Visitors seemed to flock from every direction to catch a glimpse of what the new casino had to offer. From the south side, stretching up the windy Camanche Parkway, cars were tucked off on the side of the roadway in every spot that had enough shoulder width to fit them. Traffic was at a standstill along Coal Mine Road from the north entrance. The new casino has drawn mixed feelings from the community.īy 4 p.m., the parking lot had filled up, and casino staff and California Highway Patrol officers were turning people around. Hundreds of cars idled in a line near Ione Monday afternoon, each hoping to score a parking spot close to the new Harrah’s Northern California Casino to catch its highly anticipated soft opening, which was scheduled for 4:29 p.m. Cars line Coal Mine Road in front of the new casino in Ione.Enterprise photo by Davis Harper