Glendale’s Crystal Lagoons gets new owner and plans to double hotel rooms to become Arizona’s largest hotel

The significant vacation resort below construction near the NFL stadium in Glendale has a new owner, a new name and will be greater than initially prepared.

The lodge and seaside resort, at first dubbed Crystal Lagoons, will expand from 48 to 60 acres and be named VAI Resort. The growth, procured by VAI Resort LLC from the organization Crystal Lagoons, is south of Point out Farm Stadium concerning Loop 101 and 95th Avenue.

The job will be the very first for the Arizona-centered VAI Resort that shaped at the start off of this yr and is led by president Grant Fisher.

A 7-acre entire body of h2o will anchor the project with sandy white beaches. Enterprise officers say it is really not a h2o park, considering the fact that it is not going to consist of h2o slides.

The metropolis touts the job as Arizona’s biggest lodge, at extra than 1,200 rooms on eight tales. That’s approximately double the 630 rooms initially prepared. By comparison, the 31-story downtown Phoenix Sheraton hotel has 1,000 rooms. In Glendale, the close by Renaissance hotel at Westgate has 320 rooms.

The undertaking will include a 360-degree live performance phase wherever resort attendees can observe reveals from their balconies, a 52,000-square-foot, male-designed island in the center of its seashore and 13 restaurants.

“From the vibes of Mykonos and Tulum, to the shorelines of Miami, to the concerts and get-togethers of Las Vegas, to the ultra-present day attractions of Dubai, we’re bringing the most effective of the most effective to VAI Resort right below in the heart of Glendale,” Fisher stated in a news release about Tuesday’s announcement.

The undertaking is established to open up in late spring 2023, immediately after the Tremendous Bowl in Glendale. It is anticipated to convey 1,800 jobs, according to the metropolis.

Glendale Metropolis Council users cheered the updates at a general public meeting on Tuesday.

“The fact that this undertaking has taken on a lifestyle of its own, I hope this council (and) all people is as fired up as I am,” Mayor Jerry Weiers reported. “Many cities don’t get this prospect at any time, in their full existence.”

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What is VAI Resort?

The Metropolis Council accepted “Crystal Lagoons” in 2020, casting the task as a way to entice site visitors to Glendale in the summer season, when tourism lulls.

The vacation resort is envisioned to host 100 activities annually, such as “A-list performers, comedians and leading of the line DJs,” in accordance to just one of the builders.

VAI Resort, which bought the advancement from Crystal Lagoon, was fashioned this calendar year by Grant and Tommy Fisher of Fisher Industries, a “weighty civil construction” company, in accordance to the company’s website.

The Fishers have been originally contracted to operate on developing Crystal Lagoon but additional time “felt it was in the finest interest of all the parties to do a alter in possession,” Town Manager Kevin Phelps instructed The Arizona Republic.

Phelps has earlier mentioned the resort would assistance establish Glendale’s name as a destination for mega situations. The town will host its 3rd Tremendous Bowl next yr and the NCAA Final Four in 2024.

VAI Vacation resort will contain:

• A 7-acre water way with sandy white seashores.

• A 52,000-square foot male-manufactured island.

• A 360-diploma concert stage.

• More than 1,200 resort rooms.

• 170 phase-facing resort rooms.

• A 20,000-sq. foot spa and wellness middle.

• A wedding ceremony chapel.

• A large helium balloon that will get site visitors nearly 400 ft into the air for an aerial view of the Phoenix space.

• Aerophile’s Aerobar, a place that will offer you food stuff and beverages at 130 ft in the air, offering buyers a large-up watch of the Valley.

• A 4D theater and a “fly theater,” comparable to the “Soarin’ Close to the Planet” experience in Disney’s California Journey concept park.

• Luxurious retail shops.

The vacation resort also will involve a Mattel-branded theme park with Hot Wheels and Thomas the Tank Engine points of interest.

It will be “developed as a really immersive playground for all ages,” the announcement claims.

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How considerably water will it use?

Concerns in excess of incoming developments’ water utilization in Arizona have loomed significant amid the historic 2022 Colorado River shortage.

The city previous yr approximated Crystal Lagoons would use significantly less water than the farm fields it really is changing. The Republic claimed at the time that the enhancement prepared to fill the 11-acre park with 19.6 million gallons of h2o, plus an additional 17 million on a yearly basis to cover evaporation.

It is unclear how Tuesday’s announcement adjustments the anticipated h2o usage.

City waived $1M in service fees for developer

Glendale previously agreed to waive $1 million in allowing costs and give the theater, resort, retail areas and concession suppliers a “partial” 25-year Authorities Assets Lease Excise Tax, recognized as a GPLET, which minimizes the amount of money a developer would otherwise pay out in property tax.

Metropolis leaders at the time pointed to the product sales and lodge taxes that guests will convey, projecting its share would be $240.5 million around the 25-year arrangement.

Undertaking will need council’s ‘OK’

The Town Council finally will have to approve an amended progress arrangement and modified zoning designation that incorporates added land on the western and eastern edges of the project.

VAI Resort also wants to erect five substantial video clip monitor panels during the venue. The screens could perhaps display screen dwell footage of the live shows that could be observed by vacation resort company or motorists passing by on Loop 101.

Phelps reported council also could have to look at how the project’s mild, seem and visitors will have an impact on the encompassing regions, though he did not specify what the consideration would entail.

The council associates signaled unanimous assistance for future votes when speaking about the job Tuesday.

The zoning request will to start with be read by the city’s Arranging and Zoning Fee. The day has not been identified nonetheless, metropolis officials stated.

Councilmember Joyce Clark praised the undertaking but mentioned the metropolis ought to acknowledge the impression to citizens just east of the undertaking.

The home owners there reside on unincorporated Maricopa County land ruled by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors but could be affected if the project’s new proprietors find to modify the easternmost land from parking plenty to a different use.

“Who’s going to have a trouble with parking? But if it turns into some thing that is heading to crank out an excessive quantity of noise, I assume we require to be really sensitive about that,” Clark stated.

Reporter Joshua Bowling contributed to this report.

Arrive at reporter Taylor Seely at [email protected] or 480-476-6116. Observe her on Twitter @taylorseely95 or Instagram @taylor.azc. If this story mattered to you, remember to assist our operate. Subscribe to azcentral.com currently.

This write-up originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Crystal Lagoons will get new proprietor, new title and options to double lodge rooms