Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego signed a 25-year gaming compact with the state of California.
The opening of the Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego on Monday has led to significant traffic problems on Route 94 between state Route 125 and Honey Springs Road. The California Highway Patrol reported several crash along State Route 94 near the casino. A tow truck responding to a crash was stuck in traffic on SR-94, which appears to have been undergoing construction.
Officials with the casino said the grand opening may have played a role in the traffic problems, while highlighting the highway improvements the casino would help fund. City officials, school officials, and local news reporters warned residents of the traffic jams they would face. Meanwhile, all looked ahead to Tuesday, when a local school would be in session, causing an uptick in traffic.
Criticism from Dianne Jacob and Others
When the Hollywood Casino was announced, it drew criticism from residents of East County, who complained about the traffic and social problems the casino would cause. Despite the complaints, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a 25-year gaming compact in August 2016 to allow the 200,000-square-foot casino to open.
The gaming compact allows the casino to operate on the property of the Jamul Indian Village, making it a tribal casino. Penn National Gaming, a private casino company based out of Pennsylvania, built the casino is going to manage the day-to-day affairs. Penn National runs 27 other casinos and gaming facilities across the United States.
$400 Million Hollywood Casino
The Hollywood Casino complex cost $400 million to build. It is located roughly 20 miles east of downtown San Diego, giving the San Diego greater metropolitan area another casino enclave.
In December 2015, law enforcement officials raided two San Diego area casinos: Seven Mile Casino on Bay Boulevard in Chula Vista and the Black Jack Palomar Casino on El Cajon Boulevard and Oregon Street. Those casinos were closed after the raids, as 25 people in 4 states were charged with alleged conspiracy to launder millions of dollars in high-stakes poker games.
The Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego houses 43 table games, 1700 slot machines, and 7 restaurants. Tony Gwynn’s Sports Pub, which honors the late Hall of Fame members of the San Diego Padres, is one of the seven establishments in the casino. In all, the complex is going to provide jobs for more than 1,000 people.
Concrete Barriers along the Roadway
A stretch of the highway near the casino is lined with concrete barriers, as it appears to be under construction. County Supervisor Dianne Jacob led area residents in fighting the casino development, because they were concerned about traffic impacts on the semi-rurual SR-94 roadway.
Dianne Jacob in particular criticized the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for its agreement with the casino interest. She said around the time the project was announed, “Caltrans is failing the public by allowing the casino to open without all the badly needed road improvements in place, which was a part of the agreement Caltrans reached with Jamul Indian Village in 2009.”
Defense of the Casino’s Opening
Erica Pinto, chairwoman of Jamul Indian Village, chose to look at the big picture surrounding the casino’s opening. Citing the fact that casino funds are going to go to infrastructure and highway repairs, Pinto said, “The tribe maintains a longstanding commitment to the community. We are proud to fund roadway improvements and other essential services to make our community safer. These efforts are meaningful and important for our tribe and our neighbors.”
Caltrans gave a more general statement on the concerns, telling locals that “traffic volumes may increase and motorists are urged to give themselves additional time to reach their destinations.”
Locals Report Heavy Traffic
Heather Hope of CBS8 tweeted, “Opening Day causing concern for emergency vehicles to get through. A Lakeside man says commute was 3hrs.”
One of the chief concerns is Monday was Columbus Day, so school was out. The traffic on Tuesday could be much work, because hundreds of high school students and teachers will be added to the traffic situation. Steele Canyon High School texted a warning to residents of the local community, suggesting a drive through the area would require planning.
The text read, “Attn: SCHS Community, traffic is currently backed up from the casino to the Campo/Jamacha intersection. Please plan accordingly & drive safe.”
Hollywood Casino Cites the Grand Opening
Richard St. Jean, the general manager of the casino, suggested traffic would not be as bad after Day One. St. Jean suggested the traffic jam was caused by the grand opening celebration. Standing on his years in the industry and familiarity with grand openings, Richard St. Jean said in a released statement that traffic overflow is “common with grand openings.“
