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BUSINESS
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JULY 24, 2022
Granddad’s avocado legacy inspires restaurant BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor
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new Chandler restaurant is taking advantage of some family history and America’s love affair with a certain fruit. Patent 139 Brewing Company opened earlier this year and has adopted an avocado theme. Tim Hass, great grandson of the man who was awarded Fruit Patent 139 for the Hass Avocado, opened the brew pub at ay and Dobson roads. ou will find avocado-inspired dishes on the menu. nd next month, you ll find an avocadoinspired beer at the bar. Just don’t ask for any guacamole: they don’t make it. “It was my great grandfather, Rudolph Hass, who patented the first black-
skinned avocado,” Haas explained. “It turned out it was actually an accident. He bought some farmland in La Habra Heights, was growing Fuerte avocados but they weren’t really growing very well.” Those, like most avocados in the 1920s, were green. And, like most avocados, they were difficult to grow. He purchased some seeds Tim Hass and chef Jared Martinez of Patent 139 Brewing are turn- that he was told came from Central or ing their love for avocado into tasty dishes – and even beer. South America. (David Minton/Arizonan Staff Photographer)
One of them became a tree that produced a black-skin avocado. Back in the 1920s, that was rare and the reason why he sought a patent. Now, most of the fruits sold, about 90%, are Hass Avocados. “People loved it because of the fatty creaminess versus Fuertes (the traditional green avocados),” said Tim, who had opened up a few restaurants for others in California before deciding to open the Chandler eatery in January. “So he went on and saw it was a big success and submitted the patent back in 1935. “The green ones are very large, almost look like a small mango. The whole fat content with the black skin is what really makes it the difference. It’s buttery, creamy where the others are a little bit
see AVOCADO page 33
Wild Horse Pass is upping its appeal to locals BY GERI KOEPPEL Contributor
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f you haven’t been to Gila River Resorts & Casinos Wild Horse Pass just south of Ahwatukee Foothills lately, you might not know what the ubiquitous TV ads that promise a glitzy Las Vegas-style experience are referring to. And in fact, it boasts a range of new offerings designed to appeal to locals as well as visitors. In addition to a rebranding from Gila River Hotel & Casinos, the $180 million expansion includes an 11-story hotel tower, a sports book, Topgolf Swing Suite, a new rooftop steakhouse and patio bar, coffee and pastry shop, pool renovations and additions, gaming tables on the casino floor and more conference and convention space. To be clear, the Gila River Resorts & Casinos Wild Horse Pass only refers to the casino and attached resort run by the Gila River Gaming Enterprise. Other businesses on its land, including the Sheraton Grand at Wild
Gila River Resorts & Casinos Wild Horse Pass has spent $180 million on a massive expansion and upgrade as it woos locals to its many amenities. (Courtesy Gila River Resorts & Casinos Wild Horse Pass) Horse Pass, the Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass, and others are separate entities. The project, which broke ground in 2020, mostly was completed in January with the exception of the Topgolf Swing Suite, which opened in May. “It’s only been open a few weeks, but
we’ve been pretty busy,” said Daniela Vizcarra, public relations manager for Gila River Resorts & Casinos. This is the only Topgolf Swing Suite in the state, Vizcarra noted, and includes two bays for up to eight people playing virtual sports against a screen, including golf,
hockey, football, soccer and baseball. It also features a full bar, table games, three betting kiosks, a broadcast/DJ booth and more than 20 TV screens. It accepts walk-ins, and reservations are accepted on OpenTable. Topgolf is open Thursday through Sunday and can be booked for private events Monday through Wednesday, with catering and blackjack available. During regular hours, “You do not have to play Topgolf,” Vizcarra mentioned. “It’s an open bar—you can just hang out.” It s housed on the second floor, where the old Shula’s Steak House was located, with a birds-eye view of the gaming floor below. Opposite Topgolf, also overlooking the gaming floor, is the sports book, which i carra said was “packed” during March Madness. It was their first time taking bets for it since the 2021 Arizona Gaming Compact was signed. With a capacity of 246, Wild Horse Pass is the biggest of Gila River’s three sports books, which also opened at Vee Quiva
see WILD HORSE page 33
