A special election on Tuesday, May 20, will decide the fate of Propositions 401 and 402 — two zoning measures tied to a 10-acre parcel adjacent to the resort site near State Farm Stadium. The land, located along 95th Avenue, was originally zoned as green space. In November 2024, the Glendale City Council voted unanimously to rezone the property to allow for a “corporate commerce center” with office space and parking tied to the resort.
Glendale officials and VAI Resort executives are pushing for passage of the measures. Opponents contend the land should remain a green space, pointing to environmental concerns and the city’s need for more parks.
If Glendale voters reject the measures in Tuesday’s mail-in election, it could mean another setback for VAI Resort, which is set to open by year’s end after enduring multiple delays in its construction.
An oft-delayed project
VAI Resort is nothing if not ambitious. First announced in 2020, the 60-acre hotel and entertainment destination will offer 1,100 rooms and a lineup of high-style and over-the-top amenities: artificial beaches, temperature-controlled pools, a massive two-story nightclub and an 11,000-seat concert amphitheater. It will even feature a European-style party island complete with a tethered hot air balloon offering panoramic views of the surrounding area. Another major draw will be the much-anticipated Mattel Adventure Park next door. The $260-million theme park operated by the famed toy company will feature nine acres of rides and attractions based on its iconic brands, including two Hot Wheels roller coasters, life-sized Barbie's Beach House and a Masters of the Universe laser tag arena.
Both projects have experienced several snags over the past few years. Since breaking ground in 2021, the resort — originally known as Crystal Lagoons — has faced repeated construction delays. After the project was acquired by VAI Resort LLC in 2022, its opening was pushed from spring 2023 into 2024, and it's now scheduled to open at the end of this year.
Meanwhile, Mattel Adventure Park has faced its own delays. Originally slated to open in 2022, the theme park — billed as a “key anchor tenant” of the VAI Resort complex — has reportedly “taken longer than expected” to build. Its debut is now set for late 2025.
‘If we were to lose, it would put a big stall on this’
The latest wrinkle in the VAI Resort saga dates back to last fall after the Glendale City Council unanimously approved rezoning a 10-acre parcel along 95th Avenue and south of Cardinals Way. Arizona labor rights organization Worker Power Institute opposed the rezoning, citing environmental concerns and a dearth of park space in Glendale. The nonprofit, which previously challenged tax incentives the city gave the resort, then gathered enough signatures to put the issue on the ballot.
VAI Resort's President and CEO, Grant Fisher, told AZFamily a "no" vote in Tuesday’s election could impair the project further.
"If we were to lose, it would put a big stall on this. It would stall the jobs, the economic impact, and it would bring some pause to other developers who want to invest in this state," Fisher stated.
If the measures are shot down, VAI Resort attorney Adam Baugh told the Arizona Republic it will bring the project to a “screeching halt.” The 10-acre parcel as parking would allow VAI to support its employees and enable better access to the resort complex, he stated.
“The project will not move forward,” Baugh told the Republic, adding, “You need the 10 acres for the project to be successful still. If the referendum is successful … then the project doesn’t function the way it’s intended to.”
