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Wed. Oct 23rd, 2024
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When it opens and everything it will have

By Sheisoe
When it opens and everything it will have

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The mega-entertainment resort poised to become Arizona’s largest hotel is starting to take shape as it expects to open next year.

VAI Resort, expected to open in 2025, is the most anticipated newcomer to metro Phoenix’s tourism scene. Hospitality industry experts believe it could redefine Arizona tourism, allowing its 11,000-capacity amphitheater to rival Las Vegas in music residencies.

Other defining features – such as 2 hectares of sandy beaches, a party island, a spa and wellness centre, luxury boutiques and 12 restaurants, anchored by a steakhouse overlooking the amphitheater stage – aim to make VAI a destination in itself.

Building an ambitious destination resort with so many facilities is not easy, and VAI has postponed the opening several times as the project has grown in size and scope. Here’s what we know about VAI Resort, what it will have and when it will open.

When does Mattel Adventure Park open? Here’s the latest from Arizona’s Barbie and Hot Wheels theme park

What major resort is being built in Arizona?

VAI Resort is under construction in Glendale, Arizona.

The first phase of VAI will include 1,100 hotel rooms, an 11,000-seat amphitheater, sandy beaches with temperature-controlled waters, a 50,000-square-foot European-inspired “party island” called Konos Island, and the Konos Sky Bar offering food and drinks. at 130 feet, and tethered hot air balloon rides where passengers can view desert and mountain vistas from 400 feet above the ground.

The second phase of VAI includes a second concert venue: an indoor theater with a capacity of 2,000 people and multiple floors. Staff expects an opening in late 2026.

The 9-hectare Mattel Adventure Park borders the resort.

What are they building next to Cardinals Stadium?

The VAI Resort is being built south of State Farm Stadium on Cardinals Way in Glendale.

Views of the completed resort show State Farm Stadium, where the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals play, are visible from the VAI amphitheater.

What happened to Crystal Lagoons?

Crystal Lagoons was the original name for VAI Resort when the concept was proposed to the Glendale City Council, which unanimously approved it in 2020.

The plans called for many features that VAI Resort will have, including an artificial beach, amusement park rides and a helium balloon that will provide aerial views of the area. Crystal Lagoons would have had 630 rooms, compared to the 1,100 planned for VAI.

VAI Resort LLC purchased the property from Crystal Lagoons in 2022 and expanded the footprint from 48 to 60 acres.

Will the VAI Resort open in 2024?

No. The VAI Resort website has been updated with the new target opening date.

When will the VAI Resort open?

The most recent updates from VAI gave a tentative opening date of late 2025.

Who owns VAI Resort LLC?

Grant Fisher is the owner of VAI Resort LLC.

His father, Tommy Fisher, owns Tempe-based Fisher Industries, which is involved in the resort’s construction. The company’s website describes it as a family of companies in the aggregate manufacturing and heavy civil construction industries. Fisher Industries had a moment in the spotlight when it was hired for private border wall construction projects during Donald Trump’s presidency.

Fisher Industries’ latest construction photos, published in September on the company’s Facebook page, show progress made on the main entrance to the Amphitheater Tower, the VAI Amphitheater stage and the Konos Sky Bar.

How much does VAI Resort cost per night?

Room rates will range from $500 to $900 per night, Fisher said. He did not indicate whether VAI Resort would charge a resort fee.

How many rooms will VAI Resort have?

VAI will have 1,100 rooms and suites spread over four towers:

  • Amphitheater Tower: 318 rooms.
  • Rhythm Tower: 311 rooms.
  • Cadence Tower: 299 rooms.
  • VAI Villas: 155 rooms.

It would be the largest hotel in Arizona, surpassing the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown with 1,003 rooms.

It will also overwhelm the West Valley’s top hotels and Westgate Entertainment District, more than tripling capacity.

The West Valley’s largest hotel is the 343-room Bluegreen Vacations Cibola Vista Resort and Spa near Lake Pleasant, about 20 miles northwest of the VAI Resort. It will have 23 more rooms than the largest hotel in Westgate, the Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Spa.

How big is VAI Resort?

VAI is located on 60 acres south of State Farm Stadium.

What is the economic impact of the VAI Resort?

A 2023 economic analysis from Applied Economics presented to the Glendale City Council found that VAI Resort could generate $2.2 billion in taxes for the city, county and state over the next 25 years, including $32.4 million per years for Glendale.

Is VAI Resort hiring now?

There were no more vacancies on the vacancy bank on the VAI Resort website on October 15.

Does VAI Resort have a casino?

No. Although VAI intends to compete with Las Vegas’ mega-resorts, it will lack one common feature that draws people to Vegas: a casino.

That’s because Arizona law only allows casinos on tribal lands. It’s the same reason why the Caesars Republic Scottsdale hotel doesn’t have a casino, even though other Caesars-branded properties — not limited to but also in Vegas — do have casinos.

Which amusement park is coming to Glendale, AZ?

Mattel Adventure Park is coming to Glendale.

It will feature a Barbie Beach House with a Barbie Dream Closet Experience, where guests can create their own Barbie sets and hologram technology is used to “bring Barbie to life right before guests’ eyes.”

There will also be two Hot Wheels-themed roller coasters: the Hot Wheels Bone Shaker: the Ultimate Ride roller coaster, which climbs 80 feet and drops down a double helix track, and the Hot Wheels Twin Mill Racer, which will perform a double loop and two corkscrews.

How big is the Mattel theme park?

Mattel Adventure Park is a 20-acre indoor/outdoor theme park.

Will Mattel Adventure Park open in 2024?

No. The Mattel Adventure Park website has been updated to change the opening date from ‘late 2024’ to ‘coming soon’.

Where will the Mattel theme park be built?

The park is located just south of the VAI Resort at 95th Avenue and Cardinals Way in Glendale. The Hot Wheels roller coasters are visible from State Route 101.

(This story has been updated with additional information.)

Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who has been covering travel and tourism since 2014. His work as a consumer travel reporter for The Arizona Republic aims to help readers deal with the stress of travel and get the best bang for their buck on their vacation. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @salerno_phx.

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By Sheisoe

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