The Gila River Indian Community is preparing to build a fourth casino in the metro Phoenix area.
The tribe has plans to build the new casino south of Chandler on community trust land near the intersection of Gilbert Road and Hunt Highway.
During a June 18 meeting, the Community Council approved a budget for the design and construction of a new casino. The design and construction process is expected to take 18 to 24 months.
Gila River Casinos, an enterprise arm of the Gila River Indian Community, already operates three casinos in the Valley – Wild Horse Pass, Vee Quiva and Lone Butte. The tribe has wanted a fourth casino for decades but agreed not to open one in the early 2000s as part of negotiations with the state.
As part of the negotiations between the state and tribes to allow sports wagering in Arizona [bizjournals.com], the Gila River Indian Community was allowed to open a fourth casino in the state.