Weekend wrap-up: Here are the biggest Arizona stories from Aug. 28-30

Aug 30, 2020, 5:00 PM

(City of Mesa Photo)

PHOENIX — Construction on a sports and entertainment complex in Mesa is set to begin, two Scottsdale bars had their liquor licenses summarily suspended by local health officials and six wildfires continue to be active east of Phoenix.

Here are some stories that headlined the Arizona news cycle over the weekend.

Construction to begin in Mesa on 300-acre sports, entertainment center

Construction is set to begin on a sports and entertainment complex in Mesa that will have more than 100 courts for sports including basketball, soccer, volleyball and baseball with arenas for other activities and events.

Legacy Sports Park, a facility of more than 300 acres, is scheduled to open in January 2022.

It is expected to create 1,500 jobs and attract more than 3 million visitors annually, the park operator said.

Scottsdale bars Bottled Blonde, Casa Amigos’ liquor licenses suspended

Old Town Scottsdale bars Bottled Blonde and Casa Amigos had their liquor licenses summarily suspended by the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control on Saturday.

The two bars were both in violation of social distancing, masking, dancing, standing and table occupancy limitations, according to a press release.

The suspensions come one day after the bars were allowed to reopen.

“Detectives will continue to enforce public health orders and take immediate actions against licensees who are observed showing general disregard for the welfare and safety of others,” Department of Liquor Director John Cocca said in the release.

Restaurants were first allowed to reopened in May, and some bars that served food did as well. However, many did not follow coronavirus protocols and there was a surge in COVID-19 cases and rates in June and July.

Banner Health warns there are no medications, treatments for COVID-19

Banner Health’s Poison and Drug Information Center is warning about medications and treatments that promise to cure COVID-19.

“There’s nothing anyone should be taking specifically for COVID at home,” Dr. Daniel Brooks, the center’s medical director, told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

“If you’re not sick enough to be in a hospital, specifically in an intensive care unit, there’s really no medicines from the internet or elsewhere that you should be taking specifically for COVID.”

Most people who become infected with COVID-19 don’t require hospitalization. Brooks said they can recover at home and take things like cough medicine or fever reducers.

But he said people should not go out looking for coronavirus treatments.

There have been several treatments for COVID-19 touted as safe and effective but no evidence to prove that they actually work.

Arizona State reports 480 COVID-19 cases among students, staff

Arizona State University reported Friday 480 COVID-19 cases among students, faculty and staff as the school looks to provide continuous updates about case totals.

The university reported 452 positive cases among students. Of those cases, 205 are in isolation on the Tempe campus while the rest are off campus in the metro Phoenix area.

There are 28 cases among faculty and staff.

The update said approximately 37,149 students and employees have been tested since Aug. 1.

The numbers come after an announcement by President Michael Crow Tuesday to provide regular updates about the university’s COVID-19 management strategy after previously refraining from disclosing testing information. In that update, ASU reported 161 positive cases in the community.