Arizona Daily Star
Casino gaming, like most everything else in life, benefits from moderation.
No one wants to see the family savings turned over to a blackjack dealer, and very few are going to hit the $100,000 slot machine jackpot, either.
So as the Twin Arrows Resort Casino opens officially this weekend 30 miles east of Flagstaff, we would hope everyone takes a step back and sets reasonable expectations.
Based on initial appearances, that might be difficult — the casino is huge and has an appealing design and tasteful decor. The main entrance even faces east, in line with Navajo tradition.
In other words, it is a first-class facility in the world of gaming and expects to attract gamblers who appreciate good taste.
But as for hitting a homerun financially, Twin Arrows can’t possibly do for the Navajo Nation what Cliff Castle has done for the Yavapai-Apache Tribe of Camp Verde. A tribe with 300,000 members just doesn’t get much per-capita benefit — even if profits top $5 million or $10 million a year, that amounts to less than $35 apiece.
