We could see some of the long-awaited development at Camelback Ranch-Glendale, spring home of the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, as the teams issue an RFP for five lots adjacent to the facility.
Camelback Spring Training LLC–the joint Dodgers/White Sox venture–is seeking “compatible and complimentary” proposals for the acreage. Spurring development was a prime reason why the city of Glendale became involved with Camelback Ranch in the first place, and while there were plenty of proposals out there once the facility opened, they all fell through, and the trining facility was an island of sorts, surrounded by parking lots and land.
Since then the road next to the ballpark was extended to the Westgate Entertainment District, next to State Farm Stadium, and developers have turned their eye to the Camelback Ranch area. An earlier development involving the MLB teams and Mattany Homes was announced in 2019 and will finally see the light of day, and Not a surprise, as the west side of the Valley has been a hot development area, complete with renewed interest in Goodyear Ballpark development and plans for more development at Peoria Sports Complex. From ABC15:
The property is suitable for a mixed-use development, but any project must receive zoning and plan approvals, according to the request. The lots are mostly owned by city of Glendale, but fall within Phoenix jurisdiction and are managed by Camelback Spring Training.
John Kaites, who serves as a consultant for both teams, said residential, hospitality and retail could be built on the site, but said the teams like the idea of having retail and a hotel option. Kaites said they could choose one or more developers for the project and hope to start construction within the next year….
“I think you’re going to see in the next 10 to 15 years a huge entertainment district that’s a destination type of district,” Kaites said.
The approval process will be a little more complicated than normal, as both the cities of Glendale and Phoenix must sign off on any plans. Technically, Camelback Ranch-Glendale sits on land owned by Phoenix and leased to Glendale.
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