The U.S. Senate recently passed the Old Pascua Community Land Acquisition Act, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona. The bill, H.R. 4881, allows land owned by the Pascua Yaqui Tribe to be taken into trust, leading the way to casino gambling at the site. The bill passed the House in November 2021 in a bipartisan vote of 375-45-1. Grijalva said, “I’m grateful for the work of local, state, tribal and federal partners and look forward to seeing President Joe Biden sign this bill into law!”
The site is the location of the shuttered Century Park theater, near Old Pascua, the historic home of Yaqui communities.
Pascua Yaqui Chairman Peter Yucupicio said, “This legislation will allow the tribe to provide economic development and job opportunities that will support our ongoing efforts to provide critical housing for our tribal members and continue to improve the general welfare of our people.
“We are grateful for all our partners, including the city of Tucson, our Congressional and state representatives, Governor Ducey and the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs for helping us create much-needed jobs and provide opportunities for the local community.”
The Pascua Yaqui Tribe also operates Casino of the Sun and Casino Del Sol in the Tucson area.
