Recently, the Gila River Indian Community revealed that a new casino venue is set to start operation on tribal land south of Chandler.
This will be the fourth casino of the Native American nation that got the authorities’ permission under the provisions of the newly agreed tribal compact of the Arizona Native American tribes.
Previously, the Gila River Indian Community was permitted to operate three casino venues, situated at Vee Quiva in Laveen, Lone Butte in Chandler, and Wild Horse Pass. The new casino venue is set to be established on community trust land outside of the southern border of Chandler. It is expected to start operation in a period of between 1.5 and 2 years.
In April, Governor Doug Ducey inked a historic agreement with local Indian tribes, with the deal constituting the biggest update that Arizona’s gambling sector has seen for years. Apart from allowing sports betting services to be offered by the tribes, the new compact also greenlights casino expansions and the addition of no less than four new gambling venues, including at least two in metro Phoenix.
A representative of the tribe has revealed that the new casino of the Gila River Indian Community is set to offer all new games that have been permitted under the tribe’s revised compact with the state, including sports betting and new table games. The project’s costs are expected to surpass $100 million, with a possibility for a hotel expansion to be added, too.
The Casino Set to Offer Sports Betting and New Table Games
At the time when Arizona’s Governor signed the compact amendment in the middle of April, the tribe’s Community Governor had explained that the tribe was still unaware when or where its fourth casino would open.
Stephen Roe Lewis, the Governor of the Native American tribe, said in a statement that the Indian tribe has been negotiating a revision of its compact agreement with the state for years. According to him, the establishment of the fourth casino of the tribe is “historic news” for the entire community, not to mention that the addition of a new gambling venue is set to provide the community with additional revenue, not to mention some critical services and security. Mr. Lewis also noted that the new casino opening would probably bring approximately 1,000 new jobs, many of which would be taken by community members once it becomes operational.
The casino project, including a budget for the construction and design of the venue, got the approval of the Community Council on June 18th, although Chandler officials have heard the concerns of some residents about the possible negative impact a new gambling venue could have on their homes. The city, however, has no jurisdiction over the issue and will not take part in any reviews or further approvals of the casino project. As explained by a representative of the Native American tribe, they will be communicating with the local community to address various concerns associated with the casino construction and operation.
