San Manuel Casino Becomes Yaamava’ Resort and Casino

San Manuel Casino in San Bernardino County, California was officially rebranded as Yaamava’ Resort and Casino at San Manuel last week.

The property is owned by San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and is operated by the San Manuel Entertainment Authority.

The rebrand includes a new visual identity and logo for the gaming complex, with those being inspired by and paying homage to the culture and heritage of the Serrano people. Yaamava’ itself is a native Serrano word that means spring, property officials pointed out last week.

The new logo shows fronds of yucca plant forming the latter ‘Y’ in a woven basket pattern. Property officials said that they have begun changing signage and expect to complete that task in the next few weeks.

The rebrand comes after the San Manuel tribe unveiled in late July phase one of the resort’s ongoing $760 million expansion, which started three years ago. That first phase included two new gaming floors. The casino portion of the complex now covers 270,000 feet of space. As part of the expansion, San Manuel added 1,300 new slot machines to bring the venue’s total to over 6,500 as well as 40 new table games.

The casino also launched its fifth high limit room, The Enclave. It features eight table games, 35 standalone slot machines, and 11 bartop spots.

Phase one of the multi-million dollar expansion scheme further included the 24-hour Serrano Vista Café and three new stores.

What’s Next for the Rebranded Property?

Aside from the ongoing rebrand, San Manuel is also gearing up preparations for the upcoming opening of the resort’s new hotel. The 17-floor tower is expected to open doors this coming December. It will feature 432 guest rooms, including 127 suites, a pool deck with seven private cabanas, a full-service spa, and more food and beverage options.

In 2022, the San Manuel tribe plans to launch a 2,800-seat entertainment venue as phase three of its massive expansion project. The scheme is projected to create multiple jobs. The tribe said that it will employ more than 6,000 people by the end of 2021.

The now former San Manuel Casino first opened doors in 1986 as a modest bingo operation. In 1994, the venue was expanded into a 100,000-square-foot casino with slot machines and card games. As it expanded, it became known as San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino, before its name was shortened to San Manuel casino in 2017. The property’s bingo hall was closed that year.

The San Manuel tribe is in the process of acquiring Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas from Red Rock Resorts for $650 million. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year. Tribal officials said that rebranding their flagship casino will enable them to lend the San Manuel name to some of their other business ventures.

Source: San Manuel Casino rebrands as Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel, The San Bernardino Sun, September 24, 2021