The Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak-Chin) Indian Reservation (O'odham language: ʼAkĭ Ciñ O'odham) is a federally recognized tribe and Native American community located in the Santa Cruz Valley in Pinal County, Arizona,[2] 37 miles south of Phoenix and near the city of Maricopa.

[1] The Maricopa Reservation was established by the federal government in 1912, under President William Howard Taft; within a few months his administration reduced it by more than half, due to opposition from non-Native farmers in the area.

[citation needed] The Maricopa Reservation was established by the federal government in 1912, under President William Howard Taft, at 47,600 acres (193 km2) in size.

Within months the administration gave in to opposition from European-American farmers and other non-Natives and reduced the reservation to 22,000 acres (89 km2).

The reservation is located in Pinal County within the Sonoran Desert, about 40 miles south of Phoenix and next to Maricopa.

In the mid-20th century it reorganized, creating a written constitution, by-laws, and elected government, gaining federal recognition in 1961.

Prior to 2017, Tribal Council Members served three-year terms, and were elected annually on a staggered basis.

As of 2022, the tribal council members and presiding officers are the following:[5] Most of the population lives in Ak-Chin Village, in the western part of the reservation.

In total, the area (including Community and non-Community members) comprises 1,070 as of the 2020 United States Census.

[14] The tribe owns the naming rights for the Ak-Chin Pavilion, a venue in Phoenix designed for various entertainment acts.

The casino and resort draw customers from Maricopa and nearby county population, as well as from the large Phoenix metropolitan area.

According to a study conducted in 2011, "Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino Resort is the largest contributor to the Pinal County economy, accounting for nearly 1,100 jobs and generating more than $205.3 million in economic activity in 2010.

Nearby the tribe acquired the 50-acre Santa Cruz Commerce Center industrial park, which is being developed under leases.

In November 2012, the tribe opened the $50 million, 165,000-square foot Ak-Chin entertainment complex, with a multi-theater cinema, bowling alley, restaurants, arcade and areas for staging events.