Price tag for Desert Diamond Arena increases as Glendale venue reimagined
Dec 7, 2024, 6:30 AM
Rendering of what Desert Diamond Arena will look like after a $42 million renovation that is meant to transform the West Valley arena to a top entertainment venue in the Western U.S. (ASM Global Photo)
(ASM Global Photo)
The final price tag for the renovations of Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale will end up being higher than expected.
The arena, which was built to host an NHL team in the early 2000s, is getting a makeover intended to make it more conducive for concerts than sports. The Arizona Coyotes were booted as the building’s primary tenant in 2022.
“Without a major sports team, we feel like we can sort of reimagine the way the building is presented,” said Doug Thornton, the executive vice president of arenas, stadiums and theaters for ASM Global, the company that manages and operates Desert Diamond Arena. “But we can still make it just as usable for an NCAA or other sporting event.”
Desert Diamond Arena’s renovations include updating concession stands, adding more luxury seats and creating venues within the arena like the Bassline Bar, which will be open before and after shows.
Once completed, Desert Diamond Arena will have its already existing 53 luxury suites and 12 suite lounge lodges, as well as 22 Encore Club Theatre Boxes, 14 Club 623 Studio Booths and 341 Club Seats in The View.
This story is posted in partnership with Phoenix Business Journal. Click to read the full story.
