by Peter Corbett – Nov. 2, 2009 04:24 PM
The Arizona Republic
The Valley’s largest casino-hotel is scheduled to open by early April, said Ramon Martinez, Talking Stick Resort’s public-relations director.
The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community is building a $400 million hotel and casino northeast of Loop 101 and Indian Bend Road.
It will include 497 rooms, a spa, 50,000 square feet of conference space, restaurants, lounges and a 750-seat entertainment showroom.
Talking Stick’s casino will feature 800 slot machines, 50 poker tables, keno and off-track betting in 240,000 square feet of space.
Chanen Construction Co. started building the casino hotel in January 2008. The tribe held a topping-off ceremony for the 15-story structure in October 2008.
Tribal officials said then that Talking Stick could be finished as early as December of this year. “We’re not going to make that date,” Martinez said. But the hotel is booking business meetings, he said.
Talking Stick’s restaurants will include Orange Sky Restaurant, a fine-dining room on the 15th floor with fresh seafood, aged beef and an extensive wine list.
Blue Coyote Cafe will be a 24-hour restaurant serving sandwiches, soups and salads.
The Wandering Horse Buffet will be an indoor-outdoor eatery with seating for 350 and offer Mexican, Asian and Mediterranean food prepared at live cooking stations.
Black Fig Bistro will offer casual dining and express takeout service on sandwiches, pizzas, salads and soups.
Ocean Trail will serve raw oysters, steamers, Cajun-style boils and Louisiana jambalaya.
Tom Freimuth is the executive chef. He has 30 years of experience including stints at Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort in Utah, the Boulders Resort in Carefree and Tarbell’s in Phoenix.
Jon Jenkins, president of Casino Arizona, the tribe’s gaming enterprise, said the goal is to provide “the optimal dining experience for everyone no matter what their tastes.”
Jenkins said Freimuth “truly understands that objective.”
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