The Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise plans to open its interim casino in Glendale, Arizona by the end of this month, with the permanent 0 million casino to follow in the fourth quarter of 2015.
About 1,300 construction workers are installing steel beams of the $200 million two-story interim casino. Once it opens construction will begin in earnest next to the facility of the larger casino. Once the permanent casino opens the interim building will be used for other things.
Although the Bureau of Indian Affairs put the land near Glendale into trust last summer, the tribe continues to fight opponents who have not given up despite losing every court challenge.
Opponents include Arizona’s governor, much of its congressional delegation, and several rival gaming tribes, including the Gila River Indian Community and Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
The most serious attempt to keep the casino from opening comes from Arizona’s U.S. Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake, who have introduced legislation in the Senate that mirrors legislation pass last year by the House that would prevent the casino from operating.
Although the BIA has put the land for the casino into trust, the tribe has not yet received the approval of the National Indian Gaming Commission to open one. The tribe argues that it can build the casino without such authority.
The Arizona Department of Gaming has warned that it may not be able to certify the casino to operate. State law requires that gaming tribes work with the department to certify both workers and slot machines. The process is lengthy and involves background checks on the 500 or so employees who will be on staff at the phrase one casino.
Gila River Governor Stephen Roe Lewis last week called the Tohono casino, “a reckless play that threatens tribal gaming in Arizona.” He promised to continue to fight it in the courts and in Congress.
