Construction has begun on Desert Diamond Casino’s West Valley property, the company’s fourth property in Arizona.
Led by Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise and designed by JCJ Architecture, the construction process is anticipated to last 19 months and will be split into multiple phases.
The first phase of the project will see the implementation and construction of a structure with a 184,000 square foot casino floor with 900 Class III slot machines, a poker room, a retail sportsbook, and table games including blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, as well as dining and other amenities.
The project will later introduce other facilities such as a hotel, a conference center, an outdoor pool and recreational amenities, and an amphitheatre and event lawn space.
Creating 5,500 jobs in the local area, the construction will be led by the Hunt/Penta Joint Venture as a general contractor, whilst the completed casino will employ 1,300 people.
Ned Norris Jr, Chairman of the Tohono O’odham Nation said: “This is a special day for all Tohono O’odham. We are making good on our promise to provide for future generations of our tribal citizens.
“This groundbreaking serves as an important milestone to celebrate our progress as a Nation.”
The facility is located on 80 acres of reservation land in Maricopa County, west of Glendale, which has already been taken into trust by the federal government. Desert Diamond noted that this has followed a similar process to its other West Valley location.
Desert Diamond has a series of casinos in Arizona, with other properties in Tucson, Sahuarita and Why.
Mike Bean, CEO of the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise said: “With this latest major investment in the West Valley, our new Desert Diamond Casino will bring more jobs, economic opportunity, and entertainment options to this vibrant region.
“We’re excited to continue the local partnerships we’ve developed over the past 10 years and build new relationships to benefit the West Valley community.”
