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Jun 03, 2026
Analyzed by GPT OSS 120B

Arizona Entrepreneur Vicki Mayo Pushes for NWSL/MLS Stadium in Mesa

AI Summary
Arizona businesswoman Vicki Mayo is proposing a 25,000‑seat enclosed soccer‑specific stadium on a former Sears mall site in Mesa, targeting an NWSL franchise and leaving the door open for MLS. Backed by a 20,000‑person fan initiative and a unique financing structure, the project aims to break ground in 2026 and open by 2028.

Vicki Mayo, an Arizona businesswoman, is spearheading a proposal for a 25,000‑seat, fully enclosed, natural‑grass soccer‑specific stadium on an 80‑acre former Sears mall site in Mesa, Arizona. The project aims to attract a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) franchise, with the possibility of an MLS team, and is slated to break ground in summer 2026 with a target opening in 2028.

A 25,000‑Seat Enclosed Stadium Planned on Former Sears Mall Site

The stadium design, created by architecture firm Gensler, envisions a climate‑controlled arena that can host both women’s and men’s professional soccer as well as concerts. Located a 20‑minute traffic‑free drive from downtown Phoenix and adjacent to two major freeways, the site offers easy regional access while repurposing the vacant mall footprint.

Fan Initiative Shows 20,000 Supporters for Women’s Soccer

A grassroots petition has gathered 20,000 signatures from fans eager to see an NWSL team call Mesa home. The initiative underscores a growing demand for top‑tier women’s soccer in the Phoenix metropolitan area and provides a tangible metric for league officials evaluating expansion markets.

Financing Through Mesa’s Theme‑Park District and Bond Authority

Mesa city council designated the parcel as a “theme‑park district,” granting the Palo District (controlled by Mayo’s companies) the ability to levy a transaction‑privilege tax, issue bonds, and benefit from income‑ and property‑tax exemptions. This structure is intended to fund stadium construction without placing a direct tax burden on local residents.

  • Bond financing enabled by district’s bonding authority.
  • Special sales tax revenue projected to service debt.
  • Tax exemptions could save several million dollars annually based on Mesa’s commercial property rates.

Potential Timeline: Groundbreaking in 2026, Opening by 2028

Mayo has indicated that construction could start in the summer of 2026, with the goal of completing the venue by 2028. Even if the NWSL or MLS ultimately decline the Mesa proposal, the developer says the stadium will proceed as a multi‑use entertainment facility.