Here's a look at the best new Phoenix/Scottsdale restaurants, corporate event venues, hotels, conference centers, and private and party rooms to open this spring. These new and renovated Phoenix/Scottsdale venues can accommodate groups large or small for private and corporate events, conferences, meetings, weddings, business dinners, teambuilding activities, cocktail parties, and more.
In November, Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale unveiled renovations to its upscale lounge, Palo Verde. The space now features customizable LED staircases, modern furniture, and a lower atrium serving tequila and Southwest cuisine. On the upper level, oversize couches, coral tables, and a full bar create a serene ambiance. In total, the lounge seats 100 guests. The 496-room resort's other amenities include a casino, 11 restaurants and lounges, a spa, and more than 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space.
Dedicated to telling the story of the American West, Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West is primarily a public attraction, but the space is also available for private receptions, dinners, media showings, lectures, workshops, and parties. The new building, open since January, houses exhibits that address both historical and contemporary Western society. Measuring 43,000 square feet, the museum holds as many as 1,200 guests for receptions. The venue works with Preferred Caterers for food and beverage needs, and sound and video projection are available on site.
Evening Entertainment Group opened Livewire, a live performance and concert venue, in Old Town Scottsdale's entertainment district in December. The two-story, 14,000-square-foot space holds as many as 1,160 guests for receptions. Planners can reconfigure the space to fit the style and needs of each particular event. The swanky venue offers cutting-edge technology such as a video wall, chandelier lighting, more than 20 HD TVs, state-of-the-art audiovisual capabilities, and an expandable built-in stage.
Formerly the Millennium Resort and Villas Scottsdale, the McCormick Scottsdale spent six months renovating the space before opening in October. The retreat offers 13,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space. Eight meeting rooms range in size from less than 500 to more than 3,000 square feet and hold as many as 300 guests. The Lakeside Ballroom offers floor-to-ceiling windows with views of Camelback Lake, the McDowell Mountains, and McCormick Ranch Golf Club. A dedicated catering team and full audiovisual support are available for private events. Because the hotel has 125 guest rooms, planners looking for privacy can arrange for complete property takeovers.
Xico Artspace, a working art studio and gallery, opened in central Phoenix in October. As a nonprofit community arts facility, the organization works to promote indigenous culture and heritage. The nontraditional space offers a unique and memorable venue for private events. It measures 3,200 square feet and seats as many as 70 guests or holds 200 for receptions. Audiovisual capabilities include a flat-screen TV, a wireless sound system, and handheld microphones. Planners can also take advantage of private outdoor space, flexible layouts, inspirational views, and plenty of parking.
Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel—the largest hotel in Arizona by rooms—debuted a new event space called Valley Overbrook in January. The multifunctional, open-air terrace measures 6,000 square feet and holds as many as 450 guests for receptions. The venue was designed with full audiovisual capabilities, including lighting and projection options. Overall, the hotel offers 1,000 guest rooms and more than 70,000 square feet of flexible meeting space.
When Blasted Barley opened in November, it became the first locally owned microbrewery on Tempe's Mill Avenue. The menu offers twists on traditional bar food, as well as 32 beers on tap. The microbrewery also released its first in-house brew, dubbed Orange Bomb. The 3,500-square-foot space functions as a restaurant by day and a live-music venue by night and holds 300 for receptions. A DJ booth, 25 HD TVs, and a patio are also available for use during events.
Barrio Urbano opened at the Yard on January 1. Chef and owner Silvana Salcido Esparza serves Mexican cuisine with a distinctly urban flair, and the bar offers a tequila list that includes more than 100 varieties. The 2,000-square-foot restaurant has a total of 95 seats: 64 at tables, 14 at the counter, 10 in the lounge, and seven at the bar. Full buyouts are available.
After repurposing a space in the Brentwood Historic District, Noble Eatery opened in January. The intimate space measures 1,000 square feet and already it has drawn local acclaim for its menu. The venue seats 22 guests, and menu items include wood-fired pizzas, soups, sandwiches, and salads made with organic, local ingredients.
In November, Mesa's Beer Research Institute renovated nearly all of its 3,000-square-foot space. The microbrewery offers an industrial and modern setting that seats 70 guests or holds 133 for receptions. The on-site kitchen focuses on Southwestern cuisine, a theme supported by decor made from Arizona-harvested wood. Two patios are set to open later this year, which will add 45 seats.
