Arizona is one of the fastest-growing states in the U.S. due to its year-round warm climate, culture, affordable housing, job market and beautiful desert landscapes. Those same characteristics make it a desirable spot to host meetings or events.
Here are five new Arizona venues that have recently opened, or will open soon, from resorts and hotels to new attractions and eateries.
VAI Resort
Glendale
The $1 billion VAI Resort development is under construction in the city of Glendale, near the NFL Arizona Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium, and is expected to be the state’s largest resort, with 1,100 rooms and villas spread across three hotels. The resort was supposed to open in 2025, but construction delays have pushed the project’s opening date further out. When it is completed, it will have an amphitheater for 8,000 guests featuring premium entertainment that can be watched from 149 of the hotel’s guest rooms.
Konos Island will be a 50,000-square-foot, man-made party island that will include white-sand beaches, temperature-controlled, clear-blue water and Mediterranean cuisine. Guests can soar 130 feet up into the air to Konos Sky Bar to soak up the panoramic desert views while drinking cocktails.
The resort will have 11 dining options, eight with waterfront views. It will also have 27 bar and cocktail experiences and celebrity chef restaurant concepts, including Bar Mar, Chef José Andrés’ first restaurant in Arizona. During its second phase, the resort will build a 2,000-seat indoor theater and the first-ever Mattel Adventure Park that will include Hot Wheels, Thomas and Friends, and Barbie-themed rides and experiences.
Once the resort is completed, meeting planners will be able to utilize over 90,000 square feet of indoor event spaces, including ballrooms, conference rooms and pre-function areas, and 30,000 square feet of rooftop space at the VAI Conference Center.
The REMI Scottsdale, Autograph Collection
Scottsdale
The REMI Scottsdale, Autograph Collection is a boutique hotel in the Entertainment District of Old Town Scottsdale that opened in July. It features 161 guest rooms, including 22 suites, a rooftop pool on the 12th floor, spa services, VIP access to Maya Day + Nightclub next door, and a partnership with W Scottsdale across the street for overflow rooms and meeting spaces for groups.
The REMI has four restaurants, including Kauboi — pronounced “cowboy” — that blends Japanese tradition with modern Western influences. It specializes in rare whiskeys. F/Sixteen is a reimagination of a classic diner that serves comfort food and boozy shakes. Allegra is a Moroccan-inspired bar next to the rooftop pool. REMI Lobby Bar offers crafted drinks and space for gatherings or people-watching.
For meetings, The REMI has a boardroom with a classroom capacity of 15, while its partner, W Scottsdale, offers 3,500 square feet of meeting space and a maximum classroom capacity of 120.
Meeting attendees wanting to explore Scottsdale will want to visit Desert Botanical Garden, which highlights 50,000 desert plants on more than 140 acres, as well as the Phoenix Zoo or Phoenix Art Museum. The nearby Heard Museum is known for its American Indian art, live events, museum shop and café. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West is only 12.8 miles away.
Trailborn Grand Canyon
Williams
Trailborn Grand Canyon is a newly renovated hotel on Route 66 in Williams, the gateway to Grand Canyon National Park. Williams is home to the Grand Canyon Railway, a daily train that runs to the South Rim of the canyon.
The 96-room hotel has a southwestern vibe that blends well with the historic town. It offers family-friendly programming and immersive experiences like stargazing, guided hikes and helicopter rides over the Grand Canyon.
Meeting groups can bring their families along with them. The hotel has a children’s play area with bocce ball, cornhole, a kid’s scavenger hunt, pool and hot tub. Trailborn also has newly redesigned event spaces, including Camp Hall, which features classic saloon doors, vaulted ceilings with exposed beams and wooden wheel chandeliers, and a stage for live entertainment. The room also has space for games, including darts, shuffleboard and ring toss. A catering menu is available with a range of food and drink options, and it can hold receptions for up to 190 people or dinners for 150.
Miss Kitty’s Bar and Restaurant is a Southwest-inspired steakhouse and grill that can host events for up to 87 guests. It features an outdoor deck and patio for an additional 26 people.
Other event spaces include the outdoor pool area for 35 people and event lawns with outdoor fireplaces that are perfect for large outdoor events.
International Dark Sky Discovery Center
Fountain Hills
The International Dark Sky Discovery Center is being built in Fountain Hills, about a 30-minute drive from Phoenix, which is recognized by DarkSky International as an official dark sky community. That means that the city manages its light pollution so that the night sky continues to be a place of wonder.
The center, which is expected to be completed by the middle of 2026, will have an observatory, planetarium and theater. It also will have an exhibit hall that tells the story of why dark skies are important. Groups can learn the history of how humans from different cultures around the world have interacted with the sky, from stories about the sky and constellations to how people have used the stars to navigate across great distances.
The 150-seat theater with LED screens will show educational programs and NASA documentaries. It also can serve as a private event space, and there will be classroom space available as well as a smaller multipurpose room. The center’s large lobby will be the facility’s primary rental space with a capacity of 150.
Groups that rent the space will have to bring in their own vendors for food, tables and chairs, but the center does have a warming kitchen for caterers. If groups rent space at the center, they can add a planetarium show as part of their event.
Electric Pickle
Tempe
Electric Pickle opened in January as a pickleball entertainment venue. It features nine pickleball courts, two bocce ball courts, cornhole and ping pong tables. It also has a stage and fun things for children to do out on the lawn.
The décor is Tulum-inspired, giving the facility a resort vibe. It has an extensive food and drink menu, from tacos and pot stickers to sushi and pizza. All of its beverages are sweetened with fruit juice instead of artificial sugar.
The entire restaurant can host groups of 12 to 1,000, and each of the pickleball courts has a little casita cabana behind it with seating for up to 12 guests. Every court can host up to 16 people.
Electric Pickle also has private spaces. The second floor of the venue, called The Top Shelf, can host 120 people for meetings or events and includes a private bar, restaurant and two Full Swing Golf Simulators. The balcony overlooks the entire venue.
The Outdoor Cabana Bar and Covered Courts can accommodate 150 guests with cabana bar seating and courtside lounge seating. It also has private restrooms and access to four pickleball courts.
The Ace Room and Backcourt can seat 22 inside and 36 on the outdoor patio. It has TV and A/V access, and the private patio includes heaters and misters.
All food for events is catered in-house, and there are many packages available that cater to different tastes and dietary restrictions. Portable A/V equipment is available.
