Red Hawk Casino Adds Go-Kart Track, Bowling, Golf Simulators, Sports Bar

Red Hawk Casino, one of California’s largest casinos, has opened a new attraction called The Apex that features amusement and entertainment activities designed to attract families to the Sacramento-area venue.

The Apex is an 80,000-square foot facility constructed on a parking garage adjacent Red Hawk Casino, which is located in Placerville, about 30 miles from Sacramento, California’s capital.

Visitors can enjoy a sports bar, indoor go-karts, golf simulators, an 18-lane bowling alley, and a virtual reality arcade at The Apex, which is operated by the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, who also owns Red Hawk Casino.

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The Apex is an example of an emerging trend: the “non-gaming” attraction. Entry to the casino is not necessary to enjoy activities at The Apex, and the venue is open now following a grand opening on Dec. 27.

A hotel expansion is well underway and will be added early in 2024 near The Apex.

Family-Friendly Activities Available Away From Casino Setting

According to Red Hawk Casino, the go-kart track at The Apex is the first fully electric, multi-level, indoor go-kart racecourse in California. The racecourse is a quarter-mile track designed and built by 360 Karting from Slovenia.

Bowling is making a comeback in parts of the US where the facility uses appealing technology to entice customers who may be unfamiliar with the activity. The Apex bowling lanes utilize “state-of-the-art interactive” technology with multiple screens and lighting to enhance a comfortable setting that features couch seating.

The arcade is nearby, offering dozens of games for customers ranging from children to adults, including laser tag.

The facility also hosts a restaurant dubbed The Apex Grill, where food and drinks (including alcohol) can be purchased. According to the casino website, the menu at The Apex Grill includes pizza, chicken tenders, Red Hawk wings, nachos, tacos, poke bowls, and burgers. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday; 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday.

Red Hawk Casino Plans Hotel Addition in 2024

It’s obvious that the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians is committed to providing new reasons for families to visit their facility in Placerville.

“We wanted to focus on family-friendly entertainment,” Red Hawk Casino CEO Bryan deLugo said in an interview with the Sacramento Bee.

A secondary phase in the expansion following the opening of The Apex will be a 150-room hotel with 25 VIP suites. Originally scheduled to be ready by the end of 2022, the hotel will open in 2024, and also feature a terrace with an outdoor pool and indoor fitness center. The result will be what is being called Red Hawk Resort + Casino.

The Red Hawk website mentions that the hotel expansion will “include modern designs with traditional tribal elements” and offer “sweeping views of the surrounding Sierra Nevada foothills.”

A live webcam on the Red Hawk Casino website shows the progress of the hotel construction project.

Red Hawk Casino was opened in 2018 as an effort by the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians to expand the business footprint of the tribe and fund new programs to help members and the surrounding community. The current expansion is the second major construction project to update or expand the property and venue. The facility has 2,500 slot machines and 75 table games, as well as six restaurants and two lounges, and an entertainment stage.

Sportsbook Lounge Could Be Added in the Future

According to reporting by other sources, deLugo has indicated the tribe could convert The Apex Grill into a retail sportsbook and betting lounge if voters pass legislation permitting California sports betting. The Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians supported Prop 26, which would have given tribes the right to operate retail sportsbooks in their casinos.

Experts think some sort of compromise will be necessary between the competing factions in order for sports betting to be implemented in California. The market would be the largest in the US, with California’s economy ranking as the fifth-largest in the world, and predicted to grow into the fourth-largest at some point in 2024.

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