Phoenix City Council has approved a multi-year lease of land for USL Championship team Phoenix Rising to relocate its stadium and training facility to a more centrally located site in the city.
The new base will be at 3801 East Washington Street, adjacent to the Phoenix Park ‘n Swap. Phoenix Rising said the capacity, look and feel of its current stadium at Wild Horse Pass will be transferred to the new location during the offseason.
The club intends to host its 2023 home opener at the new site in March 2023. The new site is designed to provide fans with enough paved parking and light rail access directly to the stadium via the nearby Valley Metro Station light rail stop.
For the past two years, Phoenix Rising has played its home matches at Wild Horse Pass within the Gila River Indian Community. The stadium, which is set to be “relocated” to the new site, has a capacity of around 10,000.
The club has secured a five-year lease agreement to build the stadium on the site. The rent for the first year will be around $300,000 (£255,000/€291,000) and will then be adjusted annually based on the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale Consumer Price Index.
Phoenix Rising governor Bill Kraus said: “This move will allow us to immediately upgrade our game-day fan experience, which has always been our top priority. Accessibility to the site is excellent and there will be opportunities to create partnerships with the small businesses at Phoenix Park ‘n Swap. We have so much respect for the hundreds of business owners who operate there and the thousands of customers they serve every week.”
Phoenix Councilmember Carlos Garcia added: “Phoenix Rising is the ultimate fan experience attracting residents from all over the valley. Their move to Phoenix will not only centrally locate the stadium but also bring economic value to the city. I am thrilled to welcome them to District 8. I can’t wait to cheer them on alongside my family and District 8 residents.”
