UPPER LAKE, Calif. (May 23, 2012) –The long awaited Running Creek Casino – nestled among the pines in the beautiful resort area of Clear Lake, celebrates its grand opening Memorial Day weekend.

Located in an innovative Sprung structure at 635 E. Highway 20 in Upper Lake, Calif., the region has long been a mecca for campers, hikers, nature lovers and water sports enthusiasts—and now boasts a new casino property as one of the area attractions. The 33,000-square-foot casino, built by Kitchell, is an enterprise of the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake, and houses 349 of the hottest slot machines and six popular table games.

“I am proud to represent THIS Tribe whose eternal hope and unrelenting determination not only brought this project to fruition in Lake County, but did so in a cooperative, respectful and professional manner,” said Tribal Chairperson Sherry Treppa. “The Tribe could not be more pleased about the new jobs we have created in our community through this project and the positive economic impact Running Creek will provide for area businesses.”

In addition to gaming, Running Creek Casino features the Hot Springs Express restaurant, offering quick, made to order menu selections such as burgers, sandwiches and salads. A second dining option is Wildfire, a 65-seat full service restaurant with patio dining featuring quality American cuisine and a wood burning pizza oven. Running Creek’s On the Rocks is a full service bar that highlights a variety of cocktails, beers and wines by the glass, as well as an array of appetizers to compliment any drink selection. Other amenities include the Running Rewards player’s club and multiple meeting rooms.

“The high-performance fabric and reliability of Sprung structures make them an ideal solution for many gaming and entertainment enterprises, and we’re seeing more interest in them,” said Kitchell Native American Division Vice President Brad Gabel. “They can handle high capacity, accommodate multiple uses and are less expensive than traditional building while maintaining a high aesthetic standard.”

Background
The Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake are a federally recognized tribe historically located in Upper Lake California. In 2008, they were able to place 11.24 acres near their historic tribal lands into trust, which allowed them to create a gaming enterprise. The casino construction project began in 2004 and was approved by the Department of the Interior in August of 2011, as well as through a state compact signed in March of 2011 by Gov. Jerry Brown.