Plans have now been finalized for an all-encompassing renovation of the Desert Financial Arena in downtown Tempe, with work set to begin next spring.
The owners of the facility, Arizona State University, say they expect to spend upwards of $100 million on the project.
The arena, completed in 1972 and originally called the ASU Activity Center, has a seating capacity of just over 14,000. The renovation project will see an upgrading of some 700 seats in the lower bowl portion of the arena, with another 200 seats situated to provide more leg room.
Additional work will include upgrades to the arena’s locker rooms and restrooms, as well as the facility’s extensive air conditioning system.
According to news reports, this will mark the first major renovation of the facility since it was built.
Initial plans for the renovation were approved last month by the Arizona Board of Regents.
If all goes as anticipated, work on the multiphase project will begin in May 2026, with a general completion date of December 2029.
The long-time home to both the Arizona Sun Devils men’s and women’s basketball team, the arena will also see the construction of a large video board over the court, not to mention the installation of a new sound system.
In a statement, Graham Rossini, athletics director at the university, remarked that the “renovation of Desert Financial Arena is about more than updating a building, it’s about creating a space that energizes our entire ASU community.”
Built at a cost of $8 million, the arena through the years has also served as a concert venue for a variety of performers including Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, and the Eagles rock band.
October 23, 2025
By Garry Boulard
Photo courtesy City of Tempe
