First look: Arizona's largest resort releases images of future hotel

VAI Resort, which will be Arizona’s largest resort when it completes construction, released new renderings on Wednesday showing how the hotel’s lobby, retail area and interiors of rooms will look.

The Glendale resort’s focal point is an amphitheater with a capacity for 8,000 concertgoers. The venue is adjacent to a 5-acre “swimming oasis” with sandy beaches.

The resort, under construction near Loop 101 and Cardinals Way, has four hotel towers planned, each with a different focus.

The largest hotel tower, called the Amphitheater, will feature views of the concert venue, with rooms designed to also function as viewing suites where guests can invite friends to watch the concerts from their room. The Cadence and Rhythm towers are designed to be tranquil and luxurious, both featuring music motifs and memorabilia. The VAI Villas will offer the largest rooms, ranging from 1,100 to 5,300 square feet.

"We have infused a musical theme throughout the resort, where every corner resonates with rhythm and harmony,” Scott Hillig, president of design and development for VAI Resort, said in a statement. “The architecture and interior design strike a chord, seamlessly blending elegant notes with unexpected surprises. It’s an integrated experience where guests can feel the energy of the music in every heartbeat of the hotel. VAI Resort serves as a stage where luxury and artistry dance together."

The resort is expected to complete construction in late 2024 and will cost about $1 billion to build.

Party island, 12 restaurants planned

VAI Resort also will include a “party island” in the swimming oasis called Konos Island, a 52,000-square-foot island that will have bar and restaurant offerings and entertainment.

Throughout the resort there will be 12 original restaurants with a variety of food options, including Mediterranean, Italian, Asian, and a signature steakhouse. In May, Grant Fisher, the developer of the resort, said the team is working on collaborations with celebrity chefs, but no partnerships have been announced.

The Mattel Adventure Park is a tenant at VAI, and will include a three-story Barbie Beach House, as well as rides and games based on Hot Wheels, Thomas the Tank Engine, Barbie, Masters of the Universe and Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots.

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Reach the reporter at cvanek@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @CorinaVanek.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sneak peek: Glendale's VAI Resort releases renderings