Construction crews are making substantial progress on the new Fort McDowell Casino at the Yavapai Nation reservation adjacent to Fountain Hills.

Steel is rising out of the ground and roof girders are being put into place on the 166,341 square-foot gaming facility.

The Yavapai Nation has had bingo and gaming operations at Fort McDowell for four decades. They survived a challenge in 1992 when federal agents shut down the casino and confiscated slot machines. A gaming compact was eventually signed with the state and was supported by a statewide public vote.

Native American communities across Arizona have grown and expanded their own gaming operations, and Fort McDowell has chosen to update and expand its facility to compete.

“After many years of hard work and study our little tribe is now at the dawn of a new era,” Tribal Council President Bernadine Burnette said at the groundbreaking ceremony in June 2018. “We are grateful to the many, many people who have supported us over the years. That support has made this day possible.”

Recalling the standoff with state and federal officials in 1992, Burnette said, “It was that act of civil disobedience that forced the state to agree to tribal gaming compacts as required by federal law. If not for the wisdom of our leadership we would not be here today, there would be no Yavapai Nation.”

The new facility is touted to be unrivaled as an entertainment venue with amenities for the entire East and Northeast Valley.

The casino will have up to 1,100 slot machines, 760 bingo seats, an upscale high limit slot room, table games and live poker, a patio lounge, fine dining restaurants, a 300-seat buffet and coffee shop.

The new facility is to be directly connected to the We-Ko-Pa Resort hotel and will include a garden court atrium, new parking garage, covered valet parking, smoking and non-smoking sections and retail logo gift shop.

The project partners include Thalden Boyd Emery Architects, W.E. O’Neil, Kitchell Construction and Sacks Tierney P.A. Attorneys.

The existing Fort McDowell Casino continues to operate during construction. The new facility is expected to open in early 2020.