Legacy Park owners file for bankruptcy protection, look for potential buyer
Chapter 11 filing aims to help company reorganize
Independent Newsmedia
Posted 5/1/23
The owners a massive sports and entertainment complex in Mesa are still doing business, even as they look for buyer to purchase the assets out of bankruptcy court.
Legacy Cares Inc. the owner of …
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Legacy Park owners file for bankruptcy protection, look for potential buyer
Chapter 11 filing aims to help company reorganize
Posted
Independent Newsmedia
The owners a massive sports and entertainment complex in Mesa are still doing business, even as they look for buyer to purchase the assets out of bankruptcy court.
Legacy Cares Inc. the owner of the 320-acre Legacy Park formerly known as Bell Bank Park, has hired a new management company and an investment banking firm to provide options to Legacy Cares as it enters Chapter 11.
In addition, Legacy Cares has hired New York-based investment bank Miller Buckfire & Co. to assist it with options including a potential sale of all Legacy Cares' assets. The company expects to have a buyer lined up and the sale completed by August.
Company officials said the park will continue to operate as it goes through the bankruptcy process. Chapter 11 allows for companies to reorganize their corporate structure and deal with creditors.
The facility plans to continue to operate in the normal course of business as hundreds of events are scheduled to take place through 2030.
“Legacy Cares intends to use this process to protect and support the park’s business operations and address Legacy Cares’ debt obligations while working towards an orderly and efficient possible sale of Legacy Cares’ assets in a manner that maximizes their value.” said company President Douglas Moss in a statement.
The $280 million park opened in February 2022 at the intersection of State Route 24 and Ellsworth Road in Mesa as a multipurpose facility with multiple baseball, softball and soccer fields as well as baskeball and pickelball. The facility has been used for myriad events in the region.
Veteran sports venue manager Rodney Reese has been hired by Legacy Cares as its vice president of park operations to oversee the day-to-day management of Legacy Park.
Reese helped to launch Legacy Park and has more than 20 years of experience in venue management and business development across multiple sports and entertainment facilities. Elite Sports Group, recently hired by Legacy Cares to replace Legacy Sports USA to manage Legacy Park, will report to Reese.
Legacy Park surpassed more than 4.3 million visitors in 2022 and in addition to numerous sporting events, has hosted dozens of concerts, festivals, and family-friendly community events with over 1.9 million visitors to date in 2023.
“For months Legacy Cares has been working on new plans to enhance operations and bring revenues in line with expenses," Moss said in a statement. "Professionals have been hired to help Legacy Cares with this process by looking at all options for the Park’s best possible future. Today’s announcement of a reorganization along with recent significant management changes will better position Legacy Park to serve as a destination where families and athletes of all ages can enjoy a safe, friendly, high-quality environment to experience different sporting, artistic, educational, and entertainment amenities."
Officials with Legacy said they would not provide interviews, as the matter is in the courts.