Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Harrah's Ak-Chin |
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| Location | Maricopa, Arizona, U.S. |
| Address | 15406 North Maricopa Road |
| Opening date | December 27, 1994 |
| No. of rooms | 529 |
| Total gaming space | 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m2) |
| Notable restaurants | Agave's Restaurant Copper Cactus Grill Dunkin' Donuts The Buffet at Harrah's The Range Steakhouse |
| Owner | Ak-Chin Indian Community |
| Operating license holder | Caesars Entertainment |
| Coordinates | 33°01′27″N 112°03′01″W / 33.02413°N 112.05016°W |
Harrah's Ak-Chin is a fun resort with a hotel and a place for games, located about 39 miles (63 km) south of Phoenix, Arizona. It's in a town called Maricopa.
This resort is owned by the Ak-Chin Indian Community. It is managed by a company called Caesars Entertainment. Guests can enjoy many different games like video poker and slot machines. There are also table games such as blackjack, roulette, and craps. Plus, there's a special hall for bingo.
In 2011, the resort grew bigger with a new hotel tower. This added 152 rooms, making it much larger. Later, in 2018, another 12-story hotel tower was built. This brought the total number of rooms to 529. The pool area was also updated in 2019, and a large space for shows and events was added.
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A Look Back at Harrah's Ak-Chin History
Harrah's Ak-Chin first opened its doors on December 27, 1994. Since then, over a million people have visited this popular spot. More than 750,000 guests have stayed in its hotel rooms since 2001.
Key Moments in Time
- December 27, 1994 – Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino opens. It was the first and only Native American casino in Arizona to have a management partner.
- October 1997 – A guest won a large prize of $330,000 on a slot machine. Even though the machine had a small problem, Harrah's still paid the full amount.
- March 2001 – The resort hotel opens with 144 guest rooms and four special suites.
- February 2003 – The casino starts offering table games like poker and blackjack.
- June 2003 – Bingo games move to a new, special Bingo Hall.
- November 2009 – The 148 hotel rooms are updated and made new.
- December 2009 – The Ak-Chin Indian Community decides to keep Harrah's as their management partner for five more years.
- June 2010 – Work begins on a new five-story hotel tower with 152 rooms. These rooms would have cool new features like 50-inch flat-screen TVs.
- July 2010 – The Ak-Chin Indian Community buys the Southern Dunes Golf Club. This golf course is open to everyone and is a nice extra for resort guests.
- November 2010 – The Buffet restaurant gets a fresh new look.
- July 2011 – The $20 million expansion is finished, and the new hotel tower opens.
- May 2012 – The pool area is updated, and a swim-up bar is added.
- August 2013 – The Lounge area gets a $1.25 million renovation.
- December 2013 – The Total Rewards Center is updated, and a Dunkin' Donuts opens.
- June 2016 – Work starts on another big expansion project.
- November 2017 – A new parking garage and more gaming space open.
- December 2017 – The Bingo Hall is renovated, and a new wine and small plate bar called Oak & Fork opens.
- March 2018 – The Ak-Chin Indian Community opens a special bridge. This bridge connects Harrah's Ak-Chin to the Ultra-Star Multitainment Center.
- July 2018 – The hotel gym opens for guests.
- August 2018 – The Spa and the Chop, Block & Brew restaurant open.
- November 2018 – A 12-story hotel tower and a large parking garage are finished.
- February 2019 – The Total Rewards program changes its name to Caesars Rewards.
- April 2019 – The pool renovation is completed.
- July 2019 – An 18,000 square foot Events Center opens.
- January 2020 – Agave’s Restaurant gets a renovation.
- March 2020 – The resort temporarily closes due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
- May 2020 – It reopens with new health and safety rules.
- July 2020 – Caesars Entertainment is bought by ElDorado.
- October 2020 – The Ultra-Star Multitainment Center becomes the Ak-Chin Entertainment Circle.
- September 2021 – Live Craps, Roulette, and Baccarat games are added.
Fun Things to Do and Places to Eat
Harrah's Ak-Chin offers many great options for food and entertainment.
Delicious Dining Options
- Agave's Restaurant: This is a relaxed cafe with seats both inside and outside. It serves breakfast and lunch every day.
- Copper Cactus Grill: This snack bar is open 24 hours a day. You can grab quick meals like breakfast burritos, hamburgers, pizza, and snacks.
- Dunkin': A well-known spot for coffee and donuts.
- Oak & Fork: This place offers small dishes and a selection of wines.
- Chop, Block & Brew: Here you can enjoy fancy steaks and seafood. They also have special craft beers and unique drinks.
Exciting Entertainment
Guests at Harrah’s Ak-Chin can enjoy an 18,000 square foot entertainment hall. This large space hosts many different live shows. You might see funny comedy acts or famous performers. There's usually something fun for everyone!
More Cool Features
The resort has a fantastic outdoor pool area. It includes four spas, 12 private cabanas you can rent, and a swim-up bar. You can even order drinks and food right to your spot by the pool.
The Spa at Harrah’s Ak-Chin offers relaxing treatments. These include different types of massages, facial treatments, and nail services. The Spa has four special rooms, including one for couples.
In 2010, the Ak-Chin Indian Community bought the Southern Dunes Golf Club. This golf course is managed by Troon Golf and is located near the resort. It covers over 320 acres and has a large clubhouse. In 2009, Golfweek magazine named Southern Dunes one of the best courses to play in the United States.
In 2012, the Ak-Chin Indian Community opened the UltraStar Multi-tainment Center at Ak-Chin Circle. This huge center is 165,000 square feet and cost $50 million to build. It has restaurants, a bowling alley, and spaces for events. It's right next to the casino. Since October 2020, the Ak-Chin Community has run the center, and it's now called Ak-Chin Circle Entertainment Circle.
Awards and Recognition
Harrah's Ak-Chin has received several awards for being a great place to work and visit.
- Arizona Business Magazine and BestCompanies AZ named Harrah's Ak-Chin a "2010 Most Admired Company."
- The Phoenix Business Journal listed the resort as one of the “Best Places to Work in the Valley” in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.
- Ak-Chin Southern Dunes golf course was ranked #5 in 2015 for "Best Courses You Can Play in Arizona" by Golf Magazine & Golfweek.
- Harrah's Ak-Chin received the 2011 Volunteer Service Award from the Arizona Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism.
- In 2021, Harrah’s Ak-Chin was voted the Best Employer of Maricopa in the Creme de la Copa awards.
