The Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise on Tuesday announced that Karen A. Listo will serve as the General Manager, overseeing Desert Diamond Casino West Valley and Desert Diamond Casino White Tanks. The casinos operate in the West Valley of the Phoenix metro area.
Listo was serving as interim General Manager for both properties.
“We are thrilled Karen has accepted the General Manager position for our two West Valley properties,” Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise CEO Daniele Chilton said in a statement. “Our gaming operations now employ nearly 4,000 team members across our facilities and has become a major economic engine for the Tohono O’odham Nation and the Arizona economy. With her extensive leadership skills, Karen will play a key role in growing our West Valley operations.”
Listo has more than 30 years of gaming experience. During her tenure, Desert Diamond Casino has grown into a premier gaming operation with five casinos, three in Southern Arizona and two in the West Valley. Most recently, Listo served as General Manager for the Southern Arizona properties before stepping into the interim GM role at West Valley.
Listo is an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation from the Sells District.
“I am both humbled and honored to serve as general manager for our two West Valley casinos,” Listo said. “In just a few short years our West Valley operations have earned a reputation as leaders in gaming entertainment across the Phoenix Valley. We have built a strong enterprise from our humble beginnings as a bingo facility, and I look forward to working to continue to build on this success and move our operations forward.”
