The Sycuan tribe broke ground this week on a $226M expansion of the Sycuan Casino in El Cajon in East San Diego County. The expansion includes a 300-room hotel, an eight-acre pool and gardens complex, multiple dining options, an 8,451 SF spa and fitness facility, an 11,401 SF ballroom with a concert seating capacity of 1,200, breakout meeting rooms and a 5,297 SF junior ballroom, according to a Sycuan Casino blog.

Dining options will provide a mix of fast-casual and fine dining, including a 7,363 SF fresh market of fast-casual food choices; a 4,940 SF raw bar with an exterior lounge; a 6,144 SF three-meal restaurant; and 8,166 SF of destination, chef-driven, fine-dining experience. Improvements will be made to existing food and beverage venues, including conversion of the existing GameDay Sports Bar & Grill to a brewhouse focused on local craft beer. The expansion also includes 60K SF of gaming space, which will accommodate 2,500 Class II slot machines and 80 table games.

The hotel tower will feature a contemporary facade of stone, glass and wood. Fifty of the hotel rooms will be set aside for large luxury suites, ranging from 376 to 1,150 SF. The dedicated concert space revives a project that was conceived a decade ago, but delayed by the 2008 recession, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The hotel and new amenities are scheduled for completion in 2019. The Sycuan Casino is celebrating its 34th anniversary.