Glendale, AZ

Sugar Factory American Brasserie is opening its first Arizona location at Westgate on May 1.

Open since 2009, the chain was started by Charissa Davidovici in Las Vegas and has since expanded to 27 locations in the US and around the world, including Los Angeles, Dubai and New York. Arizona will be its 28th.

The flagship restaurant in Las Vegas has an extension above called The Chocolate Lounge that offers a more elevated experience and a massive menu of chocolate cocktails, but each location has unique draws and celebrities like Snoop Dogg, The Rock, Kendall Jenner, Bruno Mars and Mark Walberg have designed goblets of drinks for the restaurant, adding to the hype.

What to expect at Sugar Factory Westgate

The Glendale restaurant will boast 9,400 square feet of indoor space and over 1,275 square feet outdoors, allowing for 128 guests in the main dining room, 26 at the bar, 40 on the patio and 18 in the pink private room.

"We are so excited to introduce our fun, family-friendly brand to Arizona. From our photo op walls to our staff, every element at Sugar Factory American Brasserie Glendale is designed to give guests a memorable, Instagrammable experience from the minute they walk into the minute they leave,” said owner Charissa Davidovici in a press release.

Patrons can look forward to the Sugar Factory’s signature candy dot wall, candy heart lounge and the candy retail store with over 50 types of sweet treats. And that's before even entering the dining room.

A flower wall, candy heart wall and flower ceilings are some of the installations that will make this spot Instagram-worthy.

"Glendale locals and visitors are sure to be wowed by this compelling addition,” said Jessica Kubicki, director of marketing for YAM Properties in a press release.

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What's on the Sugar Factory menu?

As the name would suggest, there's a massive sweets menu at Sugar Factory, which is divided into sections like old fashioned milkshakes, insane milkshakes, waffles, desserts, old fashioned sundaes for two and hot chocolate.

Here are some mouthwatering examples:

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Sugar Factory gold burger isn't the only savory option

Despite the name's reference to sweets, the restaurant offers savory items as well. The one page savory menu covers appetizers, soups and salads, sandwiches, monster burgers, tacos, burritos, entrees and sides. The Glendale location also offers brunch.

Here are some examples from the savory side:

The drink menu, which fills two pages, includes one page of celebrity-designed cocktails ranging from $29 for non-alcoholic to $39 for alcoholic versions.

How to visit Sugar Factory American Brasserie in Westgate

The restaurant is slated to open on May 1. Patrons can make reservations by calling 623-872-5396.

Hours: Monday to Thursday from 11a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Details: 9375 W. Entertainment Blvd, Glendale. 623-872-5396, sugarfactory.com.

There’s about a one in six chance that Salt Lake City is the next location for the Arizona Coyotes.

That’s according to one oddsmaker, Adam Thompson of Bookies.com, who has developed odds for the various places the Coyotes could choose to move given the recent defeat of their proposed Tempe stadium plan.

There, between 56% and 57% of voters chose not to support Propositions 301, 302 and 303 in a special election that concluded two weeks ago — ballot measures that would have led to a $2.1 billion entertainment district in the city that included the new stadium.

It’s the latest development in a difficult 27-year history of the NHL in Arizona. The team arrived when Winnipeg Jets ownership announced their financial difficulties and put the team up for sale; a group of Phoenix businessmen bought the franchise and moved it to Phoenix. After that, the team has been sold a remarkable six times — in 2001, 2006, 2009, 2013, 2014, and 2019.

The current owner is Alex Meruelo, who runs a variety of enterprises, including Los Angeles TV and radio stations and the Sahara casino in Las Vegas. He doesn’t have many ties to Arizona. He obtained full ownership of the team after minority owner Andrew Barroway was arrested in March for allegedly strangling his wife; as you can see, the situation is probably the messiest in American professional sports.

So what are the signs linking the Coyotes and the NHL to Utah?

First, Jazz owner Ryan Smith’s clear interest in the NHL. In 2021, there were rumors about Smith buying the Pittsburgh Penguins. In March, Smith had dinner with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. In April, he tweeted that the process of bringing the NHL to Utah was “in motion.”

In motion

— Ryan Smith (@RyanQualtrics) April 22, 2023

Second, NHL reporter Andy Strickland reported that “Salt Lake City appears to be the focus for the Arizona Coyotes internally among hockey ops.” The Canadian sports channel Sportsnet has Salt Lake City as its No. 1 option for Coyotes relocation as well.

One big question: where would the Coyotes play if they moved to Utah? The Delta Center is the obvious answer, and the arena was designed to be able to host an ice rink when it was built in 1991 — but there are significant problems. The endlines get cramped with an NHL-sized hockey rink in there; fans near the goals must sit well above the action.

Vivint Arena set up for tonight’s hockey game.Note the new video boards! They’ve been upgraded in resolution, and there’s also a 4 new corner video boards connecting each of the four sides. pic.twitter.com/7HlitWsqQg

— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) October 6, 2022

Sightlines aren’t great, either — from some seats, it’s difficult to see some of the action in the corners.

The other obvious option is West Valley City’s Maverik Center, which seats 10,100 people. That arena is more purpose-built for hockey, but isn’t controlled by Smith like the Delta Center is — West Valley City itself owns the arena. Regardless, the club currently plays at Arizona State University’s Mullett Arena, which seats only 5,000 people.

Clearly, either Salt Lake City arena would be an upgrade for now, but the long-term would likely involve building a new arena for the NHL team. Such an arena could be used as a new home for the Jazz, too. Where that might be — downtown, at the former state prison site at the Point of the Mountain, or some other location — is going to be the result of years of negotiation.

Regardless, this isn’t going to be an imminent move. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski that he does not “envision a scenario in which the Coyotes are not playing in Mullett Arena next season.”

After that, there’s very little idea as to what Meruelo will choose to do. He could try again in the Phoenix area, either by taking on more of the cost of the proposed Tempe project or by trying to build something in Scottsdale. The latter option is what most of their fans preferred in a poll on Twitter.

Or he could move the team to another market, either himself or by selling the franchise. America’s No. 5 city by population, Houston, doesn’t yet have an NHL team. Kansas City is home to the T-Mobile Center, which was built with a hockey team in mind. Those two cities were considered more likely to be the end home of the Coyotes by the Bookies.com oddsmaker. In addition, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Toronto, Hartford, and Quebec City were considered options. Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive also has expressed interest in purchasing an NHL team, too.

There’s no lack of options, to be sure. But the Coyotes ending up in Salt Lake City appears to be one of the most realistic ones in the eyes of nearly all observers.

One in six odds? Long-suffering hockey fans in Utah have never been so optimistic.

Editor’s note • This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism.

Glendale City Manager Kevin Phelps, who has been an outspoken critic of how the Arizona Coyotes handled their tenure at the Westgate Entertainment District, told The Arizona Republic he thought Tempe voters would have approved the deal for a new arena and entertainment district there but the project would have never been built.

"I want to acknowledge that I come from a position of bias and a position of experience. I've always questioned the ability for the team that was put in place, the development team, to deliver on such a complex, high intensity-development, especially as the financial market changed dramatically," he said Wednesday.

Phelps and other Glendale city officials reacted to the news that Tempe voters rejected three ballot items Tuesday that would have allowed the professional hockey team to build its project near Tempe Town Lake.

The voters' decision comes almost two years after the Coyotes submitted their new arena proposal, and Glendale announced it wouldn't renew the team's lease at what was known as Gila River Arena at the time.

The National Hockey League team and Glendale had a tumultuous 20-plus-year relationship that ended on a bad note when the team's lease expired last summer.

Unofficial results of Tuesday night's tally show Tempe's three ballot measures losing by a 12- to 14-point-margin, throwing doubt at what the Coyotes' future holds.

Tempe-Coyotes election recap:What happened, what's next for city after massive loss?

Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers said he holds no ill will toward the Coyotes and would love to see the team staying in Arizona.

"Maybe there is an opportunity to go into Phoenix, originally back where they (the Coyotes) started," he said. "But if not, things always seem to have a way of working out. "

The mayor wished the NHL team "the best of luck."

Glendale Vice Mayor Joyce Clark, who was a strong critic of the development, shared a copy of a blog post she published on her personal site, saying she was glad the "saga is over."

"My concern was that Tempe was about to be caught up in the drama of a financial maelstrom just as Glendale had been. When ordinary people, like me, are struggling to pay bills and are worrying about another recession it wasn’t the right time to ask for any kind of financial breaks for yet another sports team," Clark's post read.

Clark also congratulated Tempe 1st, a grassroots organization that ran the opposition campaign, saying that "their good, old-fashioned door-knocking and getting-the-facts-out was the key to their success" even after being outspent by the Coyotes' campaign.

Can Phoenix be home to the Coyotes?What City Council members are saying

The team already conceded defeat after its Political Action Committee, Tempe Wins, had reportedly raised $224,000 by the start of 2023 — all from a single donation made by Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo's Bluebird development company.

Coyotes CEO Xavier Gutierrez issued a statement expressing disappointment over the election results.

"While we wanted a different outcome, we remain grateful to all those who volunteered their time and talent. What is next for the franchise will be evaluated by our owners and the National Hockey League over the coming weeks," he said.

Ray Malnar, a Glendale council member, said he was happy to see the democratic process worked and that all parties can now move on.

"I would not have been surprised with either outcome. I wish the best to both the city and the Coyotes," he said in a written statement to The Republic.

Glendale Councilmembers Bart Turner, Lauren Tolmachoff and Ian Hugh did not respond to The Republic's requests for comment. Councilmember Jamie Aldama declined to comment.

City watchdog reporter for Scottsdale and Tempe Sam Kmack contributed to this article.

For a brief moment in time, the city of Glendale, Arizona will be known as Swift City in celebration of their overlord Taylor Swift launching her Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium this weekend.

Swift will roll through the temporarily eponymous city on March 17 and 18, where she’s scheduled to play two sold-out shows. The official name change will take effect on Friday and last through Saturday before Swift moves on to the next stop on her months-long U.S. tour.

Swift City is far from the most inventive name out there (something grandiose such as Swiftopolis would have been fun), but at least it’s not a permanent change. Per 12 News, other fan-voted names in the running included Swiftdale, Taylordale, The City of Taylor Swift, Taylor Nation, and Taylor Town.

Glendale Mayor Jerry P. Weiers announced the official name change in a ceremony on March 13, giving some pomp and circumstance to the whole city’s rebrand.

“And now therefore, I, Jerry P. Weiers, mayor of the city of Glendale, on behalf of our city council, do hereby proclaim that on March 17 and 18, 2023, the city of Glendale will be renamed Swift City,” he said in the ceremonial press conference. “And all Swifties are encouraged to share their smiles that could light up this whole town on all the social media platforms because the best people in life are free.”

While she’s in Swift City, there will be digital billboards along freeways and throughout the Westgate Entertainment District welcoming the musician. Swift’s tour stop is turning into a bit of a cash cow for Glendale, as the city plans on selling shirts sporting the new name, with shops and events set up throughout the entertainment district. Glendale hotels are winning big too this week, with some rooms near the State Farm Stadium going for nearly $1000 per night.

(Metro Creative Connection)

Posted Monday, March 20, 2023 8:00 am

DEVELOPMENT

New Glendale project to address affordable housing, Centerline development

HOUSING

Independent Newsmedia

Ground breaks later this week on the latest affordable housing project in Glendale.

Gorman & Company, a producer of affordable and workforce housing, will officially begin work on Arizona’s first affordable housing community financed using state low-income housing tax credits.

The groundbreaking ceremony is open to the public, and takes place at 10 a.m. Friday, March 24, at 6775 N. 67th Ave., in Glendale.

Created by the Arizona Legislature through the passage of S.B. 1124 in July of 2021, this new state tax credit program is now producing hundreds of new affordable housing units across the state. As a result, Centerline on Glendale will produce 368 units of new mixed-income housing, generate $2.5 million in permitting and impact fees for the city of Glendale, $4.3 million in construction sales tax revenue for the State of Arizona, and nearly $400,000 in annual property taxes over the next 10 years, 75% of which goes to the local school districts, according to Gorman & Company.

In addition, the project will create hundreds of local construction jobs through this public-private partnership.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to welcome this development to Glendale,” Glendale Mayor Jerry P. Weiers said shared in a statement. “At a time when affordable housing is hard to find across the Valley, these units will fulfill a critical need for Glendale residents. This alone will not solve the problem, but it is a step in the right direction."

With total development costs of over $120 million, Centerline on Glendale will be the single largest private investment in Glendale’s Centerline redevelopment area since it was designated for redevelopment in the 1990s.

Gorman & Company secured $86 million in critical private investments from US Bank who will be purchasing both the state and federal tax credits and providing construction financing to the development. Other financing partners include Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust and the Arizona Industrial Development Authority.

State and federal housing tax credits were competitively allocated to the project by the Arizona Department of Housing, who is also providing gap financing from the National Housing Trust Fund and HUD’s HOME program funds. The Maricopa County Human Services Department also allocated $6 million in Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, a part of the American Rescue Plan Act, to make the project possible.

A project-based rental subsidy is being provided to certain units in the development through both the city of Glendale’ Community Services Department and the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) with waitlist preferences for formerly homeless households and individuals suffering from mental illness, making Centerline on Glendale one of the largest permanent supportive housing developments in the nation.

“Centerline on Glendale is a shining example of how sound public policy in Arizona can lead to amazing results for our community,” Gorman & Company President & CEO Brian Swanton stated. “The state housing tax credit, passed by the Arizona Legislature in a bi-partisan fashion in 2021, is the sole reason this project was able to move forward."

Swanton noted that Gorman & Company leveraged that tax credit investment into $120 million in financing, 90% of which is coming from the private sector. Now, 368 low- and moderate-income families will have a place to live.

Centerline on Glendale is tailored to a diverse population of residents, including single individuals, families with children, the elderly, disabled, veterans, formerly homeless, and households with special needs. The units in the development will be fully accessible for the physically disabled and sensory impaired through the utilization of Universal Design principles for accessibility for the residents of Glendale.

This project will provide affordable units for households earning between 0% and 80% of the countywide Area Median Income, equating to rents for the one-, two-, and three-bedroom units ranging from $497 per month for the most affordable one-bedroom to $1,837 per month for the most expensive three-bedroom unit.

"It's going to take a while to get our inventory where it needs to be, but the addition of nearly 400 new rentals in the heart of Glendale is an example of how we can address our affordable housing shortage one investment and one partnership at a time," Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Clint Hickman, District 4, stated.

Future residents will have access to on-site wrap-around supportive services, a splash pad, a dog park, a business incubation space, a fitness and recreation center, a 13-acre walking path, and electric vehicle charging stations.

Centerline on Glendale is located near the southeast corner of 67th and Glendale avenues on a currently vacant 13-acre parcel of land that is within walking distance to Glendale High School and is adjacent to two major bus lines. The project will also be one block from the soon-to-be-constructed Mountain Park Health Clinic.

The development will also contain an on-site commercial kitchen operated by Local First Arizona to serve entrepreneurs running small food-based businesses in the West Valley.

“By providing safe and comfortable housing that is within reach for all, we are not only improving the lives of the people we serve but also strengthening a community as a whole,” Glendale Councilmember Jamie Aldama, of the Ocotillo District, stated.