Desert Diamond Casinos, the gaming enterprise arm for Tohono O'Odham Nation, kicked off construction Wednesday with a ceremony for its new $450 million casino complex in the West Valley.

The first phase of the casino will be the Desert Diamond Casinos' fifth in Arizona and include 900 slot machines, more than 30 table games, a poker room with 12 tables, a sportsbook and bar.

The more than 200,000-square-foot facility will also feature a central bar that can be accessed through a valet entrance, a food hall with four restaurants as well as an additional fine-dining restaurant, a casual restaurant and a retail store.

"We're looking to establish a high-quality experience for our guests in terms of amenities they can enjoy as well as the great person-to-person service our team is known for," Mike Bean, CEO of Desert Diamond Casino and Entertainment, told the Business Journal.

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By Audrey Jensen - Reporter, Phoenix Business Journal