Construction is underway at the Valleys newest casino.
The Tohono O'odham Nation has already spent $200 million on the project. On Thursday, new gaming devices were installed. The Desert Diamond Casino is located at 99th Avenue and Northern. There will be more than 1,000 gaming devices and 500 employees have already been hired in preparation of the casino's Dec. 20 opening. In addition to 1,000 slots, there will be food venues and a bar. There will be more venues and a hotel when Phase two is completed.
There is a legal battle brewing with the state and Desert Diamond Casino. They want to be a Class lll gaming facility, which would include table games, but the state is trying to block that from happening. The Nation has gone to court to get the state to follow the law. In the interim, the Nation will open Desert Diamond Casino as a Class ll gaming operation.
