The Fire Rock Casino, on Route 66 east of Gallup, N.M., and owned by the Navajo Nation, opened to the public on Wednesday, reports the Gallup Independent.
Shortly before the 4 p.m. grand opening, a crowd of thousands was lined up, three and four deep, all the way around one side of the 65,000-square-foot building.
Vehicles were backed up all the way to the New Mexico State Police post on Route 66, and the nearly 900-space casino parking lot was full to overflowing. It was a turnout beyond everyone’s expectations.
It’s estimated the casino will generate up to $35 million in revenues a year, and it employs about 270 people.
UPDATE: For a more skeptical look at the casino, here’s a report by the Farmington (N.M.) Daily Times.