2020 Best Casino: Wildhorse Casino
It takes about an hour to drive from the Tri-Cities to the Wildhorse Resort & Casino in Pendleton.
But for most Tri-Citians, it’s well worth the drive, whether they’re spending just a few hours there or looking at a weekend staycation.
The Wildhorse was voted Best Casino in the 2020 People’s Choice Awards, and it’s easy to understand why.
“Everyone at Wildhorse works so hard to create a great guest atmosphere,” said Diane Long, Director of Marketing for Wildhorse. “A lot of reasons customers keep coming back are the little things, such as our employees remembering customers’ names. It’s a friendly place.”
With plenty of things to do.
First opened in 1995 – with some modular buildings with some gambling machines – Wildhorse has continually expanded over the years, under the watchful guidance of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR).
The CTUIR is a union of three tribes: the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla.
From that simple beginning in 1995, Wildhorse now offers hotel accommodations with a multi-story tower, an RV park, a cineplex, a golf course, plenty of meeting and convention space, and of course gambling.
The CTUIR added a second golf course last year when it purchased the Pendleton Country Club, and it owns 13 restaurants – including Hamley Steakhouse in downtown Pendleton, purchased last year.
The resort plans to have a new family entertainment center completed by the end of 2020. It will include a 24-lane bowling center, an arcade, and a food court. Further down the line is a plan for a second hotel tower.
There are plenty of options for people to have all kinds of fun at Wildhorse, whether you gamble or not.
“We appreciate our friends in the Tri-Cities,” said Long. “We appreciate them voting for us.”
1. Wildhorse Casino
46510 Wildhorse Blvd., Pendleton
800-654-9453
2. Crazy Moose Casino
510 S. 20th Ave., Pasco
509-542-8580
3. Coyote Bob’s Roadhouse Casino
3014 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick
509-374-2392
This story was originally published June 5, 2020 at 12:01 AM with the headline "2020 Best Casino: Wildhorse Casino."