The city of Glendale in metro Phoenix has approved rezoning to set up a land parcel near its entertainment district for a new sports and events complex, the Phoenix Business Journal reported.
State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals
The 106-acre site is located across the street from State Farm Stadium, where the Arizona Cardinals play, and the Desert Diamond sports and entertainment venue, off Loop 101 and Glendale Avenue.
The land parcel, along with two others in the vicinity, is owned by the Emil Rovey family, who have had a “large agricultural presence” in the city for nearly a century, according to PBJ. The Roveys have sold parts of their farmland for residential developments and other projects over the years. They previously owned the land where State Farm Stadium now sits.
The Rovey family reportedly requested a special use permit to ready the plot for the new sports and events complex, called the West Valley Events Complex, which is expected to house 15 fields for soccer, football and rugby as well as ample space for concerts and festivals.
Glendale’s planning and zoning commission approved the request for a conditional use permit during an Aug. 27 meeting. The permit will last for eight years.
Full details on the West Valley Events Complex have not been disclosed.
Last year, another land parcel, spanning 40 acres and located to the south of the site at the corner of 99th Avenue and Ballpark Way, was set up for entertainment purposes. The city approved its rezoning for entertainment and mixed-use purposes, though no developer is attached.
Across the freeway, the $1.2B VAI Resort, an entertainment and hotel destination, sits unfinished. The developer behind its Mattel Adventure Park exited the project earlier this month. The highly anticipated development was originally slated to open in 2023, according to Axios.
This mirrors a national trend of cities increasingly building out mixed-use entertainment hubs in populous, walkable urban areas, combining entertainment components with retail options, residential units, office space and hotels.
