Tohono O'odham Nation sets December 20 opening for casino

Friday, October 30, 2015

Treena Parvello, the director of public relations for the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise, with gaming devices being installed at the Desert Diamond Casino's West Valley Resort in Glendale, Arizona, on October 29, 2015. Photo from Facebook

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Arizona's most controversial casino in history will open just before Christmas.

The Tohono O'odham Nation has faced significant opposition from the day it announced plans for a gaming facility in Glendale, a suburb of Phoenix, back in January 2009. But after winning a series of decisions in the federal and state courts, the tribe is finally ready to debut West Valley Resort to the public.

"We’re excited to confirm that Desert Diamond Casino – West Valley is on schedule to open on Dec. 20, 2015!" the tribe said on Facebook.

Workers were busy installing gaming devices at the facility on Thursday. Although some local media reports described them as "slot machines," the tribe will only be offering Class II because the state refuses to certify it for Class III games. That situation could change if a lawsuit in federal court goes the tribe's way.

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

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The situation also could change if Congress passes the Keep the Promise Act (S.152 | H.R.308). The bill doesn't mention the West Valley Resort by name but it bars Class II and Class III gaming on land placed in trust in the "Phoenix metropolitan area" after April 9, 2013 -- a condition that only applies to the Tohono O'odham Nation.

The House almost took up the bill this week but a key Democrat and local officials who support the project objected. Rival tribes with existing casinos have spent million of dollars in lobbying fees in hopes of securing passage.

It's possible the bill could be resurrected but once the facility opens, the federal government faces a potential damages claim that could cost as much as $1 billion, the Congressional Budget Office estimated.