The grand opening ceremonies which were scheduled for noon kicked off an hour later with tradition Native American dance and prayer and the not so traditional Flying Elvis's (made famous in the Nicolas Cage movie Honeymoon in Vegas).

Ten parachutes decked out in Elvis wigs (helmets), jumpsuits and scarf's flew into Madera County's new 296,000 sq. ft. casino. Then they made their way to the stage to serenaded the audience with songs made famous by the real King of Rock-n-Roll.

The casino features 1800 slot machines and 48 table games. There is even an area of slot machines in a smoke-free environment. The hotel, which will open in August, features 192 rooms with eight king suites and two presidential suites.

According to Jennifer Gaebe, public relations manger for the casino, all the rooms come with a breathtaking sunrise or sunset views of the surrounding valley and the Sierra Mountains.

In attendance from Madera County were the Board of Supervisors, Work Force Development Director Herman Perez, County Administrator Stel Manfredi and Sheriff John Anderson. Also in attendance was local contractor David Berry and his wife and their guests.

Traffic was an issue on opening day. The two lane Highway 41 was backed up for three miles until just after 10pm according to the California Highway Patrol. They advise if you are planning a trek up to the casino this weekend that you expect and extra thirty to forty minutes for you trip in.

The casino is accessible via the Internet at www.ChukchansiGold.com. Logon to check out up-coming events and concerts.