Former movie theater demolished for new Tucson casino

The walls of the former movie theater have collapsed to make way for a new casino on the west side of Tucson.

of pasqua yaki tribe A casino was to be built on Grant Road, near Interstate 10, which once housed the Century Park 16 theater.

Before the theater’s demolition began, tribal chief Peter Yukpicio said the project had long been a dream for residents of neighboring Old Pasqua Village.

“I had my suspicions,” said Yukpicio, who was born and still lives in Old Pasqua. “Nobody thought that would happen… Now it’s in our hands.”

The site will be developed in two phases, the first phase being a casino, parking lot and three eateries.

Demolition of the former Century Park 16 Theater on Grant Road began near Interstate 10 on February 20. The Pascua Yaki tribe plans to build a new casino on the site. Members of the Tribal Council and the mayor of Tucson spoke just before construction workers began tearing down the wall.

Video by Pascal Albright/Arizona Daily Star

Pascal Albright

Once demolition is complete, work will begin on underground utilities and site preparation, with the goal of starting construction on the new casino in 18 to 24 months, said Kim Van Amberg, CEO of Casino del Sol. increase.

Phase 2 of the project is a hotel and conference center with a second parking lot at the north end of the property on Grant Road. We don’t have a timeline for that phase yet.

Several companies now occupy buildings along Grant Road, including Habitat for Humanity, Sonic, and the Tucson Indoor Sports Center.

The tribe is working with these tenants to vacate the property.

The project was made possible in December when President Biden signed the Old Pasqua Community Land Acquisition Act.

The bill, sponsored by U.S. Congressman Raul Grijalva, put a 40-acre parcel into trust on behalf of the tribes and designated sovereign land and casino development eligibility.

“It took us a long time to get to this point today,” Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said at the demolition ceremony Monday. Yes, and the Pasquayaki tribe will have to decide what happens here.”

The tribe purchased the former Tucson 5 Drive-In in 2011 and converted it into a Century Park 16 theater, and in 2019 signed an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Tucson to clarify law enforcement, fire safety and water issues.

Operated by the Pascua Yaki Tribe Casino del Sol ResortSpa and Conference Center, 5655 W. Valencia Road, and sun casino7406 S. Camino de Oeste.

Yukpicio said the new casino will employ between 800 and 900 people when it goes live.

“We are trying to make our little village a little better,” he said. “We want people to come here to make money and earn money.

“Who doesn’t want to win the jackpot?”