After Hiatus, Yavapai-Prescott Tribe Restarts Work On New Casino

Written By Derek Helling on June 1, 2021Last Updated on January 30, 2025
A new Yavapai-Prescott casino is again in the works after the federal government approved re-negotiated gaming compacts in May.

Seven years ago, it looked like a new Yavapai-Prescott casino near the city with a similar name might amount to nothing more than wishful thinking. With the recent federal approval of gaming compacts, it appears those wishes might come true again.

The tribe has resumed preparations for the new gambling facility. Many details, like a timeline for completion, what the property will feature, and what its presence could mean for the tribe’s other Arizona casinos, remain speculative.

A brand-new Yavapai-Prescott game is built out of the rubble.

According to the Navajo Times, the Yavapai-Prescott tribe is in the earliest phase of construction. Right now, personnel are conducting the necessary soil test.

The clan owns property across from Prescott’s Yavpe Connector and Frontier Village Shopping Mall on Highway 69. The US Department of the Interior placed the tribe’s confidence over the 12-acre package.

Plans for the casino first became public in 2014. At the time, the estimated cost was $40 million. Initially, the tribe planned to break ground late that year. A construction estimate sat at 18 months.

The community intended to move its games operations from its two different casinos to the new location once it was finished. These include the Yavapai Casino and Bucky & rsquo, both of which are situated on sovereign land close to Prescott.

However, the kindred not carried out the plans. It’s unclear at this time whether the tribe intends to continue with its plans to close the Yavapai and Bucky & rsquo when the new casino opens.

But, we can conclude from this circumstance that the new compacts appear to have accelerated this case’s exercise. The most possible motivating factors are the rise in slots and fresh table games.

Why is it better for AZ games now than it was in 2014?

A lot of the attention from the new gaming compacts was on Arizona sports betting. However, the articles of the compacts contained much of more interest to AZ tribal casino operators.

First off, Arizona’s edges saw a sharp increase in the number of gambling allowed on tribal lands to 55. At least four more are currently being developed, two of which are in Phoenix and the other two whose sites are still unknown.

All of the cultural games in Arizona also had an abundance of slot machines available. That amount increases to 6, 300 this time. The particles also permit a 550-per-year increase in that overall.

The Yavapai Casino and Bucky & rsquo, s currently run 566 machines. How much of the new capability the Yavapai-Prescott tribe will collect in its allotment is unknown.

What Arizonans who visit games, both new and old, are likely to see the most is The various types of desk games that were previously unavailable are now available. Those include:

  • Baccarat
  • Craps
  • Gao Pai
  • Roulette
  • Sic Bo

What about placing bets on activities at the fresh game?

Finally, the Yavapai-Prescott could be one of 10 tribal casino operators to offer retail sports betting as well. The tribe has not announced whether it will seek that opportunity and it may not do so.

Federal law prohibits online gambling on tribal lands, so even if the tribe does get into the sportsbook business, it will only be that of the brick-and-mortar variety. Additionally, there are only 10 tribal sports betting licenses to spread among 16 tribes that currently operate at least one casino near AZ cities.

As a result, even if the Yavapai-Prescott want to provide sports gaming, they might still be around looking in. However, the tribe is no longer really interested in constructing this casino close to the Prescott mall. On that front, real action has resumed.

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Helling, Derek

Helling, Derek is a lead writer for PlayUSA and the manager of BetHer. He is a 2013 graduate of the University of Iowa and covers the intersections of sports with business and the law.

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