Black Oak Casino’s Eleventh Anniversary
Eleven years ago on May 15th, a casino in Tuolumne City opened their doors for the first time.
Ron Patel, Black Oak Casino General Manager, was Friday’s KVML “Newsmaker of the Day”.
“The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians were up against the clock on our compact agreement that we had with Governor Grey Davis to open the first temporary building.” Patel said, “It was built where the parking structure stands now”.
Thirty-five employees (or team members) that began with Black Oak Casino on that first day, are still there now.
Black Oak Casino is one of the top three employers in Tuolumne County, with a little more than eight hundred full or part-time employees. The number has fluctuated over the past decade and depending on economic times, Sonora Regional Medical Center and the Sierra Conservation Center in Jamestown employee more people.
To help celebrate on Tuesday, Black Oak Casino will feature the band Chains Required beginning at 8pm in the Willow Creek Lounge. There will be cake, party beads and Commerative Tour of California/Anniversary Pins. Seven Sisters Restaurant will be open upstairs (typically it is closed on Tuesdays) and a Tour of California Block Party will take place on the lower Family Fun Floor from 5-11pm. There will also be a Silent Auction to benefit Special Olympics.
A full list of the week’s events can be found at http://www.blackoakcasino.com
Patel and Mark Truppner of KVML Radio will be announcing the Mother Lode Round-Up Parade together on Saturday 10am at Washington and Gold Streets.
The “Newsmaker of the Day” is heard each weekday morning on AM 1450 KVML at 6:47, 7:47 and 8:47am.
