Opinion: Renovating Talking Stick Resort Arena is important to further fuel downtown Phoenix’s revitalization, a business group says.
By Devney Preuss, Diane Haller and Ruben Alvarez, opinion contributors | The Republic
(Editor’s note: Opinion pieces are published for discussions purposes only.)
Downtown Phoenix is a remarkably different place than it was 25 years ago.
More and more people are calling downtown home, new employers are attracted to our growing and diverse labor force, hotel investment and convention business are way up, and the amenity package of restaurants, bars, live music and the arts is robust.
Key in helping ignite this resurgence was the bold decision by the City of Phoenix and the Phoenix Suns to build America West Arena, now Talking Stick Resort Arena. The city and the Suns have consistently maintained and updated the building during its 26-year life.
While the arena is owned by the city, the Suns have invested more than $150 million in improvements and paid all the expenses to operate the building for more than 26 years.
