"The casino will be at Twin Arrows off Interstate 40 east of Flagstaff. It will be the first Arizona casino for the Navajo Nation and the first one in Coconino County.

Three other Navajo casinos are in New Mexico, and reports are that many patrons are tribal members. That doesn't represent the kind of outside income the tribe was hoping for, even though hundreds of new jobs have been created.

Twin Arrows, however, will be along a busy east-west corridor and close enough to a major tourist destination -- Grand Canyon National Park -- to attract vacation visitors. Most employees will be tribal members from the Rez, not from Flagstaff.

The bigger impact on the local hospitality industry would come if the on-site hotel siphons off hotel guests that otherwise would stay in Flagstaff, especially during the slower off-season. With alcohol not allowed on the casino floor (only in the restaurants), finding a room for the night within a short walk of the gaming tables might not be as important as in Vegas."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Catholics and tribe have much riding on new church, casino (The Arizona Daily Sun 7/19)

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Navajo Nation expects to open $175M Arizona casino in May 2013 (7/5)