Faced with a drop in betting, River Rock Casino is doing a $5.2 million upgrade aimed at making the tribal gaming destination more comfortable for guests, casino officials said Monday.
River Rock reported third-quarter revenue fell nearly 8 percent Monday, as cash-strapped consumers continued to cut back on gambling.
The 7-year-old casino near Geyserville posted sales of $29.7 million for the quarter ending Sept. 30, down from $32.3 million for the same period in 2008.
The decline in revenues at River Rock is part of a nationwide downturn in gaming during the recession. Last week, Nevada casinos reported their take in September was down 9 percent from the same month last year.
River Rock has reduced the number of its slot and video poker machines from 1,571 to 1,191 over the past year because the gaming floor was too crowded, casino CEO Scott Garawitz said Monday.
?We weren?t getting the maximum performance out of them,? he said.
River Rock has a right to operate up to 1,600 gaming machines under its compact with the state.
As a result of the change, River Rock?s average daily ?win? per machine grew from $194 last year to $230 in the past quarter. The win is the difference between a machine?s payout and the amount kept by the casino.
As part of its upgrade, the casino opened a new poker room in September and is adding two new restaurants. The casino also has installed new slot machines, carpeting and furniture.
?We?ve given our casino a fresh new look,? said Garawitz, who came to River Rock last August from Thunder Valley Casino near Sacramento.
The renovation is scheduled for completion by Dec. 31.
River Rock also has boosted marketing and promotion ?to offset some of the headwinds we face,? Garawitz said.
River Rock, owned by the Dry Creek tribe of Pomo Indians, is located on the tribe?s 75-acre reservation in Alexander Valley.
After distributing $3.3 million to the tribe, River Rock posted a profit of $2.3 million last quarter. The casino?s profit was down nearly 42 percent from the same period last year.
As U.S. financial markets collapsed last year, River Rock shelved plans for a $600 million expansion, including a new casino, 255-room hotel, spa, restaurants, bars, shops and gardens. That project remains on hold, Garawitz said Monday.
Two other Indian gaming establishments reported lower results Monday. Foxwoods Resort Casino, operated by the Mashantucket Pequot tribe, and Mohegan Sun, owned by the Mohegan tribe, said slot revenue dropped 4 percent in October compared to the same month last year. Both casinos are located in Connecticut.
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