When the Fort McDowell Casino opened its doors in 1984 it was the first casino in Arizona – this week its successor, the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort, is calling itself the state’s newest casino.
The 166,341-square-foot facility in Scottsdale replaces the original casino, which initially opened as a bingo hall.
The casino shares its name with the We-Ko-Pa Golf Club across the street, which has the Saguaro and Cholla courses.
The casino offers slot machines, table games, poker and bingo, plus restaurants, event venues, Native American design elements and other attributes the tribe says are designed to maximize the comfort, safety and enjoyment of all who visit the casino and stay at the adjacent AAA Four Diamond hotel.
Officials said all gaming areas, hotel rooms and public spaces, dining outlets and entertainment venues will be 100% smoke-free, with four outdoor areas designated for smokers. COVID-19 precautions include taking patrons' temperatures (only granting entry to those with 100-degree temperatures or less), requiring masks, providing sanitation stations, encouraging social distancing, and limiting elevator and outlet occupancy.
“Gaming has been a part of our tribal community for the past three decades and has allowed us to provide financial security for our members and employees,” Bernadine Burnette, president of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, said in a statement. “Our upscale new casino will allow us to take gaming to an entirely new level while keeping a Native American look and feel – with design elements of earth, water, fire and basket-weaving that are so important to our culture.”
