The San Manuel Indians jumped into gambling in 1986 with a 50,000-square-foot bingo hall, the nation’s second-largest bingo operation.
“We are out of the bingo business,” he said. That meant eliminating more geriatric games.
Like most of the other casinos that have invested in upgrades and expansions, the San Manuel Casino is making a play for younger gamblers with a more lively atmosphere, Gill said. It serves bar food among rock images and giant television screens on the wall, blaring concert footage and music videos. The most noticeable change has been the expansion of its Rock & Brews restaurant, a raucous rock ’n’ roll-themed eatery founded by, among others, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, members of the rock band Kiss.
Since October 2016, the San Manuel tribe has added 900 slot machines, 16 card tables, a daiquiri and juice bar and a Mexican restaurant designed by comedian George Lopez, plus overhauls of its steak restaurant, retail outlet and an Asian-themed gambling room.
