A preview of the new casino at I-10 and Grant

For people traveling Grant Road, commuting near Interstate 10 or watching for new activity west of downtown, a major new entertainment and employment destination is taking shape at 1055 W. Grant Road. Vahi Taa’am, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe’s third gaming property, is scheduled to open Nov. 15. The 153,480 square foot casino is being built just east of I-10 on a 31 acre site that previously included several businesses and the Century 16 multiplex. Its opening could bring new jobs, dining and tourism to an area that has lost businesses during years of road construction.

The casino’s name, pronounced vah-hee tah-ahm, means “Three Suns.” A bright copper dome is intended to make the building visible from the interstate, while the location puts it close to downtown Tucson and within reach of travelers passing through. Marketing director Jessica Savare said the Pascua Yaqui Tribe is excited to be in the heart of Tucson and wants residents to experience the new property. General Manager Lesah Sesma said she initially worried about how the location would be received, but that the response has been positive.

Visitors will enter a property designed to extend the atmosphere of the tribe’s existing Casino Del Sol operations. The gaming floor will cover 52,252 square feet and include 928 slot machines and 24 table games. The SolSports sportsbook will offer wagers on parlays, teasers, futures, player props, in play bets and round robins. More than 900 machines still must be installed and certified before opening, along with card game and sports betting areas that remain part of the construction work.

Food will be a significant part of the new casino’s offering. OP Grill, an upscale casual restaurant on a mezzanine overlooking the gaming floor, will emphasize local flavors. The Sewa Market food court will include UME Asian fusion, Streetscape pizza and deli, and Abuelitas Taqueria. The property will have 1,562 parking spaces, including 1,004 in a four level garage. Guests arriving through the garage will use an escalator to reach the casino.

The project is moving quickly. Workers were still installing interior features during the Aug. 11 media tour, including a platform in front of a large video wall near the entrance. Interim CEO Amanda Lomayesza described the construction as advancing noticeably each time she visits. Sesma said the building’s smaller details, including its restrooms, have received careful attention. The tribe broke ground nearly two years before the planned opening, although another report described the construction period as barely a year and a half.

Hiring is already underway. Casino Del Sol has held multiple hiring events as it seeks to fill as many as 500 positions before opening, with recruiting focused on having staff ready by Nov. 15. Those jobs are expected to support casino operations, hospitality, security and other services. A separate projection described the broader employment impact as roughly 900 jobs, including daily operations as well as management, surveillance, finance, marketing and facilities. The differing estimates may reflect different counts of direct and eventual positions, but both point to a substantial new employer on Tucson’s west side.

Tribal leaders also say the casino’s impact will extend beyond people who gamble. Amanda Lomayesza said revenue from the tribe’s enterprises supports education, housing and senior services. Tribal casinos also share revenue with the state under their agreements, contributing to Arizona’s budget. The project could benefit contractors, food suppliers and service businesses during construction and operations. Supporters hope the casino will bring more customers to nearby businesses and help revive Grant Road, while the property’s interstate access could attract visitors from Phoenix, Casa Grande, Texas and Mexico.

The casino is the first built within Tucson city limits by the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. It arrives 25 years after Casino Del Sol opened on West Valencia Road in 2001. The tribe’s Casino of the Sun, at 7406 South Camino de Oeste, began as a bingo club in 1982 and became a full casino in 1994. The new property is being positioned as an expansion of that local gaming presence, with a location intended to serve Tucson residents as well as regional travelers.

The Grant Road casino could eventually become part of a larger development, although those plans are not final. Sesma said a hotel and convention center could be added within the next couple of years. Other expectations tied to the broader project include restaurants, entertainment and flexible event space, with planners watching whether the property can draw new retail, housing and transit investment along the corridor. The site’s visibility and proximity to downtown, the University of Arizona area and desert attractions also make it a potential base for visitors combining gaming, dining and events.

The project has also prompted questions about traffic, noise and pressure on city services. The casino’s supporters emphasize jobs, local spending and the cultural visibility of a tribally led development, while skeptics want those impacts addressed before the property expands. Community meetings and feedback sessions have been described as part of the process for zoning and design updates. For now, the immediate work is inside the casino itself, where construction crews still need to complete rooms, install and certify gaming equipment, and prepare restaurants and public areas for the Nov. 15 opening.