Legacy Park Explained

Arizona Athletic Grounds
Location:Mesa, Arizona
Opened:January 2022
Owner:Legacy Cares, Inc.
Operator:Elite Sports Group
Capacity:5,000 (outdoor)
2,800 (indoor)
Tenants:Arizona Red Devils (X League) (2022–)
Arizona Arsenal SC (USL 2) (2023–)
Logo Image:LegacyPark Full-Logo.png
Coordinates:33.2985°N -111.626°W

Arizona Athletic Grounds (formerly known as Bell Bank Park, Legacy Park) is an American multi-purpose sports complex in Mesa, Arizona. It opened on January 7, 2022, before its Grand Opening on 4 February 2022, headlined by musician Lindsey Stirling.[1] [2] [3]

History

Bell Bank Park is situated on the site of a former General Motors testing facility.[4] In 2018, Mesa voters voted against a bond request for a state owned sports facility nearby and that paved the way for this facility.[5] [6]

Ground was broken on the project in October, 2020.[7] The facility is the vision of Legacy Sports, and was known as Legacy Sports Park before a 10-year naming rights deal was struck with Bell Bank.[8] [9] The facility was estimated to have cost $280million.[10]

Prior to completion, events were booked including the Jam On It amateur basketball tournaments, who committed to hosting events at the facility until 2032.[11]

Bell Bank Park opened with an event hosted by the Association of Pickleball Professionals Tour on 4 January 2022.[12]

In February 2022, it was announced that the Gilbert, Arizona, campus of Park University would make Bell Bank Park the home for their athletic events.[13]

From 2022, the stadium is the home of Valley United FC and FC Arizona.

Financial troubles began to emerge almost immediately after opening. Bell Bank ended their naming rights partnership on 14 April 2023 and the park was renamed Legacy Park. [14] On 1 May 2023 just 16 months after opening the park filed for bankruptcy. At the time of the bankruptcy filing the owners of the park Legacy Cares reported $366.7 million in liabilities and $242.3 million in assets. [15] In July 2023 the U.S. trustee monitoring Legacy Park’s bankruptcy case issued a 23-page filing asking the judge to assign a federal trustee to take over the park’s management and business affairs from owner Legacy Cares. The filing accused Legacy Cares of failing to disclose conflicts of interest, improperly diverting assets, failing to justify a budgeted $708,000 management fee to Elite Sports Group, overpaying executives and employing multiple family members of people connected with Legacy. [16]

Facilities

The facility spans and includes:

Commercial partnerships

The facility has commercial partnerships facilitated through Elite Sports. These include:

Venue names

Venue Name Dates
Legacy Park April 2023 - Present
Bell Bank Park September 2021 – April 2023
Legacy Sports Park October 2020 - September 2021

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bell Bank Park Officially Opens as Nation's Largest Multi-Venue Sports and Entertainment Complex. Mesa.az. 4 February 2022. 3 March 2022.
  2. Web site: Gilbert-raised Lindsey Stirling getting ready to perform at Bell Bank Park in Mesa. Fox 10 Phoenix. 1 February 2022. 3 March 2022.
  3. Web site: Bell Bank Park Grand Opening. Visit Mesa. 24 January 2022. 3 March 2022.
  4. Web site: Bell Bank Park opens in Mesa Friday. Yahoo News. 7 January 2022. 3 March 2022.
  5. Web site: Bell Bank Park, a massive east Mesa sports complex, opens Jan. 7. Here's what to expect. AZ Central. 18 December 2021. 3 March 2022.
  6. Web site: Mesa voters passing 4 of 6 city requests in preliminary results. AZ Central. 6 November 2018. 3 March 2022.
  7. Web site: $250M Legacy Sports Park breaks ground in Mesa. AZ Big Media. 28 October 2020. 3 March 2022.
  8. Web site: Amazing in Arizona: Bell Bank Park!. Bell Bank. 21 September 2021. 3 March 2022.
  9. Web site: Massive 320-acre Legacy Sports Park coming to Mesa. AZ Big Media. 5 October 2020. 3 March 2022.
  10. Web site: Bell Bank secures naming rights for $280 million sports, entertainment complex. INFORUM. 20 September 2021. 3 March 2022.
  11. Web site: JAM ON IT BASKETBALL PARTNERS WITH LEGACY SPORTS USA TO HOST AAU BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS AT BELL BANK PARK THROUGH 2032. Bell Bank Park. 16 July 2021. 3 March 2022.
  12. Web site: Bell Bank Park in Mesa has long-term bookings months before it opens. ABC 15. 7 October 2021. 3 March 2022.
  13. Web site: BELL BANK PARK TO BE NEW HOME FOR PARK UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS. Bell Bank Park. 7 February 2022. 3 March 2022.
  14. Web site: Bell Bank ends partnership tied to massive Mesa sports complex. KTAR. 10 April 2023. 10 April 2023.
  15. Web site: Mesa sports park owner files for bankruptcy, looks to sell 320-acre venue. KTAR. 1 May 2023. 1 May 2023.
  16. Web site: Mega park owner under feds' siege in bankruptcy. Queen Creek Tribune. 6 July 2023. 6 July 2023.
  17. Web site: PHOENIX CHILDREN'S TO OFFER SPORTS MEDICINE AND URGENT CARE ONSITE AT BELL BANK PARK. Bell Bank. 16 February 2022. 3 March 2022.
  18. Web site: BELL BANK PARK REVEALS VALLEY TOYOTA DEALERS AS FOUNDING PARTNER OF NEW BELL BANK PARK. Bell Bank Park. 24 February 2022. 3 March 2022.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Legacy Park".

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