Is a soccer stadium coming to the former Fiesta Mall in Mesa?

Article originally posted on AZ Central on December 8, 2025

Mesa’s Fiesta Mall is projected to have a new future that could lure professional soccer teams to Arizona.

The Mesa City Council created a theme park district that would allow developers to generate tax revenue to pay for the construction of a future sports stadium. The plan for the newly named Palo District was approved Nov. 26, the day before Thanksgiving.

It sets up a future buildout of the property that once was the epicenter of shopping in the East Valley.

The creation of the district, along Alma School Road and Southern Avenue, was the first significant step forward since a zoning change in December 2024 from limited commercial to infill development district-2.

Here’s what to know about the future development of the former Fiesta Mall site.

What is replacing Fiesta Mall in Mesa?

The anticipated future development is a “mixed-use district with restaurant, retail, lodging, office, and residential uses, and a multiuse stadium that could include soccer,“ city documents said.

The documents stated the city had not received any submittals for improvements to the site since its rezoning.

The zoning change in 2024 detailed a broad development plan proposed to bring a maximum of 4,000 residential units and 1.1 million square feet of commercial space, along with office and open green space.

Who owns Fiesta Mall?

The 80-acre Fiesta site currently is owned by Verde Investments, a development firm owned by billionaire Ernest Garcia II. Garcia is one of the 400 richest people in America and the richest in Arizona, according to Forbes.

A development agreement shows Verde Investments is poised to sell the property, or portions of the property, to Palo District LLC, which is managed by Vicki Mayo, according to Arizona Corporation Commission records.

Mayo co-owns Valor Global with her husband, Simer Mayo. Valor Global operates call centers internationally.

Vicki Mayo is the CEO of Sunny Day Sports, a global sports investment firm with assets in the United States, India, South Africa and Barbados.

Simer Mayo is a board member on the Arizona Commerce Authority, the state’s economic development body.

What happened to Fiesta Mall?

Fiesta Mall opened in October 1979 and in its heyday was considered the prime spot for shopping in the East Valley.

But as time went on, it faced difficulties. After the Great Recession, the 1.2-million-square-foot shopping mall had 20 vacant spaces in 2009.

When the Dillard’s Clearance Center closed its doors in 2020, Fiesta Mall was fully vacant.

In July 2023, developers began razing the shopping mall and wrapped up in 2024.

Does Arizona have an Major League Soccer team?

Speculation surrounding the future Palo District points toward a Major League Soccer team coming to Arizona.

The state currently does not have an MLS team. The Phoenix Rising soccer team is in the United Soccer League, a tier below MLS.

The city in December 2024 said it had multiple preliminary talks with MLS about pitching Mesa as the next place for an expansion team.

The league did not respond to multiple requests from The Arizona Republic for a comment. It had previously stated the league was “focused on maintaining a 30-team league” and there were no current plans for further expansion.

San Diego was the last city to be awarded a franchise.

New schedule changes to the soccer league’s schedule give fans hope that Arizona could be a contender. Starting in 2027, the MLS will adopt a summer-to-spring format with kickoff beginning late July and the MLS Cup in May, it announced Nov. 13.

Does Arizona have a National Women’s Soccer League team?

The state does not have an National Women’s Soccer League team, but several amateur or minor-league women’s soccer clubs have formed over the years. Most recently, the Women’s Premier Soccer League announced a new team would be based at the Peoria Sports Complex. Those teams are created both to build a fan base and to cultivate local talent.

The NWSL has expanded rapidly. It added its 17th team when it awarded Atlanta an expansion franchise in November.

The league is expected to add an 18th team in 2028 alongside Atlanta, according to reporting from the Pro Soccer Wire.

With developers’ intentions to build a soccer stadium at Palo District, Mesa could see itself on the short list to compete for that 18th club.