Red Hawk Resort + Casino is reshuffling its floor and its air quality, shifting nearly all gaming to smoke-free play while building a separate pavilion for smokers and a new bingo room, the operator says. Construction on a roughly 4,600-square-foot bingo venue under the casino is already underway and is expected to open in September, while the new smoking pavilion is slated to debut in the first quarter of 2027. The redesign will move slots and some table games into the pavilion and free up primary casino floor space for non-smoking guests and other amenities.
Operator frames move as guest-experience upgrade
In a statement, President and CEO Bryan DeLugo said, "One of the most significant outcomes of this project will be Red Hawk Resort + Casino’s transition to a smoke-free property, making Red Hawk the region’s only non-smoking casino," emphasizing that smoking play will be confined to the pavilion. That comment and the project's timeline were reported by Sacramento Business Journal. The operator says the pavilion will house smoking slots and table games while the main floor is reconfigured for non-smoking guests.
Project documents lay out the scope
County materials tied to the Board of Supervisors meeting say the gaming pavilion is planned as a roughly 6,200-square-foot, single-floor addition that will extend off the east side of the existing building and allow migration of machines and tables from underused sections of the floor. The documents, including the tribal environmental review attached to the county agenda, focus on off-reservation impacts and mitigation measures the tribe has proposed. See the El Dorado County Board agenda for the IGA and TEIR filings related to the project.
Bingo room and schedule
As part of the rework, the casino plans the 4,600-square-foot bingo hall on the lower level, designed to seat as many as 400 players. Construction on that space is already underway, with an opening targeted for September. Industry coverage of the announcement notes the separate smoking pavilion is expected to open in the first quarter of 2027, a timeline the operator has given to reporters. For industry reporting and a summary of the announcement, see Indian Gaming.
What guests and workers will see
Regular visitors can expect clearer air across most of the main casino floor, new traffic patterns on the gaming floor as equipment is moved, and more contiguous non-smoking public space for restaurants and events. The operator frames the change as a health and comfort upgrade for both employees and patrons, saying it positions Red Hawk to compete on guest experience as regional casinos expand. The casino's public pages also note the property already operates a full non-smoking level and provide details on its amenities, see Red Hawk Resort + Casino for property information.
Local oversight and next steps
The project required coordination with county officials because the TEIR assesses off-reservation effects and the tribal-state compact calls for such review. The county packet shows the intergovernmental agreement would govern off-site mitigation and could remain in effect for years. County supervisors were scheduled to consider the IGA in mid-May as part of their regular meeting agenda. Residents interested in traffic, noise or other community impacts can consult the county materials and the TEIR for the mitigation commitments and timeline.
Red Hawk’s pivot follows a broader industry shift toward creating cleaner indoor public spaces. By concentrating smoking in a single pavilion, the casino hopes to serve both guests who smoke and those who prefer smoke-free play. For more on the expansion and the operator’s statements, see Sacramento Business Journal.
