ALPINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 10, 2026--
Viejas Casino & Resort is putting San Diego’s luxury gaming experience in distinguished company, celebrating recognition in AAA’s 2026 Top 10 Casino Hotels. From a suite escape to an evening of dining and casino excitement, the honor puts a national spotlight on a destination designed to make every stay feel special.
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The recognition names Willows Hotel & Spa at Viejas, the resort’s adults-only, all-suite hotel, which is the sole San Diego County property on the published list.
“These properties consistently deliver on every aspect of the guest journey, and they have established themselves as benchmark leaders in casino resort hospitality,” said Chris Andersen, Director of the AAA Diamond Program.
“We want Viejas to be the destination guests choose when they want to make more of their getaway,” said Jim Wild, General Manager of Viejas Casino & Resort. “This recognition puts that experience in exceptional company. It is a proud moment for the Viejas community and for the team members whose care and energy give guests a reason to return.”
At Willows, guests can settle into spacious suites, retreat to Willows Spa and spend an unhurried afternoon at Allure, the adults-only saltwater pool. An evening at the AAA Four Diamond Grove Steakhouse, cocktails and casino action bring the rest of the Viejas experience within easy reach.
“We want guests to feel expected, welcomed and cared for from the moment they arrive,” said Alejandro Guardado, Vice President of Hotels at Viejas Casino & Resort. “That means paying attention to the details that make a stay personal, whether someone is celebrating an occasion or simply taking time for themselves. Our team brings that commitment to every guest, and we are proud to see it recognized by AAA.”
AAA’s Top 10 selections are based on objective Diamond inspection data. The casino-hotel recognition is distinct from Willows’ AAA Four Diamond designation, adding another reason to plan a stay at San Diego’s Luxury Gaming Resort.
Plan your getaway and explore Willows Hotel & Spa at https://viejas.com/hotels/willows-hotel-spa/.
About Viejas Casino & Resort
Owned and operated by the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, Viejas Casino & Resort is San Diego’s Luxury Gaming Resort and one of California’s most respected tribal gaming destinations. The AAA Four Diamond property brings together a dynamic casino floor, two luxury hotels, the AAA Four Diamond Grove Steakhouse, distinctive dining, concerts and live entertainment, seasonal events, and a full calendar of promotions and guest experiences.
The broader Viejas destination includes Viejas Outlets, an open-air shopping and family-entertainment center featuring major brands, dining, bowling, an arcade, and seasonal attractions, as well as Viejas Pit Stop. Viejas is also setting a new standard for energy resilience with a 15-megawatt solar generation system and 70 megawatt-hours of long-duration battery storage, including one of the largest vanadium flow battery installations in the United States.
Together, they reflect Viejas’ commitment to exceptional guest experiences, regional economic vitality, energy independence, and a more resilient future for the Viejas community and the San Diego region.
For more information, please visit: https://viejas.com
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(Photo credit: Viejas Production)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bob Boone, the catcher on the Philadelphia Phillies' first World Series championship team in 1980 who won seven Gold Gloves and was part of baseball's first three-generation family, has died. He was 78.
Boone's son, Bret, announced his father's death Tuesday on social media. The Phillies said in a statement Boone died Monday. No cause of death was announced.
“He was a man of great integrity. He was a great dad, husband, and patriarch. It was a privilege to call him my father. Baseball lost a great one today,” Bret Boone wrote.
Boone spent his first 10 seasons with the Phillies, played seven with the California Angels and two with the Kansas City Royals. He also managed the Royals and Cincinnati Reds.
“Bob was an incredible player, teammate and family man. He embodied everything we believe exemplary athletes should represent, both on and off the field,” the Phillies said in a statement. “We were proud to have him as part of the Phillies family during one of the most historic runs in team history. His impact on our organization, his teammates, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him will never be forgotten.”
Boone's father, Ray, played 13 seasons in the majors and was a two-time All-Star with the Detroit Tigers. Bob Boone's two sons both enjoyed long baseball careers. Aaron Boone played 13 seasons in the majors and played for the Reds when Bob managed the team. Aaron now manages the New York Yankees. Bret Boone was a three-time All-Star over a 14-year career spent largely with the Seattle Mariners. A third son played in the minor leagues. Bret's son, Jake Boone, works in the New York Mets' front office after playing at Princeton and briefly in the minors.
“His legacy is profound, and we can see the values he embodied carried forward by his son, Aaron, in his leadership of the Yankees,” the Yankees wrote in a statement.
Bob Boone was a sixth-round draft pick as a third baseman out of Stanford in 1969. He was converted to catcher in the minor leagues and caught 1,095 games with Philadelphia, second on the Phillies’ all-time list to Red Dooin (1,124). Boone caught 2,225 games overall in 19 big league seasons.
“We played in the minors together where he gave up third base so I could play it, only to become one of the best catchers in baseball history,” Phillies Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt said. “Bob was a great father and husband. Our lives and careers were intertwined, we pursued our Christian faith together, worked out together, and became world champions together.”
He was the first Phillies catcher to win a Gold Glove (1978, 1979) and led the Phillies with a .412 batting average in their 1980 World Series win over the Kansas City Royals.
“Bob Boone was a quiet leader, both on and off the field,” said Larry Bowa, the shortstop on the 1980 team. “I had the privilege of playing alongside him for nearly my entire career, and without question, he was the backbone of our team.”
A native of San Diego, Boone made NL All-Star teams in 1976, 1978 and 1979. He set the record for career games caught by a catcher with 1,919 in Kansas City. He was 41 years old when he won his final Gold Glove with the Royals in 1989.
Ivan Rodriguez (2,427) and Carlton Fisk (2,226) have since passed Boone on the career games caught list.
“I grew up watching Bob with the great Phillies teams of the 70’s. His play and mastery of catching inspired me to want to play the position,” Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza posted on social media.
Boone caught the final out of the 1980 Game 6 clincher when Tug McGraw struck out Willie Wilson to win the World Series. Boone was involved in a more famous play earlier in that inning when he ran after Frank White's foul pop near the home dugout in Veterans Stadium. The ball bounced off Boone's mitt and straight into Pete Rose's glove for an out — a catch played on countless highlight reels through the decades in Philadelphia.
Boone was added to the Phillies' Wall of Fame in 2005.
Boone won four more Gold Gloves, made another All-Star team and twice led the Angels to the playoffs. He went 10 for 22 (.455) with a homer and two RBIs against Boston in the 1986 American League Championship Series.
“Our franchise leader in games caught, Boone’s leadership, exceptional defense and knowledge of the game made him an invaluable presence behind the plate and helped the Angels win two division titles,” the Angels said in a statement.
Boone went 371-444 overall as a manager, spending three seasons with the Royals and three with the Reds. He joined the Washington Nationals' front office in 2005.
Washington won the World Series in 2019, the first championship in franchise history. Boone resigned in 2021 rather than comply with the organization’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
FILE - Former Philadelphia Phillies' Bob Boone waves to the crowd before a baseball game against the New York Mets, Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers Steve Garvey, right, crashes into Philadelphia Phillies catcher Bob Boone as he touches home plate during the an NL playoff baseball game, Friday, Oct. 7, 1977, Philadelphia, Pa. (AP Photo/File)
FILE - Cincinnati Reds' Aaron Boone, left, and his brother, Bret, second from right, pose with their grandfather, Ray, second from left, and father, Bob, right, before the 74th Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Chicago, July 15, 2003. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)
FILE - Former Philadelphia Phillies' Bob Boone watches during a Major League Baseball news conference on Independence Mall in Philadelphia, April 16, 2019. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
