LECHEE, Ariz. — One of the Southwest's most "Instagramed" locations could soon be home to a $700 million, 300-room resort.
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren signed a lease agreement Sep. 27 with Navajo-owned Horseshoe Bend Holdings, LLC, which is now seeking investors to build a "world-class" resort on more than 400 acres overlooking Horseshoe Bend.
“This is what it’s all about, that Navajo is open for business,” Nygren stated in a news release.
The planned development 9.5 miles downstream of Lake Powell will feature a 300-room resort with a restaurant, conference space, hiking and horseback trails.
Early renderings show the resort situated a few thousand feet south of the current Horseshoe Bend overlook operated by the City of Page.
Both Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon are in the geographic center of the Grand Circle, which is considered the largest concentration of national parks and monuments in the country.
"We strive to uphold this balance and ensure that development is done with respect for the land and its people," said Navajo entrepreneur Otis Manson. “Horseshoe Bend holds a sacred place in the hearts of many. We intend to honor that.”
If developers can secure funding, the resort would generate an estimated $14 million in lease revenue and taxes annually for the Navajo Nation.
Tribal officials anticipate the project will create 1,000 construction jobs and another 3,000 tourism and hospitality jobs once fully operational.
Construction is expected to begin in April of 2026.
“This is what needs to happen,” Nygren said. “This is how we hold on to our culture, our language. We are not just some third world country."
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