University of Phoenix Stadium Economic, Cultural Impact

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A FIGHT OVER PARKING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STADIUM BETWEEN STADIUM MANAGEMENT, THE ARIZONA CARDINALS AND THE CITY OF GLENDALE IS OVER, WITH THE CITY AGREEING TO A $17 MILLION PAYMENT AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF MORE PARKING LOTS. THAT'S JUST THE LATEST ON A STADIUM THAT TURNED 10 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR AND IS CONSIDERED A PRIME PLAYER IN THE SPORTS, BUSINESS AND ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRIES. PRODUCER ALEX CAPRIELLO TALKS TO VALLEY LEADERS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STADIUM TEN YEARS AFTER IT OPENED ITS DOORS.


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TEN YEARS AGO, ONE OF ARIZONA'S MOST PRIZED POSSESSIONS OPENED ITS DOORS FOR THE FIRST TIME. UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STADIUM TOWERED ABOVE GLENDALE ABOUT 15MILES NORTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN PHOENIX, A SHINY NEW TOY FOR THE VALLEY.

I REMEMBER GETTING OFF THE PLANE, DRIVING AROUND THE LOOP 101, AND COMING AROUND THE CORNER AND YOU COULDN'T MISS THIS FOOTBALL STADIUM. I TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, THAT WILL BE AN AWESOME, AWESOME STADIUM.

PROPOSITION302, WHICH MARICOPA COUNTY VOTERS NARROWLY PASSED WITH THE 51% VOTE ESTABLISHED THE ARIZONA SPORTS AND TOURISM AUTHORITY. THIS GROUP WAS GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OVERSEEING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FACILITY, A PROCESS THAT BEGAN IN APRIL OF 2003, AND TOOK THREE YEARS. PROP 302 ALLOWED THE CARDINALS TO MOVE OUT OF SUN DEVIL STADIUM, WHICH THEY HAD SHARED WITH ARIZONA STATE SINCE THE FRANCHISE MOVED TO ARIZONA IN 1988. INSTANTLY, THE VALLEY WOULD BE SEEN IN A NEW LIGHT.

HAVING A FRANCHISE HERE PUT PHOENIX ON PAR WITH A LOT OF OTHER MAJOR-- CERTAINLY MAJOR U.S. CITIES.

I THINK WE GREW UP AS A CITY, AS FAR AS HOSTING THESE EVENTS AND HOW WE COULD MAKE THE FOOTPRINT WORK OF A PHOENIX-- YOU KNOW, OF A STADIUM IN ONE LOCATION AND THE BULK OF OUR HOTEL ROOMS IN ANOTHER LOCATION.

BUT THE STADIUM BECAME MORE THAN A HOME FOR A FOOTBALL TEAM. IT UTILIZED GROUNDBREAKING TECHNOLOGIES TO BECOME ONE OF THE MOST DYNAMIC MULTIPURPOSE FACILITIES IN THE COUNTRY.

WELL, I THINK ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE ATTRIBUTES THAT WE HAVE IS THAT OUR PLAYING FIELD MOVES OUTSIDE. AND BY VIRTUE OF HAVING THAT, IT BECOMES A VERY, VERY FLEXIBLE SPACE TO BE USED FOR A VARIETY OF EVENTS.

AND WHEN THE FIELD ROLLS OUT, IT LEAVES WITH US 160,000 SQUARE FEET OF CONVENTIONAL SPACE AND WE CAN DO A CARDINALS GAME ON SUNDAY AND MOVE IN A TRADE SHOW THE NEXT DAY. IN TERMS OF MULTIFUNCTION CAPABILITIES THERE'S NOT MANY STADIUMS THAT CAN MATCH UP.

THE GREATEST BENEFIT THAT THE STADIUM PROVIDES THE VALLEY IS THE ABILITY TO HOST SOME OF THE LARGEST SPORTING EVENTS. THE STADIUM HAS HOSTED TWO SUPER BOWLS AND 10 FIESTA BOWLS AND 11 STATE COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIPS. NEXT YEAR, THE STADIUM WILL BE TRANSFORMED FOR ARIZONA'S FIRST FINAL FOUR.

THIS IS WHERE CHASM. IONS COME. THIS IS WHERE CHAMPIONS ARE MADE! THIS IS WHERE CHAMPIONS ARE GROUNDED.

THIS DESTINATION FOR EVENTS, LIKE THE SUPER BOWL, PROVIDES A TREMENDOUS ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE VALLEY.

THE FIRST TEN YEARS HAS PROVIDED US WITH EXCEPTIONAL LOOK AT THE KIND OF IMPACT THAT THIS FACILITY HAS BROUGHT HERE.

I THINK IF YOU TALK TO RESTAURANT OPENERS AND THE HOTEL-- OWNER AND THE HOTEL COMMUNITIES, THEY WOULD TELL YOU THAT THEY DIDN'T GET TO ENJOY THE GAME BUT THEY HAD THE BEST WEEK OF BUSINESS THAT THEY EVER HAD.

BUT AS NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES POP UP ACROSS THE WEST, INCLUDING LOS ANGELES' DOME, SLATED FOR OPENING IN 2019, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STADIUM MAY LOSE ITS INFLUENCE BUT THOSE MOST INVOLVED ARE NOT WORRIED ABOUT NEW COMPETITION.

WE SEE OTHERS EXPANDING AND ENHANCING THEIR COMPETITION. AS TEN YEARS HAVE COME AND GONE, NEARLY EVERYONE IN PHOENIX HAS A STRONG MEMORY IN ONE OF THE VALLEY'S MOST ICONIC ESTABLISHMENTS AND THERE'S ONLY MORE TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE FUTURE.

MY FAMILY HAS BEEN IN THERE FOR WRESTLE MANIA AND WE HAVE GONE TO CARD FALL GAMES AND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES.

AND RV SHOWS AND CAR SHOWS AND CONCERTS.

SUPER BOWL. COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS. U2, GUNS AND ROSES AND NOW THE FINAL FOUR COMING UP IN.

ALTHOUGH NEWER STADIUMS ARE TO ARRIVE, WE BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL KEEP THE STATE AT THE TOP FOR YEARS TO COME.

FRANKLY, IF YOU ARE NOT IN ARIZONA, YOU ARE JUST NOT HAVING AS MUCH FUN AS WE ARE.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE 2017 FINAL FOUR AT UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STADIUM CONTINUE. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND C.E.O. DON ROGERS SAYS THAT THEY PLAN TO TRANSFORM THE FACILITY THAT YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE IT.

WEDNESDAY ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF-ELECT PAUL PENZONE JOINS US IN STUDIO. AND WE'LL LOOK AT HOW A DONALD TRUMP PRESIDENCY MIGHT AFFECT IMMIGRATION POLICY. THAT'S TOMORROW ON "ARIZONA HORIZON." THAT IS IT FOR NOW. I'M TED SIMONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING!

ARIZONA HORIZON IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS ARIZONA PBS, MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS STATION.

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