So noxious to some in the Phoenix area is the idea of a Tohono O’odham Nation casino that Arizona‘s congressional delegation has actually tried to get a special law passed to stop it. For five and a half years, the Tohono O’odham have persisted in their quest, with few allies outside the Interior Department, and victory finally appears to be at hand. The city council of Glendale has repealed its 2009 anti-casino stance, suddenly leaving casino opponents without one of their strongest bulwarks.
The disputed land, which lies outside Glendale but juts into its boundary line, was declared reservation land in 2009, making it eligible for casino development. The State of Arizona tried to argue that the Tohono O’odham agreed to a casino moratorium but that argument was tossed out of federal court. With Glendale now officially siding with the tribe — and against several rival tribes. Wednesday’s victory also puts new urgency into negotiations between Glendale and the tribe, a door that was opened in March. The casino’s proximity to the Westgate sporting complex is now seen as an asset, not a threat. The nearest existing casino is 25 miles away, so all the anti-Tohono O’odham hysteria seems much ado about very little.
* What would Jackie Gaughan have said? We can only wonder, as the El Cortez‘s beloved Flame Steakhouse is reportedly on the way out. The 
Flame will make way for a relocated Cafe Cortez, supposedly to be displaced in favor of a nightclub. While this is regrettable, it sounds entirely logical and largely inevitable when you consider the changes in the El Cortez’s Fremont East neighborhood, a place where velvet ropes have begun to sprout.
“A first glance, the idea of opening a nightclub at El Cortez is akin to opening a nightclub at your grandma’s assisted living community,” writes the masked man behind Vital Vegas, which sussed out this story. He notes the demographic shift around the El Cortez and adds, “it’s possible a night spot could bring in a more youthful, affluent crowd.” Ah yes, but at what cost?
* Expect to see a bit more, at least, of Westgate Las Vegas owner David Siegel when Queen of Versailles unspools this autumn. When Siegel held court (in the most unassuming possible way) with the media after his big Vegas purchase, he seemed a good deal more enthusiastic about his new Sin City investment than about having TV cameras following him around.
