28 Feb 27th-March 5th, 2025 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Renaming Footprint Center Here are 10 artists and other landmarks worthy of their own stadium. BY CHRIS COPLAN A s we reported earlier last week, Footprint Center is getting a brand-new name. Player 15 Group (who own both the Phoenix Suns and Mercury) are set to reveal the new naming rights deal some time next year. Whatever moniker they do opt for, however, it’ll be the center’s fifth name since it opened as America West Arena in 1992. Now, we get the pressure of having to rename such a vital and important building within the Phoenix entertainment land- scape. So, as a gesture of goodness, we here at the Phoenix New Times have come up with a few suggestions. Some choices are beloved musicians, and others reference other famous artists and musical land- marks. Either way, these new names would continue to make “the arena” somewhere important for sports and music fans Valley-wide. Please, whatever you do, just don’t let it be named something long-winded like “Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion.” Curaleaf Center There’s no denying that, since its legal- ization, marijuana has been a financial powerhouse for the state. Per The Marijuana Herald, marijuana sales generated a whopping $150 million from January to June 2024. Naming this after a beloved local dispensary chain, then, seems like a savvy move, and a concrete commitment to the state’s role in the increasing legalization of and generally shifting attitudes around pot. Does it have to be Curaleaf? Heck no, and it could be any other chain (even if “Curaleaf Center” does roll right off the tongue). It’s about tapping into this new “gold rush” industry and furthering a new identity for the Valley at large. The Maynard James Keenan Center for the Arts It doesn’t take the most astute genius to recognize our state’s ongoing love affair with the Tool frontman. As if he wasn’t already a beloved musician across this state, he’s made Arizona a kind of second home with his various entrepreneurial endeavors, including Four 8 Fried Chicken and Merkin Vineyards near Cottonwood. Keenan represents all the best parts of Arizona: he’s plenty wild, a tad unpre- dictable and generally interested in fostering community around good food and booze. And, really, “Center for the Arts” just makes the whole area sound extra classy. America West Arena I’m generally unaware of the legal machi- nations and implications surrounding the use of this name, but Arizona natives and longtime residents alike will always call that building America West. Is it a little stubborn and shortsighted? Sure, but it’s also a point of pride for many of us. So, why fight the inevitable when no amount of corporate branding will ever change the hearts and minds of so many? You also can’t deny that, in a city marked by routine change, dipping into our shared past just feels fairly nice and comforting in general. Say it with me, “America West Arena.” PHX Arena This one is basically a placeholder on Wikipedia and some other sites until a new name is eventually revealed. I’ve got to be honest, though: It kind of works. Yes, it feels a touch uninspired and derivative, but then we also have a major street or two named after nearby mountains (i.e., Camelback Road). If that’s not enough, a generic name like that best encapsulates the mix of sports, music and arts that have called the arena home over the years. Maybe I’m just a sucker for all-caps abbre- viations that seem to be all the style these days. Whatever. The Alice Cooper Palace If repeating that name 20 to 30 times doesn’t fill you with glee, maybe you should see a doctor. Cooper really is a celebrity worthy of a stadium (maybe even more so than Keenan). He grew up in the Valley, and has that deep connection to this place. Sure, his music and image are a little dark and weird, but it still feels fitting for our underdog state. Plus, he’s actually a good guy, and his charitable efforts have made a difference for teens across Arizona. All in all, a Cooper-centric venue is a place we could really hang our giant bejeweled top hat. Stevie Nicks Stadium OK, if Maynard James Keenan and Alice Cooper don’t work out, there’s always Stevie Nicks. Admittedly, her whole “bohemian goddess” gimmick does fit a little better with the larger image of Phoenix. And there’s also the Fleetwood Mac connection, which is bound to help with promotion and marketing for the “new” arena. If nothing else, though, Nicks’ story feels especially uplifting and exciting, and that tale adds to the image and influence of any venue. Just imagine getting to hear “Edge of Seventeen” every single time you attend a show. The Purple Palace Aside from everyone stubbornly calling it America West Arena in 2025, this has been a regular nickname of the building since the early ’90s. Yes, that’s because the Phoenix Suns called it home, but purple has some other important connotations. It’s apparently the color of luxury, mystery and creativity, and even if I don’t fully believe in such metaphysical things, the connotation alone feels important. If nothing else, calling it a color and not after a person or business might mean the name sticks for more than a few years. Probably not, though. The Wallace and Ladmo Center We get that Cooper and Nicks may not be everyone’s favorite choices. (But how?) Or, perhaps there are some kind of “unsavory associations” that would garner a stink eye from some corporate naming commission or whatever. However, everyone loves and adores Wallace and Ladmo. Not only were they silly clowns, but they celebrated music and art in general, and they did so by promoting collaboration and creativity among their viewers. Their work was an important part of building up the Valley into a place of true community, and the least we can do is give ’em a building. Or, if nothing else, maybe restore their mural near Roosevelt Street? Easley’s Fun Bowl What does that bright yellow joke and costume shop that closed in 2018 have to do with sports and music? Nothing, really. However, I like the idea of repurposing this old favorite, and giving it a new kind of life after it was needlessly closed after 72 years just so a local developer could buy their 100th building in the area. Easley’s Fun Bowl has a certain charm and panache, and it would be cool to honor our shared past and not just give the rights to another faceless corporation. Also, everyone has to wear clown noses upon entrance or they’re booted out. Lost Leaf Field I get that so far, I’ve been critical enough of big corporations consuming smaller, locally-owned enterprises. Honoring Lost Leaf, however, wouldn’t be just another cash grab, but rather a way to celebrate an old favorite in a new way. A chance, if you will, to show that some venues and restau- rants really run deep out here, and that we in Phoenix really do believe that certain ideas and values are worth perpetuating no matter what that looks like. The name deserves new life, and to live again as a place defined by food, music, art, games and general good-spirited debauchery. The former Footprint Center with its signage removed. (Photo by Benjamin Leatherman) ▼ Music
