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Arizona’s newest casino held a “soft opening” ribbon-cuttin event last weekend, with some public officials in attendance.
The official grand opening of Gila River Santan Mountain Casino, for the public, is set for June 30.
Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis, Maricopa County District 1 Supervisor Jack Sellers and others were on hand for the ribbon-cutting.
The complex is located on the southeast corner of Gilbert Road and Hunt Highway. There are no immediate plans to build a hotel or other large resort facilities on-site, but officials have told media such plans are being discussed.
Construction took 20 months and cost $180 million, according to a news release. Gila River Resorts said it expects to bring more than 700 new jobs to the casino.
The casino includes a 33,000-square -foot gaming floor, 813 slot machines, 25 table games, a BetMGM Sportsbook facility, outdoor gardens, event space and three new food venues.
The resort said the BetMGM Sportsbook is the state’s largest retail sports betting facility.
Kenneth Manuel, CEO of Gila River Resorts and Casinos, praised the view and amenities in the news release.
“There is not a gaming destination like this in the state of Arizona,” Manuel said. “The growth aligns perfectly with the enterprise’s mission of driving economic stability for the Gila River Indian Community and the State of Arizona.”
The resort group also said the addition of the fourth property means revenue from SanTan Mountain will directly fund infrastructure, education, and public safety for the Gila River Indian Community.
The revenue from the casino is also dispersed throughout the state for the Arizona Tribal-State Gaming Compact to support municipalities.
The opening weekend will include two ticketed evening concerts by country music star and American Idol alum Gabby Barrett. Drone light shows will immediately follow the concerts in the outdoor garden.
On July 2, the first 150 guests to visit the Magic Lamp slot machines will get some free bets through a promotion and will receive a commemorative T-shirt.
The casino’s website is playatgila.com/santan-mountain.
We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.
Jason W. Brooks is a News editor for the Daily Independent and the Chandler Independent.
He covers the Chandler area for both yourvalley.net and the monthly print edition while writing for and assisting in the production of the Daily Independent.
Brooks is a well-traveled journalist who has documented life in small American communities in nearly all U.S. time zones.
Born in Washington, D.C. and raised there and in suburban Los Angeles, he has covered community news in California, New Mexico, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska and northern Arizona.
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