![](https://www.indianz.com/IndianGaming/2014/10/22/talkingstickresort.jpg)
The Talking Stick Resort, owned by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. Photo from Facebook
The Phoenix area is home to 1.4 million people and several Indian gaming facilities but one tribal leader believes another casino will hurt the region. The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community operates two casinos to the east of Phoenix. The Tohono O'odham Nation wants to open the $500 million West Valley Resort on the other side of town. "There’s only so many customers," Salt River President Diane Enos told KJZZ. "And if you put in another casino, and if you put in mega casinos, that disrupts, totally, the income." But Tohono O'odham Chairman Ned Norris isn't worried. He said the market is big enough to support another facility. "Although gaming revenues nationally have not been where they were prior to 2008 the market is still a viable market," Norris told KJZZ. "There is still, in our opinion, reason to move forward and develop this particular project." The Tohono O'odham Nation broke ground on the casino but the Salt River Tribe is also lobbying Congress to pass the Keep the Promise Act (S.2670 and H.R.1410) to block the new facility. Get the Story:
Strength Of Gaming Market Among The Debates Over West Valley Casino (KJZZ 10/21)
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