The Jamul Indian Village Development Corporation, a subsidiary of the Jamul Indian Village Tribe, will add what’s described as “a boutique, luxury hotel” to the Jamul Casino.
The hotel is currently under construction. On tap for the casino are “a new curated collection of leisure experiences for its guests,” officials said.
Plans for the 16-story hotel include 200 rooms and suites, a pedestrian sky bridge, 4,800-square-foot restaurant, retail space, meeting and banquet facilities, full-service spa and salon with an outdoor deck and an 11,000-square-foot rooftop pool deck. The hotel is being built to achieve AAA’s Four-Diamond designation.
In February 2014, the development corporation oversaw the groundbreaking of a gaming facility on the reservation. Two years later, Jamul Casino opened, adding 1,200 permanent jobs to the region.
Significant investments include the addition of The Rooftop event venue, a new Poker Room, and major renovations to the High Limit Rooms and the Jamul Marketplace food court. In March of this year, the corporation closed on a $515-million loan to refinance existing debt and fund construction.
Erica M. Pinto, chairwoman of the Jamul Indian Village and Chairwoman of the corporation board, cited the new jobs and overall economic impact of the planned hotel.
“The hotel will allow us to effectively expand our footprint in the market while increasing funding for fire protection to serve all of San Diego County as well as provide 125 new permanent jobs and 1,000 construction jobs,” she said. “The economic impact of the hotel will have far-reaching and long-term positive effects on our Tribal nation, state and local economy.”
The new building was imagined as a crystalline jewel box floating against the Jamul mountains. Robert J. Gdowski, AIA, principal at JCJ Architecture, said it has been “designed to inspire the senses and arouse one’s relationship with nature.”
JIV is one of 13 federally recognized tribes that are part of the Kumeyaay Nation, with roots in East County.