A smattering of local dignitaries coalesced inside a high-pitched tent on a sun-splashed Monday afternoon to break ground on the newest chapter in Arizona sports betting history.
The several dozen people in attendance at Monday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the DraftKings Sportsbook Arizona at TPC Scottsdale were there to commemorate the beginning of a new chapter for the rowdiest course on the PGA Tour, while simultaneously celebrating what it took to get to this juncture.
For PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, the day’s events were the end product of months of collaboration with the Boston-based operator and the city of Scottsdale, allowing the 12,000-square-foot facility to take shape over the coming years.
Monahan told the crowd the tour’s path to Monday’s groundbreaking event began in earnest three years ago, when Arizona sports betting apps legislation was just gaining traction in Phoenix.
The 2023 WM Phoenix Open takes place Feb. 9-12, finishing the same Sunday that State Farm Stadium hosts the Super Bowl in Arizona.
The longtime PGA Tour commissioner said the work put in by the team at DraftKIngs, along with course and city of Scottsdale officials was key to getting those talks from the ideation stage to reality.
“I want to thank Jason Robins and the incredible team at DraftKings for their tireless work in bringing this innovative concept to life,” Monahan said. “And being tremendous partners throughout the process. Mayor [David Ortega], I'd like to thank you, the city of Scottsdale and the city's council for supporting us in this endeavor.”
What to Know About DraftKings TPC Scottsdale
When DraftKings’ TPC Scottsdale retail facility opens in 2024, the facility will join similar sportsbooks at other Phoenix-area stadiums, such as the FanDuel Sportsbook Arizona at Footprint Center, Caesars Sportsbook at Chase Field, and BetMGM Sportsbook at State Farm Stadium.
The Boston-based operator’s TPC Scottsdale location will be the first retail sportsbook at a PGA Tour stop, with Robins telling the crowd the Valley facility is merely the first step in their plans involving the world’s leading golf tour.
The sportsbook, located on the southeast corner of Greenway-Hayden and Bell Road, across from the Stadium Course Clubhouse, will include 390 seats, along with 3,400 square feet of video walls and screens and a patio complete with video screens, VIP cabanas and fire pits.
“This is hopefully one more step towards building but it's been a very innovative maybe first attack partnership with lots more great things to come,” Robins said. “I am truly excited to be here today as we celebrate another milestone in Arizona with the groundbreaking of our DraftKings Sportsbook at TPC Scottsdale. It's been such a treat working with the PGA Tour in TPC Scottsdale to create what will become a first-class experience where fans will be able to gather year round and watch sports place wagers and enjoy quality food and beverage.”
BetArizona.com is your go-to website for the best Arizona sports betting promo codes.
DraftKings Cashing in on Arizona Sports Betting
When DraftKings officially opens its first retail facility in the Grand Canyon State in two years, it’ll undoubtedly assist the company in building upon its strong start in Arizona to date.
So far, DraftKings has lapped the competition, in terms of overall handle by operator, in Arizona, raking in nearly $1.9 billion in wagers through 13 months of reporting.
Of those 13 months, DraftKings has finished atop the 18 Arizona sportsbook operators in terms of handle nine times, with FanDuel Sportsbook taking the top spot the other months.
It’s that steadfast success that leads executives like Robins to express a level of unabated optimism about the future that awaits DraftKings when it opens the doors of its Scottsdale sportsbook in two years.
“It’s no secret that the Waste Management Phoenix Open is one of the most high octane events in all golf,” Robins said. “There’s not much out there like it and I can't wait to open the doors of this first of its kind sportsbook that will supplement one of the world's best golf destinations.”
