Something for Everyone. By Damien Connelly
As Agua Caliente Casinos celebrates a landmark 30 years of resort operations, the esteemed gaming and hospitality group continues to demonstrate its forward-thinking vision with the unveiling of a major expansion at its Rancho Mirage property. With over 250 new slot machines, expanded table game offerings and a renewed commitment to delivering a premium guest experience, the milestone underscores the tribe’s enduring commitment to excellence and innovation.
Casino Life sat down with Saverio R. Scheri III, chief operating officer of Agua Caliente Casinos, to discuss the expansion, reflect on three decades of success and look ahead to what’s next for this dynamic casino brand.
Congratulations on the latest expansion at Rancho Mirage. Could you share some insight into the strategic thinking behind this development and how it aligns with the long-term vision of Agua Caliente Casinos?
Our goal is to create the ultimate guest experience for our customers. We want our guests to easily locate their favorite slot machines and find them available, even on the busiest nights. To achieve this, we’ve not only introduced a wide range of new titles and the latest slot machines throughout our entire floor, but we’ve also increased the number of machines. By offering additional games and the newest versions, we can eliminate wait times, ensuring that guests quickly find the games they love.
With over 250 new slot machines and additional tables now operational, what types of games or exclusive titles are proving particularly popular with guests?
Agua Caliente has always showcased the latest and greatest slot machines on our floor, and we strive to consistently offer the newest titles. More importantly, we aim to provide a unique experience for our customers by featuring games that are exclusive to Agua Caliente Casinos and the Coachella Valley. Achieving this isn't always easy, but we want our customers to feel special when they visit us and leave saying, “You know what? I just played a machine that’s only available at this casino.”
For instance, we are currently the only casino in Southern California offering Aristocrat's new Hyper Link games, and we are the first in the Coachella Valley to present Fire Link Triple Nova, Huff and Extra Puff, Hot Double Blazing Lock, Red Hot Jackpots, Bang Bam Boom, and Miners' Dream. We take pride in providing these exceptional gaming options.
How does this expansion enhance the overall guest experience at Rancho Mirage, and what new amenities or features can regular patrons look forward to?
I’ve visited many casinos and noticed how some casino floors struggle with proper flow, often becoming obstructed. We took this into consideration in our expansion, creating a new addition that seamlessly extends the main casino floor. This is essential for us, as we aim for a natural flow throughout our entire property. From the moment you enter the casino floor to navigating to our showroom, reaching our restaurants and finding your favorite game – whether it’s slots or table games – we wanted everything to be interconnected. This vision was the driving force behind the design of our expansion. We’re very excited for our customers to experience this enhanced venue, which feels even bigger and better now.
Agua Caliente has consistently emphasised elevating the gaming experience. How has guest feedback shaped the design or offerings of this new space?
With Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage being a Forbes Travel Guide triple winner – our hotel and steakhouse each holding four stars, our spa earning five stars and our resort recognized as a AAA Four Diamond property – guests have come to expect a certain standard at all three Agua Caliente Casinos. We are committed to exceeding those expectations, as evidenced by our many accolades. During the design process, we take our time to ensure outstanding results. Specifically with this casino expansion, we’re dedicated to maintaining the high standards our guests have come to expect.
This year marks a major milestone – 30 years in gaming. Reflecting on that journey, what are some of the pivotal moments or turning points that have shaped the brand’s growth?
The key to our success – and a guiding principle for the tribe – has always been its vision. Many casinos, whether tribal or commercial, can sometimes rush into decisions without proper planning or consideration for the long-term implications. They often fail to think about what their choices will mean five, 10 or even 20 years down the line. In contrast, this tribe approaches decisions with careful thought, which is one of the many reasons for their success. When you look at all they have achieved and compare it to other casinos across the country – not just tribal casinos – Agua Caliente truly stands out from the rest.
The properties boast numerous accolades, from a Forbes four-star hotel to the top-rated Sec-he Spa. How do you maintain such consistently high standards across multiple venues?
Achieving Forbes four stars and AAA Four Diamond is often easier than maintaining them. We accomplish this by hiring outstanding team members to work in Agua Caliente Casinos – a statement I don’t take lightly. It all begins with our HR department, which excels at recruiting, hiring and onboarding exceptional talent, from line employees to executives. This recruitment process is truly the foundation of our success.
Next comes our training. Our commitment to training is continuous, year-round and spans all departments, which is no small feat. It requires substantial investment and must be executed effectively and meaningfully. The key to successful training lies in getting our team members to fully engage in the process. If they perceive it as a waste of time, they will struggle to internalize and apply what they’ve learned. However, when they genuinely buy in and start implementing the training, it transforms into something authentic. They engage out of a desire to excel, rather than obligation, making it second nature to them. It becomes an integral part of who they are as members of this family.
You mentioned new projects on the horizon. Can you offer any preview of what’s in the pipeline, whether in terms of expansion, innovation or guest services?
First and foremost on our agenda is a complete refurbishment of all our hotel rooms. We couldn’t be more excited about it. Although our hotel rooms are currently fabulous and have been well received since we opened, we haven't made any updates since then, so it's time for a refresh. This refurbishment will be a complete transformation, elevating the guest experience to a whole new level. We’ll be kicking off this project in the next few weeks.
Agua Caliente Casinos’ culinary team is world-class. In addition to our award-winning restaurants across all three properties, the team strives to deliver one-of-a-kind dining experiences regularly. For example, this June we will be introducing “Raising the Steaks,” a new series of extraordinary culinary collaborations at our Rancho Mirage property. Agua Caliente's culinary team invites an award-winning chef to collaborate on an incredible experience for our diners.
The first one in this series begins June 13. It will be a two-week activation starring internationally acclaimed chef and restauranteur David Burke. Chef Burke and his team have been working with our chef and team to activate Red Horse by David Burke, his East Coast-celebrated, modern steakhouse. “Raising the Steaks” is hosted inside The Steakhouse at Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage. This upcoming immersive experience includes Red Horse restaurant-design elements and Chef Burke's most coveted dishes, which share his distinct American and Asian fusion of flavors.
As the industry continues to evolve with digital technologies and shifting player preferences, how is Agua Caliente preparing to meet the next generation of guest expectations? And finally, with such a rich history and a strong presence across Coachella Valley, how do you see the role of Agua Caliente Casinos evolving within both the regional and broader gaming landscape over the next 10 years?
I’ve been in this industry for a long time, and have witnessed numerous solutions and technological innovations come and go, such as skill-based gaming and server-based gaming. None have truly gained traction. However, we are currently seeing significant growth in online sports and gaming, which we are excited about. In the United States, gaming is regulated at the state level rather than federally. While California does not currently offer online gaming or sports wagering, there are various promising solutions that may be permissible under a different technology classification, specifically Class II gaming. We are actively exploring several options in this area.
One effective way to engage various generations is through sports. 360 Sports, located at all three locations, provides sports fans with an immersive viewing experience, showcasing their favorite games on screens throughout the sports bar.
If sports wagering becomes available, this venue would serve as an excellent spot for both watching and betting, with mobile options likely also available.
As for online gaming, we will have to see how things develop, particularly in regard to Class II regulations. The current library of games is somewhat limited compared to Class III, but we hope to see it expand. If that happens, we could witness a broader implementation of these options throughout California and potentially other parts of the country.
Attracting younger customers requires more than just technological appeal. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of building relationships with younger customers. These individuals grow up and eventually become core customers over time — it’s a natural life cycle. Poker is a prime example; it gained popularity among college students who began playing online and eventually transitioned to real-life games. Observing this evolution, you’ll notice that players often move from poker to live table games, and then to slot machines over the years.
With this in mind, we maintain a great poker room and offer a variety of wonderful table games, constantly introducing new options. Our recent expansion has also allowed us to add additional table games and the latest slot machines.
All of these efforts are designed to appeal to guests of all generations.
***This exclusive feature interview was originally published in Casino Life Magazines May 2025 edition Issue 177***
