Project Update: Desert Diamond Casino

By Steve Couch

August 1, 2019

The Desert Diamond Casino is a flagship project in the West Valley, located just east of the 101 Freeway and Northern Ave. The casino has been embroiled in legal and political challenges over the years, and Bel-Aire Mechanical is helping to make a vision for a West Valley Casino a reality.

Bel-Aire Mechanical is currently working on the 1.4 million-square-foot resort, which is the second phase of a multi-phased project; construction of this phase began in November of 2017. The main features of the project include a 4,000-ton central plant, a 440,000-square-foot casino that includes live table games, slot machines, bingo and poker rooms, restaurants, bars, retail shops, valet parking services, two 5-story parking structures and a 60,000-square-foot  Executive Office Building.

The grand opening for this eye-catching “Jewel of the Desert” is scheduled for January 2020.

The relationship between Bel-Aire and Desert Diamond Gaming Enterprise and the Tohono O’odham Nation began in 2014. Over the years, Bel-Aire has participated in numerous charitable events, such as Desert Diamond Casino Golf Classics, Tohono O’odham Nation Rodeos, Executive Events and Christmas for Tohono O’odham Nation’s Children, just to name a few.

In addition, Bel-Aire provides service and maintenance programs to Desert Diamond directly, and continues to offer design-assist services to enhance project completion.

Robert Dustman, Project Manager for Bel-Aire Mechanical, describes some of the unique obstacles surrounding this project.

“The project is constantly evolving, sometimes making it difficult to keep up; however, our team has been able to adapt, provide solutions and complete the tasks in a timely manner,” Dustman explains. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of a great team and project that will forever reshape the landscape of the West Valley!”

At peak, the project has employed nearly 700 construction workers. In July 2019, a major milestone was achieved by reaching the one-million man-hours threshold.

BIM Designs, Inc. started providing BIM (Building Information Modeling) services to Bel-Aire midway through the second phase of the project. The original company hired to provide design services was not able to keep up with the fast pace of the project. BIM Designs, relatively new to the Valley and eager to gain its footing in this market, happily signed on to keep the design phase of the project on schedule.

Steve Couch, Strategic Account Manager for BIM Designs, describes the challenges of coming on board such a complex project at the midway point.

“The CAD services we provide are designed to ensure each piece of the project fits together perfectly, and contractors are able to work together as seamlessly as possible to create the best final product for the owner,” Couch says. “We learned a lot on this project as it was our first in the Phoenix market, and we walked away feeling accomplished in what were able to do for Bel-Aire and Desert Diamond.”

The plans and opportunities continue to evolve on the next phase of the project, including a future hotel, sports book, spa and other features to enhance this mega-resort. With the help of Bel-Aire and BIM Designs, Desert Diamond and the West Valley are sure to hit the jackpot.

Reposted from the SMACNA AZ Website