Inside Santan Mountain Casino, the flashy new gambling spot in metro Phoenix

Tiffany Acosta, Arizona Republic

Updated June 28, 2023 at 10:01 PM·6 min read

Calling all gamblers: You'll have a new option for slots, roulette and more in metro Phoenix when Santan Mountain Casino opens on the Gila River Reservation near Chandler.

The grand opening of the 160,000-square-foot casino is set for Friday, June 30. Santan Mountain Casino will be home to over 800 slot machines and 25 table games, as well as a high-limit section.

Besides the classic games, the property's construction and decor offer modern and unconventional takes on a casino. High-tech window glass can adjust to block the sun. Ceilings are hand-painted to look like wood panels. And works by local artists decorate the white walls.

Not to mention the array of bars with signature drinks, an upscale restaurant and a food court next to a reception hall that can be rented for big events.

Here's everything to know about the new Santan Mountain Casino.

Here's the vibe inside the new Santan Mountain Casino

Floor-to-ceiling windows line the perimeter of the casino floor at Santan Mountain Casino, photographed on June 26, 2023, on the Gila River Reservation south of Chandler.

Santan Mountain Casino's aesthetic is light, elegant and modern.

“Normally a casino is dark, it's got no windows, and that's different here. We threw the rulebook out,” said Blake Katsnelson, general manager. “So, windows on 90% of our front of the house, the windows have technology built into them.”

The windows monitor the rising and setting of the sun and automatically tint or brighten as needed.

“Our goal is for the guests to always be able to see outside at night. It goes totally clear and you can really see the entire property, even driving by,” Katsnelson said.

Need to get some fresh air? Santan Mountain has two gardens where you can sit and chat with friends or watch the sunset.

The casino offers a fresh look as well, with white being the statement color.

“We even wrapped all of our machines. The machines normally come black; we wrapped them in white. The bases are normally black. We wrapped them with brown,” Katsnelson said.

Santan Mountain Casino games: Slots, roulette, poker, blackjack

High limit slots at Santan Mountain Casino, photographed on June 26, 2023, on the Gila River Reservation south of Chandler.

What’s a casino without games of chance? Santan Mountain Casino offers 813 slots and 25 table games, including:

Craps
Blackjack
Baccarat
Ultimate Texas Hold’em
Poker
Roulette

The star of the show is the distinctive white roulette wheel.

“We actually got the only white roulette wheel in the United States,” Katsnelson said. “We had it imported from Europe. That is the only one you'll find, and we had that specifically for this property.”

The casino also has a high-limit area with slots, poker, roulette and more, which is accessible to everyone.

It's easy to find your way around the gambling floor.

“If you follow the tile path around the property, it's a big box,” Katsnelson said. “You hit every amenity that we have, whether it's the players club or high limit or sports club or restrooms or the cage, it's all off the tile floor.”

Inside the sports book at Santan Mountain Casino

Sports fans, this one is for you. At 7,000 square feet, it's the largest sports book in Arizona. Sponsored by Bet MGM, the 130-foot TV screens illuminate the room with all kinds of competitions. Fans can relax in stadium-style seating.

“We've got all these booths here where you can rent out a booth for Super Bowl or March Madness or a fantasy football party,” Katsnelson said.

Besides sports, people can come party on the weekends.

“On nights and weekends, there's actually a DJ booth in there. So we're going to have a DJ and we convert it into an ultra-lounge with all the booths and the tables and the chairs there and then that DJ ties into the sound system and the entire property,” Katsnelson said.

First look: Metro Phoenix's newest casino, Santan Mountain, to open in June near this city

Gabby Barrett concerts for Santan Mountain Casino's grand opening

Country music star Gabby Barrett, known for her third-place finish on Season 16 of "American Idol," will perform concerts on June 30 and July 1 at the casino's Silver Leaf Ballroom. After the concert, step into the garden and take in the drone show as it lights up the desert mountain views.

The ballroom can be rented for weddings and other special events.

Restaurants and bars at Santan Mountain Casino

Entrance to the Honey + Vine restaurant, just off the casino floor at Santan Mountain Casino on June 26, 2023, located on the Gila River Reservation south of Chandler.

Santan Mountain Casino offers a variety of dining options, from upscale sit-down meals at Honey and Vine to food court favorites. Here's what you'll find at the food court:

Rizzo’s: An Italian eatery
Taste Kitchen: Offering smash burgers, salads and more
Starbucks
Mein Dish: Asian favorites
Upper Deck Deli: Sandwiches and other deli classics

Honey and Vine is an airy space with aqua blue seats, wooden tables and a bar. High ceilings showcase the art of the different aspects of the Arizona desert.

“Honey and Vine is our three-meal concept, crafted culinary flavors with a little upscale twist on it. We're open for anybody. If you're in jeans and a blouse and you want to come in at dinner or if you're suited and booted and you want to have a nice dinner, you're more than welcome to come through,” Katsnelson said.

“We are also grabbing some of our ingredients from Gila River farms. It's that community experience, so there are some beans and there's some corn and there's some honey that we're all bringing in," he said. "We're trying to be local.”

For starters, try the honey-whipped feta which comes with olives and toasted sourdough. For entrees, try the Rotisserie, which is prime rib with a loaded baked potato, caramelized onion jus and horseradish cream. A half chicken comes with roasted marble potatoes and root vegetables, applewood bacon, salsa verde and natural jus. The pork loin includes prickly pear glaze, bourbon creamed corn and jalape?o cornbread.

Honey and Vine offer lunch and dinner. Brunch is expected to start in September or October.

Santan Mountain Casino's signature cocktails

Santan Mountain Casino offers several options for beverages to enjoy as you are setting your bets. Hive, in the center of the casino, has a “tree” with LED lights that go with the beat of any song that is playing.

Hive’s signature drinks include the Boss Margarita and Busy Bee, crafted with vodka, lemon, coconut ginger tea, ginger beer and a flower called the buzz button.

“You actually chew up a flower first and it numbs your mouth a little bit and then you take a drink of it and it changes the flavor profile,” Katsnelson said.

Gamblers in the high-limit area can order cocktails from Premiua, and the bar in the sports book is heaven for beer lovers, with 40 taps.

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