Other projects that have filmed at the Cabazon resort include the 2008 film “Fragments,” starring Kate Beckinsale and Forest Whitaker, and 2007 film “Next” starring Nicholas Cage and Julianne Moore.

“That was a project that took a couple days’ filming but really showcased our table games area (and) some of our hotel,” said Sara Smith, a group sales manager at Morongo who works with the studios and helps coordinate film projects. Morongo’s signage is visible in the film. Much of the casino was featured in the remake of “The Gambler” starring Mark Wahlberg. Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa recently served as a Las Vegas casino in some of the scenes of the third season of “Twin Peaks” that came out on Showtime in 2017, with Kyle MacLachlan, Jim Belushi and Robert Knepper filming scenes there. Other projects that have been filmed at Fantasy Springs include SyFy’s 2013 thriller “Blast Vegas” and Kristen Wiig’s 2014 film “Welcome to Me.” The latter film was almost entirely shot at Fantasy Springs, according to the casino’s spokesman, Michael Felci.

And the resulting TV shows and movies? Those bring in guests who are excited about standing or sitting in the same spot that an actor did and can add to a casino’s reach. Film studios come back time and time again to film new projects after making those connections. Those casinos work to develop relationships with film crews because they often want the publicity that comes with being in something people will watch. Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa played a Las Vegas casino in Showtime’s “Twin Peaks” revival Pechanga Resort Casino played itself in Netflix critical darling “The Kominsky Method” and Fantasy Springs Resort Casino will be a major plot point in an upcoming film starring Val Kilmer.

Several large casinos in Southern California have served as stand-ins for major gambling locales such as Las Vegas or Atlantic City because of their proximity to Los Angeles-based production companies, but they’ve also starred as themselves in movies and TV.

Some of Southern California’s casinos have reached iconic status with their giant hotel towers, expansive gaming floors and Vegas-style decor, so it’s no wonder they’re attracting guests and big name acts yearly but they’re also drawing another group - studios ready to shoot a movie or an episode of their next big TV show.

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