The Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria’s Bear River Casino and its parking lot filled to their maximum capacity on Wednesday, leading to some traffic and neighborhood problems.

“(Last night’s grand opening) was a fantastic success, said Art Collins, Bear River Casino’s marketing manager. “There were many more people than we could possibly accommodate. The response from Humboldt County has been absolutely overwhelming.”

Traffic jams ensued and some people who could not find available parking spots at the casino parked their cars along Singley Road and onto U.S. Highway 101.

“We thought we would be busy but we never thought it would be that busy,” Collins said.

Casino employees made multiple announcements asking people to move their vehicles from the road and highway, telling people that California Highway Patrol officers were issuing tickets and towing vehicles.

When the casino filled to its maximum capacity, people had to wait for others to leave the casino before they could enter.

Some people waited two hours to get into the casino, Collins said.

Inside the casino, there were long lines of people waiting to eat at the Rivers Edge restaurant, purchase drinks at the Thirsty Bear Sports Bar and Grill and to sign up for membership in the casino’s players’ club.

People were also playing slot machines and card games.

Others drank at the bar and danced to music played by Clint Warner and his band.

T-shirts and magnets with the Bear River Casino logo were being handed out by employees.

On Singley Road past the casino, there were anti-casino signs displayed visibly for people passing by to read.

One of the signs stated, “A casino, alcohol and 24/7 traffic will be unsafe for all.”

Lou Costa, a residential property owner who lives on Singley Road on the north side of the casino, posted that and other signs in his yard.

He and other property owners who live on Singley Road near the casino do not want the casino located on Singley Road.

“I’m very opposed to it,” said Abigail Hudson-Crim, a Singley Road resident. “It’s unsafe. It’s unnecessary. Its part of this greed fever.”

“We’re not benefiting from this,” Costa said. “We’re impacted by it. It’s a burden on the fire and sheriff’s departments and the neighbors.”

Casino neighbors were not happy with the traffic problems created by people going to the casino there.

“It was just nonstop traffic — almost bumper-to-bumper,” Costa said.

He and his wife took sleeping pills so they would not be up all night because of the traffic noise, he said.

“(A) road that was already narrow was made even more narrow by people parking in front of our house,” Hudson-Crim said. “People were constantly driving by our house. I did not feel safe to walk our dogs. People were continually driving by until 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. last night.”

There have been some car accidents on Singley Road prior to the opening of the casino and Costa thinks that allowing alcohol to be sold at the casino and increased traffic on the road will lead to more accidents, he said.

Costa has gathered more than 200 signatures on a petition from people who oppose allowing alcohol to be sold at the casino. The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has received the petition and there will be a hearing on the issue, Costa said.

On his daily walks, Costa picks up empty alcohol containers from the road, he said.

Costa said one solution to some of the road issues would be if Singley Road was closed off north of the casino so that the residents would not be impacted by the traffic and potential accidents.

“I’m not against the tribe,” Hudson-Crim said. “I’m against their casino because I feel that (it will have) a lot of negative impacts on the community.”

(Diane M. Batley can be reached at diane@eurekareporter.com.)