• Desert Diamond West Valley Casino , Glendale , Arizona •
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n February 19 , the new $ 400 million Desert Diamond West Valley Casino held its official grand opening . The highly anticipated 1.2 million-squarefoot casino was filled with guests eager to experience the next phase of the Tohono O ’ odham Nation ’ s vision for its Glendale , Arizona , entertainment development outside Phoenix .
Top 5 nationally ranked hospitality designers HBG Design created the casino ’ s strikingly bold and sophisticated exterior and interior aesthetic , including the 75,000-square-foot casino floor , five uniquely designed restaurants and two eye-catching feature bars — the Edge Bar and the two-story Rock Bar — all derived from a distinctive Sonoran Desert-inspired design language .
Located in the heart of the bustling Westgate entertainment and sports district on the west side of the Phoenix Metro area , the new Desert Diamond West Valley Casino creates synergy with the surrounding entertainment options to deliver unique experiences for regional gaming patrons .
The design of the new casino is derived from the design team ’ s inspirational concept of “ The Dynamic Earth ,” a unique interpretation of the desert ’ s abundance , significant to the Tohono O ’ odham Nation .
The HBG Design team took a holistic approach to the architecture , interior design , lighting and landscaping to produce a meaningful and integrated guest experience centered around concepts belonging to The Dynamic Earth .
The design draws inspiration from the characteristics of the desert that are uniquely experienced here — the life and breath of the desert ’ s unique weather ; the ever-changing light and shadow of the endless sky ; and the solidity and sculptural elements of the land .
“ The HBG Design team was challenged to envision a holistic project concept and translate that into a design vocabulary appropriate for this high-end gaming resort ,” says Emily Marshall , IIDA , NCIDQ , interior design director and senior associate at HBG Design .
“ The driving concept of ‘ The Dynamic Earth ’ was inspired by the life and energy of the desert and developed into unique design interpretations for multiple F & B venues , the casino floor , VIP spaces , public spaces and future phases . When achieving design cohesion , it ’ s literally all in the details . Design nuances pull individual stories together yielding a consistency that speaks to resort branding and a well-defined guest experience .” Examples of this approach are numerous throughout the project . The casino ’ s signature arching roofline is easily visible from adjacent Interstate 101 . The architecture creates a beautiful contrast against the light and shadow of the desert sky . Its curved roof integrates LED lighting to mimic the ever-changing drama of the desert ’ s “ endless sky .”
For the interior , windows allow the sunlight to filter inside , bounce around the
colored wall panels and provide glimpses to sun angles at every time of day . The hues of the interior color palette change from left to right with the time of day , as a sun dial might change as the path of desert light moves from dawn to dusk . At each end of the casino and all parts in between , color expresses a distinct range connected to the desert story — from cooler ambient tones found at dawn to rich , warm ambers and reds as experienced at dusk .
In the casual-dining Fortune Café , light and shadow balance to create intimate dining areas inside the new 182-seat facility . Designers added dimension by layering the dark exposed ceiling with an open-slat wooden ceiling plane . Contemporary pendants scattered throughout the space provide an abundance of light , while the private banquettes and patterned screening produce contrasting shadows leading to a more multi-dimensional dining experience . A 46-seat terrace adds sunlit outdoor dining .
At the Nineteen 86 Steakhouse , shapes and forms collide in the 99-seat design — just like the desert wind as it flows through the sky and sculpts the elements of the landscape . A balance of warm and cool toned finishes and materials in neutral shades turn the tempestuous silhouettes into an elegant backdrop for the resort ’ s fine dining .
OWNER : Tohono O ’ odham Nation SIZE : 1.2 million square feet OPENED : February 19 , 2020 ARCHITECT : HBG Design INVESTMENT : $ 400 million
2020 CASINO STYLE 7