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The United States House of Representatives has approved the location of the former movie theater on Grant Road and I-10 as part of the Pascua Yaqui tribal area and paved the way for a new casino.
Mamta Popat, Arizona Daily Star
Courtesy of the Pascua Yaqui tribe, Tucson is one step closer to having its first casino in town.
The US House of Representatives recently approved the Old Pascua Community Land Acquisition Act, which would allow the tribe to trust their land near Grant Road and Interstate 10, a step necessary to build a casino there .
It would also preserve the existing land, the Old Pascua Village, where religious ceremonies are held.
A new casino would provide hundreds of jobs for tribesmen and other residents of the area, said tribal chairman Peter Yucupicio, a lifelong resident of Old Pascua.
“This will improve the sustainable employment area, not just for the Yaquis but for the entire community on the west side,” he said. “It’s time we invested in the west side.”
The bill, sponsored by US MP Raúl Grijalva, will be submitted to the Senate early next year and, if approved, will be submitted to the President for signature. It is not yet known when construction could begin.
“I am proud to represent the Pascua Yaqui tribe and the efforts that have been made to protect this holy land,” said Grijalva. “The Old Pascua Community Land Acquisition Act is a bipartisan bill that will raise tribal living standards, improve system coordination and integration of service delivery, and promote the continuous transmission of Yaqui knowledge, culture, history and traditions for future generations.”
The Pascua Yaqui tribe bought the former Tucson 5 drive-in that was converted into Century Park 16 theaters for $ 4.65 million in 2011. It borders on Old Pascua.
Long-time movie-goer Kathy Nichols takes a photo of the lobby on the closing day of Century Park 16 cinema in January 2011. The property could house a new casino run by the Pascua Yaqui tribe.
David Sanders, Arizona Daily Star 2011
This property, along with the Old Pascua, would become part of the Pascua-Yaqui reservation and would be ruled by the tribe.
As part of the process of building a new casino, the tribe entered into a unique agreement with the city of Tucson in 2019.
The intergovernmental agreement was approved by the city council, and as part of the deal, the tribe would make “payments in lieu of taxes” that would apply to “almost all currently projected uses at the site.”
The tribe would agree to pay the city-specific transaction privilege taxes based on revenue:
Retail, including spirits – 2.6%
Sale of ready meals, including spirits – 2%
Hotel rental – 6% plus USD 4 per room per 24 hour period
Entertainment, such as cinemas, video games or concerts – 2%
Gross revenue new build new build – 2%
Rental to independent third parties – 2%
The city would continue to provide services such as law enforcement, fire and emergency services, traffic controls, garbage / recycling, and transit.
Tucson police officers would represent one another from the tribe to issue subpoenas and make arrests or prosecutions on tribal land.
The city would continue to provide water services, but the tribe would provide water from their own resources if a venue was built, the proposal said.
The tribe would operate and maintain all roads and streets within the property and would not be required to submit building plans to the city for approval.
The Tucson 5 Drive-In at 1055 W. Grant Road is pictured in 1982. It opened in 1974. It was demolished in the late 1980s and replaced with Century Park 16 indoor theaters, which closed in 2011.
Tucson Citizen 1982
The trunk would comply with all building and fire safety codes and allow the Tucson Fire Department to review plans for compliance and conduct walk-in inspections of the buildings after construction, the proposal said.
“These efforts build on the strong partnership the City of Tucson and the Pascua Yaqui tribe have long enjoyed while recognizing the cultural and historical importance of the area known as ‘Old Pascua’,” said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero .
The casino would be the fifth in the greater Tucson area.
The Pascua Yaqui Tribe operates the Casino del Sol Resort, Spa and Conference Center at 5655 W. Valencia Road and the Casino of the Sun at 7406 S. Camino de Oeste.
The Tohono O’odham Nation has the Desert Diamond Casino on Pima Mine Road and Interstate 19 and the Desert Diamond Casino & Hotel on 7350 S. Nogales Highway. It also operates the Desert Diamond Casino – West Valley in Glendale.
Contact reporter Gabriela Rico at grico@tucson.com
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