Theme Park Report
VAI Resort has taken full control of Mattel Adventure Park in Glendale, Arizona, becoming the project’s developer, owner, and operator after Epic Resort Destinations exited its role, according to reporting by Blooloop and ABC15.
Rian Kirkman, VAI Resort’s senior vice president of marketing, confirmed the change to ABC15. Epic Resort Destinations had been developing Mattel Adventure Park separately from the neighboring VAI Resort project. Its CEO, Glenn Bilbo, did not respond to ABC15’s request for comment, while an email sent to the company reportedly bounced back.
VAI describes the ownership transition as seamless and says it has not slowed construction. The company said the overall development is now larger than originally planned and that its priority is completing the project properly rather than moving quickly or reducing costs.
Construction is continuing across the resort site. The amphitheater hotel, whose digital screens are visible from the 101 freeway, is being built with its lobby, steakhouse, and guest rooms taking shape. The 157-room VAI Villas are nearly structurally complete, and the conference center along the freeway is also close to structural completion.
The Glendale project dates to 2020, when it launched under a different name. It was initially targeted for completion before Glendale hosted the Super Bowl in 2023, but that deadline passed. The development was rebranded as VAI Resort in 2022 under a new ownership group led by executives from civil construction firm Fisher Industries.
Mattel Adventure Park had been planned to open in 2023. VAI later acknowledged that the project had experienced delays and moved the expected opening to 2025. In December of that year, a construction worker died after falling at the site.
There is currently no confirmed opening date for either the resort development or Mattel Adventure Park. VAI says it plans to announce an opening timeline approximately 12 months in advance, while an announcement of some kind is expected in November.
Once completed, VAI says the project is expected to create more than 2,500 jobs in Glendale and generate over $2.2 billion in tax revenue for the city and state.
