First look: Santan Mountain casino brings glitz to East Valley
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Gila River Resorts and Casinos-Santan Mountain. Photo: Jessica Boehm/Axios
The Gila River Indian Community will open its first new casino in more than two decades next month — and it promises a different vibe than any other casino in Arizona.
State of play: The new Santan Mountain casino at Gilbert Road and Hunt Highway near Chandler bucks the traditional casino design — "no white and no windows" — for a light, airy feel that capitalizes on the views of nearby mountains and undeveloped Sonoran Desert, general manager Blake Katsnelson told us during a sneak peek Wednesday.
- Steelman Partners, which is behind the swanky new Resorts World and Circa on the Las Vegas strip, was the project's architect.
Details: 90% of the entrance is covered in windows that automatically tint and brighten based on the amount of sunlight. At night, they'll be fully transparent, allowing passersby to see the casino floor.
- Guests can access two gardens with saguaro cactuses and other desert plants.
The intrigue: Santan Mountain embraced the "all white everything" motif. White marble baseboards. White bar tops. White urinal stalls. Even a white roulette wheel that had to be specially ordered from Europe, Katsnelson said.
By the numbers: The casino cost $180 million and took 18 months to complete.
- It has 813 slot machines and three table game pits.
- The sportsbook spans 7,000 square feet, making it the largest casino sportsbook in the state.
1 yummy thing: The signature restaurant Honey & Vine will feature beans, honey and olive oil from the Gila River Indian Reservation and specialize in rotisserie.
Zoom in: Artwork produced by Gila River Indian Community members is featured throughout the building.
- Each entrance has a chandelier made of dozens of circular paintings and set in the traditional color the community associates with each cardinal direction.
What's next: Opening weekend kicks off June 30 with a special A-list musical performance that will be announced in the coming weeks.
