Gila River Hotels & Casinos–Wild Horse Pass in Arizona has begun work on a second hotel tower, a $143 million 11-story structure due to be completed in about a year and be connected to the existing hotel. This will be the resort’s first expansion since opening in 2009.
The 205-room tower will bring the resort total to 447 rooms. It will offer rooftop dining, two pools, a lounge and meeting space.
The casino is owned and operated by Gila River Indian Community, which operates a total of three casinos in the state. Designed by the Friedmutter Group, the project will be managed by the Tynan Group.
Gila River Hotels & Casinos CEO Kenneth Manuel commented, “This expansion is a major investment in the Gila River Indian Community and symbolic of a new chapter in our history. It reflects our commitment to be a leader in the gaming and hospitality industry through enhanced experiences and amenities, and we look forward to seeing the continued representation of our community’s culture in the expansion project.”
In related news, payments Arizona gaming tribes made to the state fell 52 percent for the first quarter of the 2021 fiscal year. Twenty-five tribal casinos operate in the state.
The tribes paid $13.9 million. Arizona Department of Gaming Director Ted Vogt explained, “To help slow the spread of Covid-19, our tribal partners voluntarily closed casinos during the Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected executive order.”
He added, “Much of this decrease is due to these closures. However, with the significant strides Arizona has made in combating Covid-19, I am optimistic that tribal gaming in Arizona will quickly rebound to previous levels.”
The tribes pay a sliding scale of 1 percent to 8 percent of their Class III net winnings to the state.
