The Project
The newly completed Rain Rock Casino Resort represents a transformative expansion of the property, blending architecture, interior design, and landscape into a holistic guest experience inspired by the theme of a “Journey Upriver.” Drawing from the natural beauty of the Klamath River and the cultural traditions of the Karuk people, the design narrative flows through every element of the resort, shaping both the built environment and the guest journey.
At the heart of the expansion is a new hotel tower featuring 72 guestrooms and eight well-appointed cottage suites, designed to provide guests with elevated comfort while maintaining a strong connection to the surrounding landscape. Guests are welcomed into an environment that seamlessly balances luxury with nature, enhanced by 20,000 square feet of landscaped grounds featuring an outdoor pool, hot tub, fire pits, waterfalls, and flexible space for outdoor events.
The casino expansion adds 20,000 square feet to the original 24,000-square-foot gaming floor. This includes 7,000 square feet of additional gaming space, a new 7,000-square-foot event center and meeting venue, and 6,000 square feet of expanded back-of-house operations to support the resort’s growing program. The existing bar has also been reimagined as an enclosed, expanded venue, with design provisions for future sports betting, light dining, and casual entertainment.
The “Journey Upriver” design interpretation is central to the project’s vision. Circulation paths and spatial organization follow the metaphor of winding water—guiding guests between the casino and hotel while shaping interiors into a unified landscape of valleys, forests, lakes, and mountains. Architectural gestures and interior detailing reflect the shifting rhythms of the natural environment, alternating between expansive, open spaces that evoke mountain vistas and more intimate, sheltered zones that recall valleys and waterways.
Photography by Dero Sanford / Think Dero Architectural Photography
LocationYreka, CaliforniaTotal Size76,000 SFTotal CostConfidentialClientKaruk TribeProgram Components72 keys total; 8 Suite Cottages; Hotel Lobby, Administration and Back of House; Fitness Center; Sundries Shop; Outdoor Pool and Facilities; Casino Expansion of 175 total gaming positions; Sports Bar Renovation – 47 seats; Food Court - 1 venue - 17 seats; Meeting Space