The Pascua Yaqui Tribe and Casino Del Sol’s new hotel, under construction, has reached a significant milestone. The final steel beam has been placed on top of the new hotel, marking the halfway point in the construction process and signifying the completion of the structural phase of construction.

Pascua Yaqui Tribal Members, Casino Del Sol team members and members of the McCarthy construction team had the opportunity to sign the 17-foot long beam at a topping off ceremony on Friday, Feb. 15 before it was lifted to its place on top of the hotel’s framework.

“Reaching this significant milestone is something we’ve been looking forward to, and we wouldn’t be in the home stretch without the team’s hard work,” said CEO of Casino Del Sol, Kimberly Van Amburg. “The signatures on the beam of all who helped make this happen will now be a permanent part of the hotel structure.”

The new hotel is named Estrella at Casino Del Sol. Sitting on 2.2 acres adjacent to the existing Casino Del Sol, the hotel will have six floors and 151 rooms that take advantage of the stunning views of the property and the surrounding Sonoran Desert landscape, designed with a modern touch. 

The amenities of Estrella at Casino Del Sol include meeting rooms, an arcade, a lounge area, and fitness center. Additionally, the hotel will have a family-friendly pool, equipped with a pool slide for the kids and poolside bar for the adults.

The new hotel will match Casino Del Sol’s Sonoran Desert design with a modern twist. The building exterior colors and contemporary forms will complement the desert mountain backdrop while the lobby will offer a fresh, clean, and open feeling that welcomes guests.  

“Estrella at Casino Del Sol represents the Pascua Yaqui Tribe’s commitment to providing world-class hospitality in Tucson,” said Chairman of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Robert Valencia. “The topping off of our new hotel is an exciting achievement that signifies we are getting closer to opening the doors and welcoming our community.”

Since breaking ground in July 2018, the construction team working on Estrella at Casino Del Sol has made remarkable progress. Below are some highlights to date:

  • 18,000 yards of dirt have been moved
  • 896 tons of steel have been used
  • 15,000 yards of concrete have been poured
  • 38,372 man-hours have been worked
  • Over 130 employees have worked on this site
  • 53 Pascua Yaqui Tribal Members have a construction job on this site

In addition to the new hotel, Casino Del Sol’s large-scale hospitality project also includes a new 75-space RV park, an expansion of the current meeting space at Casino Del Sol, and a new Event Center called the Sunset Room at its sister property, Casino of the Sun. These projects broke ground along with the hotel in July 2018 and are scheduled to be completed this summer. Estrella at Casino Del Sol is set to follow, with a Grand Opening in November 2019. 

The general contractor for the project is McCarthy Building Companies. The architect for the project is Cuningham Group. The new hotel will be managed as a Pascua Yaqui Tribal Enterprise.

For more information about Casino Del Sol, and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, visit www.casinodelsol.com or call 1-855-SOL-STAY (765-7829).

Members of the Pascua Yaqui Tribal Council sign the final beam.