Ak-Chin Indian Community
Ak-Chin Indian Community
ʼAkĭ Ciñ Oʼodham (O'odham) | |
|---|---|
Ak-Chin Indian Community Location in Arizona | |
| Coordinates: 33°0′10.08″N 112°1′22.44″W / 33.0028000°N 112.0229000°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Pinal |
| Established | 1912 |
| Government | |
| • Chair | Gabriel Lopez |
| • Vice Chair | Delia Carlyle |
| • Tribal Council | Council Members
|
| Area | |
• Total | 22,000 acres (8,900 ha) |
| • Rural | 15,000 acres (6,100 ha) |
| Elevation | 1,186 ft (361 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 1,070 |
| • Density | 31/sq mi (12/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain Time Zone) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (Mountain Daylight Time) |
| Area code | 520 |
| FIPS code | 04-04021 |
| GNIS feature ID | 542 |
| Website | ak-chin |
The Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak-Chin) Indian Reservation (Oʼodham language: ʼAkĭ Ciñ Oʼodham) is a federally recognized tribe of Native Americans headquartered in the Santa Cruz Valley in Pinal County, Arizona, 37 miles south of Phoenix and near the city of Maricopa.
The community is composed mainly of Akimel Oʼodham and Tohono Oʼodham, as well as some ethnic Hia-Ced Oʼodham people. According to the 2020 United States Census, the reservation has 1,070 residents. The community comprises more than 1,100 citizens who live on and off the reservation.
The Maricopa Reservation was established by the federal government in 1912, under President William Howard Taft; within a few months his administration reduced it by more than half, due to opposition from non-Native farmers in the area. Gaining federal recognition in 1961, the tribe has established a large agricultural operation, aided by gaining water rights to the Colorado River in a 1984 federal settlement. This settlement enabled it to continue using irrigation to support its agriculture and other needs.
The Ak-Chin Community opened a gaming casino in 1994, Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino, with related hotel facilities. In 2011, the casino and resort was the major contributor to the economy of Pinal County. In July 2011, the casino underwent a $20 million expansion, with the addition of a new 152-room hotel tower that doubled its capacity. The resort, completed in 2012, has 300 rooms and an outdoor swimming pool.
In 2006, the Ak-Chin Indian Community purchased the Phoenix Regional Airport, which was later renamed Ak-Chin Regional Airport. Located near the Santa Cruz Commerce Center, the 170-acre Ak-Chin Regional Airport consists of an airport building with a 5,000 ft. runway.