, as well as more unusual titles such as Face Up Pai Gow Poker, Mystery Card Roulette and Spanish 21.
Games at Thunder Valley Bingo run from Thursday through to Sunday, with a progressive jackpot live across the different sessions. The hall can accommodate up to 800 seated players.
The Poker Room was opened in 2018 and has 27 tables for regular tournaments, with the option to increase this up to 50 tables for larger events, such as WPTDeepstacks, World Series of Poker Circuit and the Ante Up World Championship.
The property was first opened on June 9, 2003. It was designed by Edward Vance of the JMA Architecture Studios and built by the Penta Building Group.
Thunder Valley Casino Resort was first operated by Station Casinos, which managed the casino until a major renovation in 2010.
This expansion was unveiled on June 28, 2010 with a public ribbon-cutting ceremony that included tribal dancers. The project took two years to complete and featured a new 17-story hotel, with 297 rooms and 40 suites. The hotel also added a banquet, entertainment hall, conference areas and a gift shop. As for pools and spas, the hotel was fitted with a pool featuring private cabanas and a poolside bar as well as a spa.
On April 4, 2018, Thunder Valley Casino Resort opened its new Poker Room. The ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by several poker players and community leaders.
The United Auburn Indian Community (UAIC) is a federally recognized tribe located on the Auburn Rancheria. The tribe can be traced back to the Auburn Band of predominantly Miwok Indians, who fought for the tribe’s federal recognition to be restored in 1994.
To open up gaming facilities, the UAIC signed a Tribal-State Gaming Compact with the State of California in September 1999, which would allow the tribe to offer Class III gaming. This deal was renegotiated with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2004.
MGM Resorts International: Since 2014, Thunder Valley Casino Resort has partnered with MGM Resorts for their respective loyalty programs.
Pride Industries: On October 29, 2021, 30 workers were hired through the Pride Industries disability program.
The hotel at Thunder Valley Casino Resort has 17 stories, over 400 rooms and 40 suites. The rooms start at the Deluxe King and go up to the Provence Suite. Guests at the hotel can access the Coconut Pool and Bar, which has rentable private cabanas and games, such as Big Chess, Big Connect 4, Jenga, and Cornhole.
The UAIC has also fostered a close working partnership with several local hotels that are close to the hotel, such as Hyatt Place and Residence Inn, which are featured on the Resort’s website.
The Venue at Thunder Valley has 150,000sq ft of space and 4,500 seats for guests. The stage hosts musical acts, comedic performances, and sporting events year-round, with a digital message feature that can display personalized shoutouts from guests.
The venue was opened on February 17, 2023, as part of a $100m expansion. The acts that have performed on the stage so far include Bruno Mars, Kevin Hart, John Fogerty and Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
The Spa at Thunder Valley offers facials, body scrubs, massages, waxing and other salon services.
The Fitness Center is open 24/7 and has a complete suite of exercise equipment for hotel guests.
Dr Anthony Lucas, Professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, speaks to Tim Poole on the Huddle about the paper he released this year on the limitations of free play within land-based casinos. He does, however, understand why gaming executives may not jump to embrace his ideas. We discuss:
Greentube's Chief Financial Officer and Chief Games Officer, Michael Bauer, joins Tim Poole on the Huddle to discuss all things Greentube and all things North America.
