NAVAJO RESERVATION — With a traditional invocation in its tribal language and the snip of oversized golden scissors, the Navajo Nation on Friday officially joined Arizona’s Indian gaming industry with a striking $230 million casino and hotel off a desolate stretch of Interstate 40.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the grand opening of Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort, about 20 miles east of Flagstaff.
“This place is to make money,” Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly told the assembled guests and dignitaries. “Let’s open the doors, and we can all listen to each other afterwards.”
As a testament to the casino’s economic potential, hundreds of eager gamblers streamed into the glittering, 24-hour venue to try their luck on 1,089 slot machines, 18 table games, 12 poker tables and live keno. A five-story, 90-room hotel also is on site, with a 110-room second phase under construction.
The 267,000-square-foot casino complex, adorned with Navajo art and design features that honor the tribe, has brought approximately 800 jobs, of which about 75 percent are filled by Navajo people. Its yearly payroll is $34 million.
“We have been working very hard ... to ensure that we bring a viable gaming economy to the Navajo Nation,” said state Sen. Jack Jackson Jr., D-Window Rock, who also serves as vice chairman of the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise’s board of directors. “What we are witnessing here today is part of our efforts.”
Though the tribe signed a gaming compact with Arizona 10 years ago, the Navajo Nation is a relative latecomer to Indian gaming. Tribal voters initially resisted the idea before approving the formation of the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise in September 2006 to develop and operate facilities.
Twin Arrows, which shares the name of a nearby historic trading post, is the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise’s first Arizona casino. It has three others — the Fire Rock, Flowing Water and Northern Edge casinos — in New Mexico.
“We view this as our flagship,” Jackson said of Twin Arrows.
Tribal officials expect the casinos will generate $30 million annually for the tribe. As for distributing per capita payments to Navajos, Shelly said, “There’s too many of us.” But he said the tribe is looking at creating a fund in which the roughly 300,000 tribal members can invest and receive dividends each year from tribal enterprises, including casinos.
Casino developers hope that Twin Arrows, which had its soft opening on May 3, attracts a mix of Navajos, Flagstaff residents and tourists visiting the Grand Canyon or Las Vegas. They also are reaching out to the Asia market as well as working to lure conventions and corporate meetings.
“This is the corner of the Navajo Reservation, so this is as close as we can get to Flagstaff,” said Derrick Watchman, the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise’s chief executive officer. “We have a lot to serve. I won’t have enough rooms.”
The casino’s opening ceremony was attended by state Rep. Bob Thorpe, R-Flagstaff, who called it a nice destination for Flagstaff residents.
“I’m so excited about the number of jobs, to begin with,” he told The Arizona Republic. “Having a vibrant tourist economy, especially here in northern Arizona, is so important.”
Fred Solop, a professor of politics and international affairs at Northern Arizona University, said the new casino doesn’t appear to have generated ill will from Flagstaff. He expects it will be embraced as a new entertainment option for the region.
“Generally speaking, there’s a sense that this is something that has been undertaken by the Navajo Nation and it’s on their land, so there’s no question that they have the right to do this,” Solop said.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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