Gila River Casino at Wild Horse Pass
Address:5550 West Wild Horse Pass Chandler, AZ 85246
Phone: 800-WIN-GILA
Gila River Casino at Wild Horse Pass - Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino has exciting casino action to suit everyone, right in Chandler, Arizona. With slots, table games, and poker, it's GAME ON!
Reviews
sam the guru extrordinaire of Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino. It's one of
my favorite casinos to hit for gambling, concerts, overnight stays and for the
hell of it. Here's my run down:
LOCATION: conveniently sitting right off the I-10, easy to stop from the
freeway. Ample parking lots and covered garage as well as valet parking. I'm
more than willing to drive the 2+ hours it takes for me to get here.
CASINO: ground level floor is gambling. Tons of slots machines, blackjack
tables, electronic roulette table (sad), poker tables, keno, pai gow poker. High
rollers area available, as well as non-smoking area. Well staffed, something I
really appreciate about Wild Horse Pass. Not only are there plenty of manned
tables to choose from, but there are also staff members walking about cleaning
ashtrays, picking up empty glassware and answering general questions. Cashiers
are easy to locate and are helpful to those new to the casino circuit. Well lit
and nicely decorated. Clean.
HOTEL: I have come to accept that casino hotels tend to be on the pricey side,
usually about $200+ a night. However, if you sign up for their players club
(free), they send you notifications of when they have specials running for $79,
an absolute STEAL. They also go out of your way to adhere to your requests
whenever possible; I was given a room facing the South on the highest floor
simply because I asked for it. Rooms are tastefully modern with great amenities
like flat screen TVs, iPod stereo docks, refrigerator, etc. Bed is comfortable
with lush bedding. Pool is also available to hotel guests, it has cabanas and
bar service available during the day time. Tends to be crowded with families,
however.
RESTAURANTS: I've been to Shula's, Ling and Louie's, Cafe 24/7 and the food
court on multiple occasions.
-For quick service, hit the food court; beware, Smashburger tends to have a line
and a wait time of ~20min.
-Ling and Louie's is an Asian fusion restaurant with ok sushi but a nice
atmosphere, good for a late-night dinner or lunch.
-Shula's is the high-priced steakhouse located on the second level. Reservations
accepted. They also send promotional emails via players club.
-Cafe 24/7 is good for breakfast on the go.
LOUNGES/BARS:
-Classics with a Twist: great lounge with beautiful atmosphere. Have amazing
"couture" cocktails with weird stuff like violet flower water. My favorite
lounge at Wild Horse Pass.
-Reflections: located directly outside Ovations, the music/entertainment venue.
As a result, tends to be loud with lots of people walking through.
-Center Bar is, you guessed it, right in the center of the casino. Tends to be
dominated by the male species as it is considered a "sports bar." Don't expect
bartenders to be too friendly here as a lot of people buy a drink and walk back
out to the casino floor.
ENTERTAINMENT: Ovations Live! is the entertainment/concert venue located within
Wild Horse Pass. They host a wide variety of entertainers, from comedians to
country singers to my favorite, 80s hair bands. People come from all over
Arizona to see bands such as Cinderella, Dokken, etc. Tickets are reasonably
priced and there's not a bad seat in the house. Second floor seating is
available and is obviously the cheapest. Great lighting and sound booth
management, always puts on an amazing show. Two bars located within the venue
for your drunken enjoyment.
TIPS:
*park in the parking lot, I find it's easier to get in/out of the casino this
way
*sign up for the players club to receive promotional information (not much spam)
*play some slots, I'm pretty lucky here
*see a concert, preferrably a rock concert, and then stay at the casino til
dawn.
*eat at Star Ginger at the food court, they have a great green curry.
*stay the night at least once, preferrably after a concert