28 April 4th-April 10th, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | THURS4/4 FRI 4/5 SAT 4/6 SUN 4/7 TUES 4/9 SUGAR THIEVES SHOWTIME @ 8PM *EARLY SHOW” PHOENIX BLUES SOCIETY FUNDRAISER & BAND SHOWCASE WITH OVER A DOZEN BANDS AND SPECIAL GUESTS! SHOWTIME 12:30 *LATE SHOW” BRIGITTE PURDY SHOWTIME 7PM JON GREIGER, THE BLACK HOLE BAND OF FOOLS SHOWTIME @ 7PM BIG AL & THE HEAVYWEIGHTS SHOWTIME @ 7PM CARMELA Y MAS SHOWTIME @ 7PM Gridiron Glow-Up Casitas and private clubs are among the planned upgrades for State Farm Stadium. BY ANTHONY REMEDIOS | CRONKITE NEWS N ew field-level suites and club areas at both end zones are among the major enhance- ments planned for State Farm Stadium, the Arizona Cardinals announced on March 18. Although the $15 million upgrade will address the demand for premium seating, the casita suites in the sound end zone will replace 1,200 general-purpose seats, upset- ting some season-ticket holders. “In light of the Cardinals doing what they did with State Farm Stadium, I emailed my rep yesterday with my displeasure while asking to cancel my tickets and get a full refund,” X user Josh D @DavisOnScuf wrote March 19. “Sounds like they’re going to accommodate which I can respect.” Two new clubs will be introduced, one at the back of each end zone. The south side of the stadium will feature the casitas, a concept the club is promoting as “the NFL equivalent of a beachfront property just feet away from the south end zone.” The casitas will have their own all-inclu- sive Garden Club that offers a unique look into the home tunnel. “They are your own home literally in our end zone,” Cardinals’ chief operating officer Jeremy Walls said in a video state- ment. “Each casita has its own breakroom where you can host your family and friends. It also has its own private front porch right on top of the action (and a) private roof deck. So you have a variety of places you can watch the game from and an experience that hasn’t been seen in an NFL stadium, to date.” The Cardinals will pay tribute to the franchise’s original name in 1898 with the Morgan Athletic Club at field level in the north end of the stadium emulating the vibes of a 1920s supper club with low lighting and retro furniture. Among the club’s amenities are live music before and after games, exclusive private dining room access, VIP parking and a private stadium entrance. Both the Casita Garden Club and Morgan Athletic Club will open three hours before kickoff and stay open until one hour after the game’s conclusion. New on-field seating areas will be intro- duced in the form of field boxes and suites on each sideline in the red zone. Field boxes can accommodate guests in smaller groups of four or six, while field suites can accommodate up to 12 guests. Walls said the project began when the suite level was renovated in 2020, followed by the opening of the first on-site sportsbook in the NFL and improving the tailgate experience with the opening of Heritage at Sportsman’s Park outside State Farm Stadium. Full-season priority deposits for luxury seating are either $500, $1,000 or $10,000 depending on the package and seating area selected, according to SeatGeek. Tickets for priority deposit games are expected to go on sale shortly after the regular season schedule release in early May and will be eligible for resale through the SeatGeek platform. “We’re excited about the future,” Walls said. “We are going to be relentless in pursuing a great fan experience, continuing to innovate and modernize our business. That is the direction (Cardinals owner) Michael (Bidwill) has given us from the start. This is one step toward that and we’re going to continue to do more.” The upgrades should put the facility in contention for more big events in the future. It already has hosted three Super Bowls and a college football playoff title game, and this month it will be home to the men’s college basketball Final Four. It faces stiffer competition in recent years with the additions of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. “It’s important to stay relevant,” says Steve Patterson, a former Arizona State athletic director and sports executive who has been involved in multiple stadium negotiations. “There’s a lot of competition out there.” The upgrades are seen as innovative by the organization, but needed improve- ments at the team’s training facility in Tempe have not been addressed, including the locker room, training and weight rooms and the team cafeteria. In the 2024 NFL Players Association report cards, Arizona’s locker room received a grade of “F” and ranked second-to-last in the league. Only 38% of players felt the locker room was big enough, according to the NFLPA. Despite improvements from 2023, the team’s training and weight rooms still ranked 25th and 27th across the league, respectively. In its final category for ownership, the NFLPA said “club owner Michael Bidwill receives a rating of 5.8/10 from the Cardinals players when considering his willingness to invest in the facilities (30th).” Addressing the training facility could be next. For now, the Cardinals made enhancing the fan experience a priority. For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org. The Arizona Cardinals responded to fan demand for premium seating options with the introduction of field-level suites and club areas. (Rendering courtesy of Arizona Cardinals) The Arizona Cardinals announced $15 million in upgrades to State Farm Stadium, including new field-level suites and club areas, aiming to enhance the fan experience.(Rendering courtesy of Arizona Cardinals) ▼ Arts & Culture
