Phoenix City Council approves lease deal for Rising
The Phoenix City Council on Wednesday approved a deal to lease land for a Phoenix Rising soccer stadium on the site of the former Greyhound Park racetrack near 38th and Washington streets.
“Welcome home, Phoenix Rising,” Mayor Kate Gallego said, after Wednesday’s 8-0 council vote.
The term of the lease is five years but structured in a series of one-year options. The site is part of Sky Harbor International Airport land, located north of the airport and overseen by the Phoenix Aviation Department.
Rent for the lease is $300,564 for the first year and will increase each year with inflation. Rising also will be responsible for any construction costs, although the club could receive rent reimbursements from Sky Harbor if its investments benefit the airport beyond the term of the lease.
Like Rising’s current ground lease at Wild Horse Pass, the proposal is for a temporary stadium, along with associated facilities such as concession stands and a practice facility.
One difference is that the proposal for the new stadium includes the possibility of a sportsbook on the site. At Wild Horse Pass, fans could not place wagers — even on mobile apps — due to sports betting restrictions on land owned by Indian communities. The current stadium is on the Gila River Indian Community near Interstate 10 and the Loop 202 freeways west of Chandler.
“Their move to Phoenix will not only create a centrally located location for them, but also is going to excite the fan base and also bring economic value to the city,” said councilmember Carlos Garcia, who represents District 8. “I’m thrilled to welcome them to District 8 and can’t wait to cheer them on.”
The other council members echoed Garcia’s optimism, citing the benefits of a central location accessible by light rail and nearby freeways.
The team initially began pursuing potential sites for a new stadium this summer, after disagreements arose with new leadership at Wild Horse Pass, where the club moved in 2021.
By approving Rising’s plans, the city has enabled the club to pursue construction at the Sky Harbor site. In theory, the club could still choose to remain at Wild Horse Pass, but general manager Bobby Dulle dismissed any remaining obstacles between the club and a move to Phoenix in a text to The Republic on Wednesday.
“The only thing between us and kicking off our 2023 season at 38th Street and Washington is a lot of hard work from Phoenix Rising’s front office and our trusted vendors,” Dulle said. “They have shown us before their ability to accommodate our rapid growth, so I’m confident we will be ready.”
At the meeting, Rising part-owner Tim Riester added the value of a central location for the club’s ever-growing web of youth teams.
“Our goal is to engage more and more children,” Riester said.
“We have almost 10,000 kids participating in Phoenix Rising soccer today and the big challenge we have today is just not enough grass for the kids. And this move to Phoenix will not only bring our pro team closer to the center of Phoenix, but it will our pro team and our youth clubs closer to the kids of Phoenix.”
Phoenix Greyhound Park closed in 2009 and its grandstand was demolished in early 2022. Part of the site, located north of the airport, has been used for a swap meet in recent years.