Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Sale to San Manuel Investment Authority
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Sale brings the 750 room Arizona resort under San Manuel Investment Authority ownership, with Fairmont's team still in place.
RUKAIYA KADIWAL 
As dusk settles over the Sonoran Desert, the courtyard at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess turns gold. Palms stand around a lit blue pool, and hundreds of windows glow along the resort's long arms. This is the scene behind the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Sale, announced this week.
San Manuel Investment Authority has acquired the resort through its affiliated entities. The authority is an unincorporated governmental instrumentality of Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation. The announcement does not state a price.
What the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Sale Means
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess sold headline is, at heart, a story about ownership. The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess acquisition adds a landmark to a portfolio the Nation describes as luxury non gaming properties. For a resort long tied to the Scottsdale skyline, the change is a new chapter.
Lynn Valbuena, chairwoman of the San Manuel Investment Board and of the Nation, welcomed the staff and guests. She said the desert setting and world class hospitality fit the Tribe's long term strategy. Her words suggest patience, not a quick resale.
The San Manuel Investment Authority also promised to become an active member of the business and Tribal community in Scottsdale. That promise is worth watching. Ownership matters most when it shows up in how a resort treats its neighbours.
A Resort of Scale and Honours
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess sits on 65 acres. It offers Fairmont Scottsdale Princess 750 rooms and suites, including the exclusive Privado Villas. Six pools, five food and beverage outlets and eight retail stores fill the grounds.
Recognition has followed it for years. The resort received the AAA Timeless Diamond designation in 2025 for holding Five Diamond status since 1991. Condé Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards have also named it among the top resorts in the Southwest for three years running.
Guests find the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess spa in the 44,000 square foot Well and Being Spa. It is the only Sisley Spa in Arizona. Signature restaurants from chefs Richard Sandoval and Michael Mina add to the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess amenities.
The resort is adjacent to TPC Scottsdale, home of the PGA Tour's WM Phoenix Open. Locals know it for summer's Freedom Fest and the Christmas at the Princess festival. These events keep the property woven into everyday city life.
Who Runs It Now
Ownership and operation are separate questions. Jack Miller, regional vice president and general manager, called the Princess a Scottsdale landmark for four decades. He said the Nation's commitment to thoughtful stewardship "aligns closely with our own."
That line matters because it signals continuity. Miller said the team will keep building on the resort's legacy. The release describes a partnership with Fairmont and the management team at the Princess, though it does not publish contract terms.
This Fairmont Scottsdale resort deal reflects a wider pattern of Scottsdale resort investment. Tribal investors are putting capital into hospitality beyond gaming. It places the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation among the owners shaping Scottsdale Arizona luxury hotels.
What Remains Unsaid
The announcement leaves several questions open. It does not give a sale price, a closing date or any renovation plans. It also does not say whether the Fairmont brand will remain in place long term.
Readers tracking this Fairmont Scottsdale acquisition 2026 story should treat those points as unknown. The SMIA Fairmont Scottsdale deal is described only in broad terms. Source copy also misspells the golf club as TPC Scottdale, which this article corrects.
Guests can find more on the official Scottsdale Princess website. For another story about hotel growth, read this report on the Marriott hotel expansion. Together they show how much of the industry now turns on who owns the walls.
For now, the courtyard looks as it always has, lit and still. A swimmer crosses the pool, and a server carries glasses past the palms. Whatever the paperwork says, the measure of this change will be whether the evening feels the same.
