Hughes: C.W. Driver Cos.' project for the Soboba Tribe includes a new 140,000-square-foot casino with 2,000 slot machines, 24 table games and 100,000 square feet of back-of-house space on 37.5 acres of land. The casino will replace the tribe's current facility, which is just a few miles away, and includes a new six story, 200-room hotel with 15,000 square feet of conference and event space.

In addition to six restaurants, the development features a pool, sports bar, high-limit room, new parking structure and all of the indoor and outdoor amenities of a luxury resort. Our existing relationship with the Soboba Tribe of Luiseño Indians and our expertise in the gaming and hospitality industry made this project a natural partnership for us.

GlobeSt.com: What makes casino projects unique?

Hughes: As is often the case with Native American casinos, it took the Soboba Tribe more than two decades of approval battles and negotiations to secure approval to break ground on this project and replace their current facility. There are unique challenges and features of building on tribal land, where the federal government holds title to the land on behalf of the tribe and is legally obligated to protect tribal treaty rights, assets and resources.

We have a long history of working with tribes to navigate these unique circumstances, and are proud to be part of this project for the Soboba Tribe, which will generate hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in economic stimulus for the surrounding community. In addition to the intricacies of building on tribal land, it's also helpful to be aware of and incorporate any cultural preferences or priorities into a casino project. For example, tribes typically prefer that casino and resort developments blend in well with and complement the natural landscape.

GlobeSt.com: What are some of the sustainability elements being incorporated into this project? Is sustainability becoming a priority for casino projects in general?

Hughes: Also part of this cultural respect for nature is a focus on sustainability. When developing construction plans, tribal leadership wants to mitigate impact on the environment as much as possible. Often, they are willing to invest in green initiatives because of a sense of moral obligation rather than any financial incentive. Of course, any cost savings that come with making a project more sustainable are helpful as well.

In other projects, we've included green roofs that improve energy efficiency and minimize storm-water runoff. Water-reclamation facilities, which we installed at our recently completed Hollywood Casino Jamul project outside of San Diego, reduce a facility's water usage and are especially important for the dry desert climates in which casinos are often located. Co-generation plants, which can allow casinos and their hotels to be nearly self-sufficient and not reliant on the energy grid, are one of the most effective, but also costly, methods for casinos to go green.

GlobeSt.com: What are the latest trends in casino construction, particularly in San Diego and other parts of Southern California?

Hughes: No longer confined to Las Vegas, luxury casinos complete with resort-style hotels, spa facilities, golf courses, fitness centers, pools and entertainment options are becoming popular in San Diego and other parts of Southern California. Overnight accommodations and luxury amenities maximize guests' length of stay and increases the number of revenue streams for casinos. Incorporating event and conference space into casino developments is also becoming a popular trend. Casinos want to be able to host conferences of varying sizes, as well as weddings and other celebrations for their guests.

A wide variety of restaurants featuring different cuisines is also a top priority for new casino construction. Hollywood Casino Jamul, for example, includes a sports pub, craft beer and tapas bar, taqueria, steak and seafood restaurant and several other high-end dining options.

GlobeSt.com: What else should readers know about this topic?

Hughes: Casinos in Southern California are becoming much more than a place for locals to play poker for a few hours. They are becoming a destination for fine dining, concerts, nightclubs, a relaxing weekend away and much more. New construction and renovations of existing gaming facilities are reflecting that, providing an excellent experience for everyone from the most experienced gamer to couples looking for a fun resort getaway.

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SAN DIEGO—When developing casino projects, there are unique challenges and features to building on tribal land, where the federal government holds title to the land on behalf of the tribe and is legally obligated to protect tribal treaty rights, assets and resources, C.W. Driver Cos. project executive Brent Hughes tells GlobeSt.com. The builder has significant experience in working on casino projects and recent broke ground on a replacement casino and hotel project for the Soboba Tribe in San Jacinto, CA.

The 474,000-square-foot resort development will be built on 37.5 acres of land and includes 2,000 slot machines, 24 table games, a 200-room hotel, six food outlets and a pool. The groundbreaking came to fruition after 22 years of challenges, legal battles and negotiations surrounding the project. In addition, sustainability measures, including a green rooftop on the parking garage, are incorporated throughout the project.

We spoke with Hughes, who specializes in the project management of Native American casino and other hospitality projects, about this development and what makes casino projects unique.

GlobeSt.com: Can you tell us about the replacement casino and hotel project for the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians?

Hughes: C.W. Driver Cos.' project for the Soboba Tribe includes a new 140,000-square-foot casino with 2,000 slot machines, 24 table games and 100,000 square feet of back-of-house space on 37.5 acres of land. The casino will replace the tribe's current facility, which is just a few miles away, and includes a new six story, 200-room hotel with 15,000 square feet of conference and event space.

In addition to six restaurants, the development features a pool, sports bar, high-limit room, new parking structure and all of the indoor and outdoor amenities of a luxury resort. Our existing relationship with the Soboba Tribe of Luiseño Indians and our expertise in the gaming and hospitality industry made this project a natural partnership for us.

GlobeSt.com: What makes casino projects unique?

Hughes: As is often the case with Native American casinos, it took the Soboba Tribe more than two decades of approval battles and negotiations to secure approval to break ground on this project and replace their current facility. There are unique challenges and features of building on tribal land, where the federal government holds title to the land on behalf of the tribe and is legally obligated to protect tribal treaty rights, assets and resources.

We have a long history of working with tribes to navigate these unique circumstances, and are proud to be part of this project for the Soboba Tribe, which will generate hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in economic stimulus for the surrounding community. In addition to the intricacies of building on tribal land, it's also helpful to be aware of and incorporate any cultural preferences or priorities into a casino project. For example, tribes typically prefer that casino and resort developments blend in well with and complement the natural landscape.

GlobeSt.com: What are some of the sustainability elements being incorporated into this project? Is sustainability becoming a priority for casino projects in general?

Hughes: Also part of this cultural respect for nature is a focus on sustainability. When developing construction plans, tribal leadership wants to mitigate impact on the environment as much as possible. Often, they are willing to invest in green initiatives because of a sense of moral obligation rather than any financial incentive. Of course, any cost savings that come with making a project more sustainable are helpful as well.

In other projects, we've included green roofs that improve energy efficiency and minimize storm-water runoff. Water-reclamation facilities, which we installed at our recently completed Hollywood Casino Jamul project outside of San Diego, reduce a facility's water usage and are especially important for the dry desert climates in which casinos are often located. Co-generation plants, which can allow casinos and their hotels to be nearly self-sufficient and not reliant on the energy grid, are one of the most effective, but also costly, methods for casinos to go green.

GlobeSt.com: What are the latest trends in casino construction, particularly in San Diego and other parts of Southern California?

Hughes: No longer confined to Las Vegas, luxury casinos complete with resort-style hotels, spa facilities, golf courses, fitness centers, pools and entertainment options are becoming popular in San Diego and other parts of Southern California. Overnight accommodations and luxury amenities maximize guests' length of stay and increases the number of revenue streams for casinos. Incorporating event and conference space into casino developments is also becoming a popular trend. Casinos want to be able to host conferences of varying sizes, as well as weddings and other celebrations for their guests.

A wide variety of restaurants featuring different cuisines is also a top priority for new casino construction. Hollywood Casino Jamul, for example, includes a sports pub, craft beer and tapas bar, taqueria, steak and seafood restaurant and several other high-end dining options.

GlobeSt.com: What else should readers know about this topic?

Hughes: Casinos in Southern California are becoming much more than a place for locals to play poker for a few hours. They are becoming a destination for fine dining, concerts, nightclubs, a relaxing weekend away and much more. New construction and renovations of existing gaming facilities are reflecting that, providing an excellent experience for everyone from the most experienced gamer to couples looking for a fun resort getaway.