By Madeline Bates
Mail

On over 22 acres north of Tempe Town Lake, the McCain Institute, created to honor late Arizona Sen. John McCain, recently broke ground on a new library and museum in partnership with Arizona State University.

Leadership from Gov. Katie Hobbs, Tempe Mayor Corey Woods, Former Gov. Doug Ducey, McCain’s wife Cindy and others spoke about their excitement for the new building and what it means to honor his legacy of leadership and governance.

“It will not be a static museum or a quiet archive, it will be a living, breathing civic space, a place all people want to be at,” said Gov. Hobbs.

The building will be over 80,000 square feet and include immersive experiences like an AI hologram of McCain, a retired naval fighter jet and a flight simulation for participants to land on a naval aircraft carrier just as McCain did when he served in the Navy from 1958 to 1981. 

McCain served in Congress from to 1983 to 2018 as both a member of the House and Senate. He also ran for president against Barack Obama and held his campaign headquarters in Sedona, just miles from the family home in Cornville, Arizona, where he died in 2020.

Including adoptions, McCain was a father to seven children, three of whom were in the crowd with his wife, Cindy McCain.

“We will further the causes that John believed in and the entities to bring them back to a place where they belong and a place he loved so dearly,” Cindy McCain said.

Other friends of McCain made an appearance like ASU President Michael Crow and Former Arizona Cardinal Larry Fitzgerald. They shared stories of his kindness and generosity and hoped that a space in his honor could serve as a site for inspiration for the next generation of mavericks.

“There was no hierarchy, no judgment, whether it was world leaders or strangers at the airport, he met everybody with the same respect and sincerity,” Fitzgerald said, recalling his time with the senator.

The building is expected to open in 2028 to the public for exploration of McCain’s life and legacy in governance. The McCain Institute is part of Arizona State University and has a presence in Sedona, Washington, D.C., and beyond.

To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.

Madeline Bates
Reporter | Tempe/East Phoenix

mbates@iniusa.org

Meet Madeline

Madeline Bates joined Independent Newsmedia in 2025 as a Phoenix/Tempe reporter. Before graduating college, she spent a semester in Washington as a Congressional reporter in the first 100 days of the second Trump administration. But local news is where her heart is. She is excited to be in Phoenix full time and exploring new parts of the city (as long as they have AC).  

Community: After living in East Phoenix for two years, she fell in love with Paradise Valley, Mesa, Tempe, and everywhere in between. She recently discovered the beauty of the South Mountain Reserve and hopes to continue exploring should the weather comply.

Education: Madeline has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and a certificate in Political History and Leadership.

Random Fact: She is a self-taught nail tech. No, she cannot do your nails.

Hobbies: Hiking (when its not 100 degrees), fiction writing, cooking, baking and trying new coffee shops.