Casino games and a shot at a designer purse are headed to the Oak Hill Event Center as the San Benito Chamber of Commerce gears up for its annual Casino Night fundraiser. Tickets run $50 per person and come loaded with $150 in casino play money, two drink tickets, dinner and live entertainment, all meant to send proceeds back into scholarships for local students and support for small businesses.
Reports differ on the exact date: San Benito News lists the event for November 5 with doors opening at 6 p.m. and casino games starting at 6:30 p.m., while krgv.com reports the Resaca City Casino Night is set for November 7, also with doors opening at 6 p.m. Either way, the venue is set: Oak Hill Event Center at 1780 U.S. Highway 77 in San Benito, according to the newspaper's account.
The chamber is billing the night as a Las Vegas-inspired experience, and per the newspaper's report, a San Antonio tribute artist is scheduled to perform three 30-minute sets while the San Benito High School Jazz Band plays during dinner. ValleyCentral's account of the 2025 event says dinner was served from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and that Rolling Smokes catered it with barbecue.
Raffles, Auctions and a Pricey Purse
Beyond the card tables, organizers are leaning on raffles and a silent auction to pad the fundraising total. The newspaper's reporting describes gift baskets donated by local businesses as part of the raffle offerings, alongside a special raffle for an Yves Saint Laurent cross-body purse valued at $1,690, with tickets priced at $20. ValleyCentral describes a Louis Vuitton raffle at the 2025 event, with tickets available for $25 each for a purse valued at approximately $2,200; the reports describe different years' events, not conflicting prizes for the same event.
ValleyCentral's account of the 2025 event also notes that it included a mechanical bull and culinary arts desserts alongside casino games like blackjack and slot machines, rounding out an entertainment lineup that spans generations of attendees. ValleyCentral described that 2025 event as the Chamber's eighth annual Casino Night at the Oak Hill Event Center, one of the chamber's signature fundraisers.
From 480 Guests to a Sold-Out Capacity Crowd
Last year's Casino Night drew about 480 guests, according to the newspaper's reporting, pressing close to the Oak Hill Event Center's capacity of 500 people.
That 2025 edition featured professional blackjack, roulette, slot machines and craps tables, with each ticket including $500 in gaming chips that could be exchanged for entries toward fifteen raffle items, according to the same report. Entertainment that night came from the San Benito High School Jazz Band and Flamenco Guitar Ensemble. The chamber relies on membership dues, local business support and three major annual fundraising events to sustain its operations, and its work includes business workshops and scholarships.
Scholarships and Small Business Support on the Line
Money raised this year will help high school students pay for college, according to krgv.com's report. Chamber representative Velma de los Santos said annual events like this one help fund valuable programs and opportunities throughout the year, and that event support lets the chamber reinvest funds in programs and services benefiting the community, according to the newspaper's reporting. She added that the chamber is building a stronger business community and creating opportunities for future generations.
The chamber awarded seven scholarships this year, a notable jump from a program that originally supported just two or three recipients, per the newspaper's account. Organizers hope to expand scholarship opportunities for students at San Benito High School, IDEA Public Schools and Triumph. The chamber relies on membership dues, local business support and three major annual fundraising events to sustain its work, the report notes.
On the small-business side, the chamber is working with the Small Business Administration to host free workshops for local entrepreneurs, according to the same reporting. The chamber is also teaming with the City of San Benito and the Economic Development Corporation to connect small businesses with information on resources, funding opportunities and business development. Sponsorship opportunities remain available for businesses interested in backing the event, and those interested in tickets, sponsorships or donations can reach the San Benito Chamber of Commerce at (956) 626-2559.
