Mesa approves formation of theme park district on former Fiesta Mall site

By Connor Van Ligten
Mail

The Mesa City Council unanimously approved the formation of a theme park district on the site of the former Fiesta Mall.

The district, approved during the Nov. 26 meeting, will sit on about 80 acres south of West Southern Avenue, west of South Alma School Road and east of South Longmore, according to council documents.

The owner of the site is Verde Fiesta I LLC and the manager is Verde Investments Inc.

Palo District, as it will be named, will have Councilmembers Francisco Heredia and Rich Adams serving on its board of directors.

Mesa Redevelopment Program Administrator Jeff Robbins explained during the meeting, the former mall site will be the only active functioning theme park district in the state at this time. A theme park district has a variety of entertainment use options and does not necessarily need to be an actual theme park.

“The city council has set a high bar for the quality of development that comes to the city,” Robbins said, “A theme park district is a statewide economic development tool that lays the foundation for a higher caliber and special type of entertainment-centric district.”

Robbins said the city is not obligated for any operations or maintenance for Palo District, except for any public improvements formally dedicated to the city itself. He also said a potential property tax exemption exists under state law for the district, but it’s not triggered automatically.

“There is a potential property tax exemption that does exist under state law, but it’s not automatic,” Robbins said. “And because the city of Mesa does not have a primary property tax, it would only affect the secondary property tax within the district, which as of fiscal year 2025 was estimated at $17,500.”

Councilmember Alicia Goforth asked who determines the secondary property tax exemption.

Robbins explained how it works.

“The secondary property tax is the tax that’s collected by the city. Currently, the city does have a secondary property tax,” Robbins said. “So that is not determined by the district.”

Goforth also asked if there is anything the city is obligated to do once the district is formed.

City Attorney Jim Smith provided an explanation. “There really isn’t any obligations. It’s a separate tax entity,” Smith said.

Connor Van Ligten
Reporter | Fountain Hills/Scottsdale

cvanligten@iniusa.org

After graduating from Arizona State University's Cronkite School in spring 2022, Connor Van Ligten spent a little over year as a reporter for WWL-TV in New Orleans before finding themselves back in Phoenix in October of 2023. Now back in the Valley and writing for the Mesa Independent and the Daily Independent, Connor is ready to tell meaningful stories and report on important civic issues facing Mesa. Connor is a big fan of the 49ers, Warriors, pro wrestling, anime, dogs and fighting video games.