Global Gaming Insider traveled to Camp Verde, Arizona, for the unveiling of Cliff Castle Casino’s new smoke-friendly gaming parlor and its ongoing property-wide expansion. Numerous community locals grouped outside the gaming parlor for a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Cliff Castle Casino GM Chris McGahey, who spoke to us in an exclusive on-site interview. 

With Arizona properties routinely searching for ways to attract Las Vegas clientele, the scenery and nature witnessed along the drive could certainly be a selling point for Cliff Castle and fellow Tribal establishments. While Camp Verde itself is a rather small community, the direct access to cities such as Sedona and Phoenix leave residents with plenty of gaming opportunities, encouraging Cliff Castle Casino to begin its renovations in late 2025. 

McGahey shared the Yavapai-Apache Nation’s desire to enhance its Arizona casino, as well as insight into his own hospitality journey that includes stops in Las Vegas, Atlanta and multiple areas in California. Having been promoted to GM in September 2025, McGahey also spoke about what it means to lead a Tribal property, and how the family-oriented atmosphere has become a mainstay during his career. 

With the new gaming room part of Cliff Castle’s ongoing expansion, what are you hoping to achieve with the investment?

With the expansion, we want to make sure we provide a better experience for our clientele, but not just those who smoke. You should be able to bring in your friends and family, enjoy the different state-of-the-art slot machines, but understand that the air is recycled every 10-to-20 seconds, allowing for a better gaming experience. 

How did Cliff Castle determine which suppliers would be included within the new smoke-friendly gaming parlor?

Our Director of Gaming, Paul Hamm, did a great job of negotiating. We’re very proud of the relationship he’s built with those different companies along with many others, and he brought in some of the best of the best. So not only are you allowed to go smoke if you wish and entertain yourself, but also enjoy the bar, over 6,000 sq ft of space and 140 different slot machines. It’s a state-of-the-art gaming facility that is second to none, whether it’s smoking or non-smoking. 

Has this type of enhancement been desired since you took over as GM in September?

We’ve always been trying to bring in the best of the best as far as machines. Again, give the kudos to Paul Hamm and his team. On the gaming side, for the last probably eight to nine months, we’ve revamped and redone our whole floor. We still have all your favorites from IGT video poker all the way to the greatest and best that companies like Light and Wonder have to offer. 

Given your year-plus tenure with Cliff Castle Casino, how did it feel to be named GM and what are your aspirations for the property going forward?

You know, it’s great to be able to say that I’m the General Manager of this property. The Council put a lot of trust in me, the people of the casino put a lot of trust in me and now is the time where we need to be innovative. Whether it’s the new smoking parlor, great food and beverage specials, but also entertainment. That’s going to be the focus, watching how we grow on the entertainment side. Whether it’s having 300 people in the gathering, 200 in our Dragonfly Lounge or 3,000 in our Stargazer, we’re going to put ourselves on the map by offering the best of the best when it comes to entertainment. 

What features of Cliff Castle Casino do you believe help it stand out among such heavy competition in Arizona, including fellow Tribal properties?

As you can see right now, Cliff Castle is probably the foremost and best casino offering. In northern and even central Arizona, our competition right now is the Phoenix metro area. We feel that, while we have the comfort of a small casino and the friendliness, we offer everything they offer and more. We have the bowling, we have the restaurants, steakhouse, different entertainment venues and now it’s just a matter of getting people to understand that 
it’s just a quick drive up. These offerings are as good or better than anything they offer in the Phoenix area. 

I understand you also have experience in markets such as Las Vegas, how would you compare the work during that tenure to your role as Cliff Castle Casino GM?

In Las Vegas, it’s obviously much larger properties. I’ve worked in everything from 3,000 to 4,000 rooms, but also in smaller properties in northern Nevada. As far as experience, the friendliness and the quality of staff here is second to none. We take a lot of pride with that and we have a lot of team members that have been with us for over 20 years. 
We like to think this is not only the number one gaming option in Northern Arizona, but also a place where people can have all the benefits you would receive in a large business, whether it’s best healthcare or retirement plans, to solidify ourselves as the number one place to work in the metro area. 

Having also worked with Hard Rock International in the past, what has drawn you to Tribal-operated properties and maintained that interest up to today?

Whether it’s large Tribes or small, it’s all working with a family atmosphere. It’s almost like when I used to work in northern Nevada, you’re working for a family. Certain people you work one-on-one with, yes, they could be opinionated, but they’re no different than the corporate atmosphere. And once you understand and embrace that, it’s great working in the Tribal atmosphere because, for the Tribes, their focus is the community. That’s the way the casino is built and that’s what we try to present. 

Were there any experiences during your tenure with Hard Rock that still stand out in your current role?

Yes, for 2026 as well as when I first got here, we’re looking at taking everything when it comes to community involvement to the next level, such as the Phoenix Children’s Hospital or golf tournaments. We’re looking at different charity events, and that’s something that was very big at Hard Rock. We would have big events not only every quarter but almost every month, and that type of community involvement is what we’re trying to bring here to the Cliff Castle Casino. 

Along with the initiatives you just laid out, how does Cliff Castle Casino routinely give back to its local community?

We have to understand that not only are we the premier entertainment location in northern Arizona, but throughout the state as well. From a local standpoint, not only do we have to be good partners, but we also have to understand that the entertainment is not just about the slot machines, it’s more the bowling, restaurants and different atmospheres that we can provide. We want people to see us as the place to go and have a great time over the weekend or even during the week.