CITRUS HEIGHTS-

Construction is in the final phases and hiring is underway for Stones Gambling Hall, a Citrus Heights card room scheduled to open in mid-July on Antelope Road, just off Interstate 80.

The building housing the casino has been everything from a gym to a thrift store over the years, but was sitting empty and becoming blighted in recent months.

“To have someone redevelop a piece of property like this and put it to good use, and employ 400 people with good-paying jobs is a huge asset to our community, ” Citrus Heights City Councilmember Jeannie Bruins said.

The city, and later the state of California, have placed moratoriums on new card room licences. Existing card rooms were allowed to keep theirs. To make it possible for Stones Gambling Hall to exist, owner/developer Ryan Stone worked out a deal to buy the existing licences of the Lucky Derby and Phoenix Casinos in Citrus Heights. So when Stones open, it will be the only casino in the city.  Kermit Schayltz, who owned the Lucky Derby license, will help manage Stones Gambling Hall.

“We have two licences, two addresses, two cages,” explained Stone. “It’s really two separate businesses.”

One card room will be for games like blackjack, pai gow and baccarat. The other is designed for poker. Each room will have about 15 tables. And the Casino will house a Sammy’s Restaurant and Bar.

“We also realize that other businesses will be attracted to that area because they’re going to want to be around Stones,” Bruins said.

“And they needed a catalyst, an anchor to get that shopping center going, bring jobs back to the community, bring some new excitement to shopping center,” added Stone.

San Diego based Kings Casino LLC is an investor in the project.

People interested in any of the 400 jobs at the casino can find information at www.stonesgamblinghall.com