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How does a journalist turned lawyer from Dallas become the head of a tribal gaming enterprise?

“I have no idea,” Casino Del Sol CEO Kim Van Amburg said, leaning forward with wide eyes and a smile. “This was not a ‘what I want to be when I grow up’ thing.”

The 48-year-old is coming up on her two-year anniversary as CEO of the Pascua Yaquis’ two west-side casinos and resort. She is the third CEO in three years and said, “There was a clear need for stabilization. You don’t have to come into an organization and turn it on its head.”

Not that she’s eager to keep everything as is.

Almost all of the slot machines have been replaced with the latest games, and a remodel of the Casino Del Sol gazebo bar will take place when the tribe closes the casinos for Holy Week. The gazebo will be torn down and replaced with an open bar with more seating.

The other casino restaurants will also be updated, Van Amburg said.

The widening of Valencia Road is almost done, and the casino, at 5655 W. Valencia, now has a traffic light at its entrance, befittingly named Casino Del Sol Drive.

Van Amburg envisions another hotel tower at the resort in coming years and increased events at both the outdoor concert venue and the golf course.

One of the accomplishments that brings her the most pride is to have reached 61 percent tribal employment at the two casinos and the resort.

She oversees 1,300 employees; 150 of them work at Casino of the Sun at 7406 S. Camio De Oeste. She declined to disclose payroll or revenue numbers.

Casino of the Sun opened in 1994 and Casino Del Sol in 2001. The resort opened in 2011.

A varied path

A native of Dallas, Van Amburg moved to Tucson in 1988 to attend the University of Arizona and received a journalism degree. She worked at KGUN-TV for a few years, then went to work for Loew’s Ventana Canyon Resort as a front-office manager.

In 1996, she enrolled in the UA law school and in 1999 received her law degree.

“Some law students don’t understand you have to be able to write. You have to be able to gather information,” Van Amburg said of her choice in majors. She moved back to Texas, where she practiced law for five years before returning to Tucson as an attorney at the firm of Snell & Wilmer.

In 2007, she accepted the position of assistant attorney general for gaming with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. She transitioned into the management side of the enterprise and worked her way up until being named CEO in July 2014.

“Each year I gained more responsibility so the transition was very comfortable,” Van Amburg said. “I’m enjoying it. I have a great team and we’re having success.”

She reports to the Tribal Council and said her relationship with the members is very open. They have monthly meetings and are supportive of her vision for the casinos and the resort.

“‘You take it where you think it needs to go,’” she said of the sentiment that is conveyed by the council.

Mexico marketing

Van Amburg wants to capitalize on the uniqueness of the property, with a casino, hotel, golf course and concert venue.

And, she is placing extra emphasis on visitors from northern Mexico. She’s established a dedicated concierge for these visitors to coordinate room reservations, dinner and concert tickets.

For example, when a concert books with the casino that’s a natural draw for Mexican visitors, the resort puts together a Mexican VIP package.

“It’s what they’ve wanted all along and we’d just been giving them billboards,” Van Amburg said, referring to billboards in Sonora and Sinaloa from previous marketing campaigns.

The Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce holds several events at the casino.

“I’ve been impressed with their outreach to the business community in hosting events and supporting Hispanic cultural events important to our region,” said Lea Marquez Peterson, the chamber’s president and CEO. “Kim and her team also highly value the economic impact of Mexican consumers in Southern Arizona. Her leadership and their promotional activity in Mexico helps to provide economic uplift to our entire region.”

‘Didn’t see this coming’

Walking through the casino last week, Van Amburg greeted all employees by name.

The hours are long and, like every working parent, she juggles the time demands as best she can.

She and her husband, Noah, have two children, Jack, 9 and Sam, 7.

As she reflected on her journey from journalist to CEO, Van Amburg joked that she was still in shock.

“Sometimes the things we try to do don’t work out as planned,” she said. “I mean, I didn’t see this coming.”