A new event center for large gatherings has opened in Somerton, Arizona. The venue is located on the grounds of Cocopah Casino and is designed to host a variety of large-scale events.
The Cocopah Indian Tribe held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday to unveil the newly built building constructed by Pilkington Construction.
Clint Harrington, the president of Pilkington Construction, said it's the biggest of its kind in Yuma County, with a maximum occupancy of 3,838 people.
The center has three ballrooms, with the largest ballroom able to hold more than 2,000 people.
At the opening ceremony, the Cocopah Indian Tribe said it hopes to bring revenue to the region by attracting big-name artists and shows, while also serving as a place for the community to hold events.
Cocopah Tribal Chairwoman Sherry Cordova spoke at the opening ceremony.
"If those of you who are old enough remember how this area looked back then, nothing but dirt groves, nothing out here, and thinking about where the Cocopah were in the '60s and '70s, we were on the cover of a magazine saying that we were the poorest tribe in the nation. So, to be able to stand here and look out and drive through here and know that this is Cocopah," said Cordova.
Cordova said the project is the first step in the tribe's plans for future development.
