Phoenix floats plans for massive downtown revamp. What to know

Article originally posted on AZ Central on April 7, 2026

A new strategy to create an entertainment district in downtown Phoenix has put forward some far-reaching suggestions to infill and modernize the area, including redeveloping major locations like the Phoenix Convention Center South building.

The plan is part of a years-long effort to create an entertainment destination in downtown Phoenix, anchored by Chase Field, the Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix Convention Center, and nearby arts and culture venues.

The study was led by HR&A Advisors, Inc. and Multistudio and guided by an advisory committee made up of developers, community leaders, business owners, nonprofit leaders and representatives from sports teams.

The plan will be presented to the Economic Development and Arts subcommittee of the Phoenix City Council for discussion April 8.

It includes several ideas designed to make downtown more welcoming to pedestrians and visitors. Those include enhancing shade and streetscapes, creating usable open space, leveraging real estate assets for development and adding retail.

It also suggested potential funding mechanisms, like using some of the money from the city’s general obligation bond, diverting revenue from parking meters and incorporating the more capital-intensive projects into the city’s next general obligation bond.

Downtown already has more than 14 music venues, over 245 restaurants and bars, and about 1.6 million square feet of retail space, according to a letter written by Phoenix Economic Development Director Ryan Touhill. However, the area could benefit from increased connectivity and more food and shopping, especially near some of the entertainment anchors.

Among the largest projects suggested in the plan is redeveloping the Phoenix Convention Center South building into two towers, including a hotel and a “market-driven” development, likely apartments. The plan suggests creating a central public open space on the site, and adding food, beverage and retail offerings on the ground floor.

The plan also suggests redeveloping the Regency Garage on Adams and Second streets into a high-rise hotel with a ground-floor restaurant. The city has previously solicited proposals for redeveloping the garage into a hotel, but none of those efforts has yielded a new project.

The city could offer subsidized rent to foster small business growth in city-owned buildings, like the Convention Center or the Regency Garage site, the report suggests. It prioritizes filling vacant retail space to create more connectivity and fill voids in downtown retail and food offerings.

The plan suggests expanding the retail space at the Jefferson Street Garage between Mortgage Matchup Center and Chase Field. The building directly north of the garage has one existing retail tenant, Crown Public House, after the restaurant next door closed. The plan suggests removing the facades around the sides of the parking garage and adding vendor and art exhibition spaces. In the long term, the city should consider redeveloping the garage into a different use, like a hotel or apartment tower.

To both the east and west of the garage, the plan proposes activating vacant land adjacent to both Chase Field and the Mortgage Matchup Center.

Just west of Chase Field, the plan proposes the redesign of “Diamondbacks Plaza.” The land could be activated with farmers markets, vendors on game days and art installations. Northeast of Chase Field, the plan suggests redeveloping a surface parking lot into what it calls “Sonora Field,” an area of open space and desert landscaping. It could be an “ideal location for visitors to encounter a saguaro.”

East of Mortgage Matchup Center, the parking lot on Third and Jefferson streets could be converted into a flexible use space with performances or pop-ups, and the Sun Mercantile building could be activated as an art gallery or restaurant.

The plan also includes several other suggestions for downtown redevelopment and reactivation that could be implemented over several years. If adopted by the Phoenix City Council, the council would then prioritize projects and seek developers or proposals for each effort.