A hot air balloon slammed into the side of Sky River Casino in Elk Grove on Monday afternoon, briefly turning a polished hotel groundbreaking ceremony into a scene no one had on the program. Live helicopter video showed the basket strike the building and tilt sharply while someone remained inside, before the craft drifted off and later came down in a nearby field. The casino said the pilot followed safety protocols and that both the balloon and pilot landed safely.
Helicopter Video Shows Impact
LiveCopter 3 captured the incident from above, recording the basket clipping the side of the building at about 12:10 p.m., then tipping to roughly a 90-degree angle before the balloon continued on. The craft eventually touched down around 12:29 p.m. in a field near Grant Line and Waterman roads, where the basket lay on its side and the fabric was deflated, as reported by KCRA.
In a statement to KCRA, Sky River Casino said heavy winds prompted the pilot to "launch into free flight" in accordance with safety protocols and that "the balloon and pilot have landed safely." The casino did not immediately provide details about the balloon operator or whether the building sustained damage.
Groundbreaking For A Hotel Interrupted
The collision happened in the middle of a ceremonial groundbreaking for a planned hotel at the casino, part of a multi-phase resort expansion that was supposed to be the day’s big headline. The larger project includes plans for a 300-room hotel, more parking and other amenities, according to The Sacramento Bee, and the property lists its address as 1 Sky River Parkway on the Sky River Casino site.
Video And Community Reaction
As the balloon scraped the building and floated off, bystanders pulled out phones and started recording, and clips quickly made their way onto social media. Local message boards lit up as well, with a thread on Reddit collecting early eyewitness accounts and real-time reactions from Elk Grove residents.
No Serious Injuries Reported
There were no immediate reports of serious injuries, and the casino’s statement said the pilot landed safely. By publication time, local authorities had not released additional information about the operator or any investigation into the incident.
