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The Morongo Casino Resort & Spa is scheduled to hold four job fairs this month, where it hopes to hire hundreds of workers.

Each event will include possible on-the-spot offers for several departments, including cash operations, count room, entertainment, food and beverage, hospitality, housekeeping, promotions, public safety and surveillance and the Morongo Travel Center, according to a tribal statement.

Positions at Marketplace, an upscale food hall featuring seven gourmet restaurants that opened recently, also will be available. All four job fairs will be held at the Morongo Grand Ballroom.

Dates and times are:

June 7, 2022, 12:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

June 14, 2022, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

June 21, 2022, 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

June 28, 2022, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Before the event, interested parties should complete an online application at http://www.morongocasinoresort.com/employment.

Morongo Casino is next to Interstate 10 at 49500 Seminole Dr., Cabazon.

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Shortly after its first anniversary in March, the Soboba Casino Resort temporarily closed amid the coronavirus pandemic. The novel COVID-19 disease left people staying home and businesses closing their doors and furloughing employees. The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians made the choice to reopen on May 27 and guests seem to be happy with their decision as they flocked to the casino to enjoy gaming fun once again. The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians operates the SCR and the Soboba Springs Golf Course on its tribal land, and the Tribal Council said helping the community return to recreational activities they enjoy will help everyone heal as we all try to get accustomed to a new normal. The reopening also provides much-needed revenue to fund tribal resources that are essential to its members.

“We also made every effort to get our employees back to their livelihoods as quickly as possible,” Chairman Isaiah Vivanco said. “We even reclassified some positions to bring back as many as we could, as soon as we could.”

Chris Solis was a valet but in preparation of the reopening he was recruited to the environmental services (EVS) department as a member of the Soboba Clean Team. Many SCR employees, such as table games dealer Henry Bryant, returned to their previous jobs while others are working in different capacities until they are needed for a specific position once again.

“The Clean Team was put together to supplement EVS and focus on all high-touch point areas throughout the venue,” said team supervisor Ronnie Bussell, who has been employed by Soboba for three years. EVS supervisor Karen Orman has been working at Soboba for 10 years and she said the protocol for her team to clean slot machines is to wipe it down with disinfectant from top to bottom and side to side as soon as someone gets up from the machine in order to have it ready for the next guest. Orman, who usually works the graveyard shift, was there during daytime hours on May 22 to help prepare for the reopening.

EVS crew member Clyde Brotherton was also working that day and excited about the reopening. He has been at Soboba for 11 years and worked about two weeks prior to May 27 to get things ready. Priscilla Frank has been with Soboba for about 18 years and has worked both the front and the back of the house during her tenure. She is currently the Player Services Manager and is a key person in the reopening. A Plexiglass divider is at the Rewards station which she oversees.

“We are opening with a smaller crew until we start to see the flow so we can gauge who needs to come back next,” she said. “Masks are a mandatory part of the uniform for everyone that is a face to our guests. They can either wear a black or a red mask but all are issued as part of the uniform and need to be worn at all times. My team will also wear gloves since we will be touching members’ cards; and we will change (our gloves) throughout the day.”

The casino is currently adhering to a strict no-smoking policy on the casino floor but will have designated areas set up for smokers. During the facility’s construction in 2018, planners opted to install sophisticated floor air exchangers that are designed to allow for outside air to come into the facility. Every 10 minutes the air handlers complete a cycle of replacing the air within the room with fresh air. This system has given the casino an added advantage during this time when cleaner air is so important.

In the days leading up to the reopening, Team Soboba employees were welcomed back with a mandatory COVID-19 property-wide protocol information session. Facilitated by Training and Guest Services Manager Kelley Carpenter Conign, she said the purpose of the video presentation and Q&A meeting was to help everyone understand the best way to utilize multiple PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).

“It’s not just about protecting yourself, but those around you,” she said. “I felt it was important to go the video route for this training so as more employees come back, they will be able to get the same exact message. Resources for more information are accessible online through Soboba’s internal website as well as other areas.” Human Resources scheduled employees to attend the information sessions by department so they could meet with their supervisors afterward for more in-depth training specific to their areas.

Director of Table Games, Stewart Madden, has been with the casino for 10 years and said all his employees had to learn how perform their jobs with the new protocols in place.

“We are encouraging social distancing with only four players per table and spectators will have a line they will need to remain behind,” Madden said. “We are trying to mitigate touching as much as possible and will be regularly sanitizing all the chips.”

The new restrictions didn’t seem to faze guests as they patiently waited in an area that was set up under the valet overhang at the main casino entrance. Excited conversations could be heard, such as: “I can’t wait to win” and “I just want to get gambling again.”

“It’s one thing to plan for this reopening, but it’s different to actively work with the protocols now that people are coming in,” SCR Assistant General Manager Jason Cozart said on May 27. “So far, everything is going smoothly, and we have a lot of happy guests.”

Soboba Casino Resort is at 22777 Soboba Road in San Jacinto. Information, www.soboba.com or 866-4-SOBOBA (866-476-2622).

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As many businesses throughout Riverside County slowly start to reopen, there are a lot of residents that are relieved they can start enjoying past fun activities. Golf courses reopened at the end of April and Soboba Springs Golf Course has had sold-out tee times since then. While there is still concern about the coronavirus, measures have been implemented to provide heightened safety for all.

When the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians made the decision to reopen its casino on May 27, it was not done lightly. Tribal Council members have been meeting continuously to gauge all the pros and cons to taking this next step. Revenue from the Soboba Casino Resort funds all the tribe’s programs and services, from its public safety and public works departments to the reservation’s schools. At first, the Federal government’s CARES Act seemed like it would provide enough funding to keep all the tribe’s essential departments afloat. However, the allocations were based on Native American tribe populations, which hurt California’s Native Americans as tribe sizes are much smaller in this state.

“This is the current situation, and no one knows exactly how or when things will return to what they once were,” said Soboba Tribal Chairman Isaiah Vivanco. “Most likely, there will be a long period of adjustment as the public gets back to work, school and recreation as it used to be.” The Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to support local tribes during its meeting on May 19 to discuss reopening more businesses while trying to balance the community’s physical health and financial wellbeing.

Small Business Association (SBA) loans were offered to companies at first who had to shut down their operations during the pandemic but Soboba didn’t qualify based on its amount of employees, which exceeded 500. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has offered to help tribes with a 25% contribution effort from the tribes.

Soboba Casino Resort employees are working diligently to provide a clean, safe and exciting gaming experience for all guests. They are making the casino as safe as possible while not sacrificing the outstanding customer service SCR has been known for. Protocols include cleaning the casino floor with a hospital grade disinfectant and increasing the frequency of cleaning all casino areas.

“Upon reopening, all guests and team members will be required to wear a mask; gloves will be optional for guests,” Jason Cozart, assistant general manager of Soboba Casino Resort, said. “Our gaming floor will be smoke free, but we will have designated smoking areas. We take pride in being the preferred casino and entertainment destination and are committed to providing exceptional service and experience for our guests and team members alike.”

Soboba’s health and sanitation program has been reviewed and approved by the Soboba Tribal Gaming Commission (STGC), the agency charged by law as the primary regulator for the tribe’s gaming operation and ensuring the health and safety of patrons and employees.

Security officials will welcome every guest to the resort. Guests will receive non-invasive temperature checks, utilize touchless hand sanitizer dispensers and must wear a mask or appropriate face covering. Informational signage will be on display, illustrating the proper use of masks and social distancing practices being used throughout the resort.

To ensure proper social distancing, SCR is utilizing sensors to monitor the number of guests entering and exiting the property in real time. The Tree Bar will be open, with limited seating to ensure proper social distancing. In addition, the Cabaret Bar will be open for drink service. However, the Cabaret dance floor will be closed, and no live entertainment is scheduled for this venue at this time. Three of its food outlets will be open with limited seating and to-go service, including Koffee Kiisha, Fairway Café and the Noodle Bar. Reopening of SCR’s hotel and event center will be at a later date.

The Soboba Casino Resort is at 22777 Soboba Road in San Jacinto. For more information and updates, please visit soboba.com or call 866-4-SOBOBA.

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Soboba Casino and Resort to welcome Lunar New Year

Soboba Casino Resort (SCR) will ring in the Lunar New Year on January 25 with an evening of exciting entertainment. The celebration starts at 7 p.m. at the SCR Event Center with live music from the Wong Tai Sen Lion Dancing Group, then a karaoke contest followed by a Red Envelope casino promotion. Doors open at 6 p.m.

“Since the addition of three Asian Market Casino Hosts, our Player Development Department decided this would be a good event to have,” said Gene Smith, SCR’s Marketing Assistant Operations Manager.

Theater-style seating will give concert goers great visual access to the stage that will feature Legend of Korea, Group Sound Festival with featured performances by Young Sound with lead vocalist Yoo Young Choon, The Dick Family with lead vocalist Lee Chun Haeng, Tempest with lead vocalist Jang Gye Heong, Black Family with pianist and vocalist Kim Young Kyun and Abby Band.

The Noodle Bar, located between the event center and the casino, will serve its popular traditional Asian menu items. The Lunar New Year, which is the Year of the Rat, will be celebrated with custom felts in the Table Games area and rat-themed decorations throughout the casino.

General admission tickets to the concert are $30 each but tickets of $75 to $100 are available that will provide reserved seating closer to the stage and an opportunity to watch the $10,000 Karaoke Contest at the casino. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door on the night of the event only if the concert does not sell out.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.Soboba.com/entertainment or by calling 1.866.4.SOBOBA. The Soboba Casino Resort is at 22777 Soboba Road in San Jacinto.

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The Ramona Bowl is very excited to partner and have the help of the Hemet Elks Lodge and its members for this FUNdraising Casino Night event. The Ramona Bowl is a non-profit organization whose funding only comes from event ticket sales, donations, and sponsorships. It sits on 168 acres, and all the maintenance and upkeep must come from these sources.

So come on out to Casino Night, have a great meal and a lot of fun and help a very good cause. Tickets are $50 and include a steak dinner, $250 in Casino Play Money, a $20 Gift Card good for Ramona Bowl Events and a chance to win some great prizes. Saturday, August 3rd at 6:00 p.m. at the Hemet Elks Lodge, 1305 West Florida Avenue, Hemet 92543. For tickets and information call 951-658-3111 or 951-925-1740.

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