The Tohono O’odham nation will open a long-disputed casino near Glendale Sunday.
Earlier this week, workers were putting the finishing touches inside the new Desert Diamond West Valley casino.
The 49,000 square foot floor is filled with Class II gambling machines, which are federally regulated rather than state regulated. The plan is to expand to a larger, Class III casino and resort at a cost of $200 million.
Treena Parvello, a spokesperson for the Tohono O’odham project, said the casino came together quickly in part because of a group effort between the contractors and members of the nation.
“What I attribute everyone’s contribution to is that they all knew the end goal," Parvello said. "The end goal was to open our property, and that directive was provided by the nation.”
The casino is opening after years of controversy and litigation surrounding the project.
