Three casinos in and around metro Phoenix are set to soon roll out expanded Las Vegas-style gambling options that are now permitted in Arizona under the state’s recently signed new tribal gaming compact.
Gila River Hotels & Casinos – Wild Horse Pass in Chandler will later on Friday debut craps, baccarat, and roulette tables to complement its existing gaming offering.
The other Gila River casinos in the state – Lone Butte, also in Chandler, and Vee Quiva in the West Valley, are set to expand their table games offering with the newly authorized options in the coming few weeks. All three gambling venues are owned and operated by the Gila River Indian Community.
In a Wednesday press release announcing the addition of new gaming options to their Wild Horse Pass property, Gila River Hotels & Casinos CEO Kenneth Manuel said that “this is truly a historic moment […]
that will benefit both the Gila River Indian Community and the state by providing additional jobs and tourism, as well as increased opportunities to support the community.”
Wild Horse Pass will also premiere a High Limit Salon with midi baccarat tables, along with high-limit blackjack and roulette tables for high rollers.
In addition to more Las Vegas-style gaming tables, all three Gila River-owned properties have also unveiled plans to introduce additional slot machines and to increase betting limits.
Sports Betting on Track for Sept. 9 Roll-Out
Arizona’s tribal casinos are now able to expand their existing table game options thanks to a historic 20-year extension of their gambling compact with the state. The agreement, part of Arizona’s sweeping gambling expansion, also authorizes sports betting and daily fantasy sports.
DFS operations are set to be launched at the end of August, while sports betting is on track to kick off on September 9, the opening day of the new NFL season.
News about the addition of more gaming options at Wild Horse Pass emerge at a time when the casino is undergoing a $143 million expansion that is set to be unveiled later this year. The project includes the addition of a new 11-story hotel tower that will be connected to the property’s existing hotel.
At 150 feet in height, the new facility will feature 205 guest rooms, bringing the Chandler-based complex’s total to 447. The scheme marks the first expansion of the property since its opening more than a decade ago.
The project further includes 18,000 square feet of indoor and 4,000 square feet of outdoor meeting space, a bar and lounge on the second floor of the new hotel as well as a rooftop restaurant on its 11th floor that will be offering generous mountain and Arizona desert views.
As part of the ongoing gambling expansion in the state, Gila River announced in June plans to build a $100 million casino on community trust land south of Gilbert Road and Hunt Highway, south of Chandler. The new facility would feature all new table games allowed under the extended gaming compact and could possibly be expanded to include a hotel.
Source: Valley tribal casinos start rolling out craps, baccarat, roulette games, KTAR News, August 5, 2021
