Litigation | Openings & Closings

Tohono O'odham Nation eyes December opening for $200M casino

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Leaders of the Tohono O'odham Nation signed the last steel beam that's part of the initial structure for the West Valley Resort near Glendale, Arizona. Photo from Facebook

The Tohono O'odham Nation plans to open its highly-contested casino in Glendale, Arizona, in December.

The tribe is spending $200 million on the initial structure for the West Valley Resort. About 1,300 people have worked on the project since December, The Arizona Republic reported.

The 127,000 square-foot facility will house about 1,080 slot machines but no other types of games due to its smaller size, Your West Valley News reported. A larger casino, to feature table games and additional amenities, will come along at later date.

Arizona Casino Wars: Tribes battle over new gaming facility in the Phoenix area

But even with a temporary structure, the tribe is hiring 500 people to work there. Potential employees can go online or attend a job fair this Saturday.

The tribe is facing opposition from tribes with existing casinos in the area. The Gila River Indian Community and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community are spending millions of dollars in support of the Keep the Promise Act (H.R.308 | S.152), a bill that would bar the use of the Glendale land for any forms of gaming.

After clearing the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee, the bill is ready for consideration on the Senate and House floor.

The two tribes, along with the state of Arizona, are also fighting the project in federal court.

Get the Story:
West Valley Resort to open by end of year (Your West Valley News 8/25)
Construction on track for embattled West Valley casino (The Arizona Republic 8/21)