The much-anticipated details of the new casino in Arizona have been released as construction gets underway. Work has begun on the second Desert Diamond Casino in Phoenix, the sixth in Arizona. Phase one of construction, which involves building the casino, is expected to be complete by late 2024. The second phase will include a hotel, swimming pool and spa, conference center and arena.
The tribe’s other Desert Diamond Casino in West Valley is much larger.
Online casinos are still prohibited in Arizona. Players can enjoy online sweepstakes and social casinos, but not for real money. There are currently 21 casinos in Arizona, all operated by Native American tribes. The new Desert Diamond will be the 26th. The sixth Desert Diamond Casino will be smaller than the other West Valley casino, which is over a million square feet. The $450 million project by Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise will be located on over 100 acres of land taken into trust by the federal government for the Native American Nation, according to the Arizona Republic. The new 184,000-square-foot casino will feature 900 slot machines, 40 table games like blackjack and roulette, as well as a poker room, sportsbook and various restaurants. In comparison, the other West Valley casino, also owned by the Tohono O’odham tribe, currently offers 1,400 slots, over 30 table games and a sportsbook among other amenities. It took more than 2 years to construct and opened in February 2020.
The new Desert Diamond will be near Luke Air Force Base.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the newest Desert Diamond took place on April 5. It is expected to create over 4,000 construction jobs and more than 1,000 permanent jobs once the casino and resort are open. The Tohono O’odham tribe had kept quiet about the details of the casino until recently. It will be located near Luke Air Force Base off Loop 303 in Phoenix. It will be about 20 miles from the tribe’s other West Valley casino. The casino resort will also be close to the Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium and Falcon Dunes Golf Course. Two of the tribe’s other Desert Diamond casinos are in Tucson and the fourth one is south of Ajo.
Sam is a native New Yorker with a long history of gambling as well as betting, wagering and owning racehorses and, of course, casino-frequenting. He enjoys visiting sporting venues – anything from the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center to a local baseball game, regardless of the level of play or the distance to get there, as well as any horse racing venue. Sam is a marketing executive, father and dog owner with a zest for life and a love for exploration.
