Glendale is dedicating hotel and short-term lodging tax revenue to a three-year agreement that will bring seven major events from TKO Group Holdings — the parent company of UFC, WWE, PBR and Zuffa Boxing — to the Valley. City leaders say the deal is designed to increase hotel occupancy and capture visitor spending that ripples through restaurants, retail, transportation and other local businesses.
City funding targets tourism-driven growth
The partnership uses bed tax dollars to help secure marquee shows scheduled at State Farm Stadium and Desert Diamond Arena over the next three years. City Manager Patrick Banger framed the agreement as a strategic investment for Glendale, saying the municipality had a timely opportunity to team with the Arizona Sports & Events Alliance to bring the TKO portfolio to the region.
"Glendale, Arizona had a great opportunity to enter into a partnership agreement with the Arizona Sports and Events Alliance to bring TKO Sports," said Banger.
Officials expect the events to have an economic impact that extends beyond the stadiums. The Arizona Sports & Events Alliance — a partner in coordinating the effort — highlighted visitor behavior that generates local revenue: dining, lodging, ground transportation and entertainment visits. Kyle Hedstrom, the Alliance's executive vice president and CEO, said the events bring travelers who stay multiple nights and spend across the city.
Early returns and local implications
Early results from the partnership back up the city’s strategy. The first event under the agreement, Noche UFC at Desert Diamond Arena, reportedly became the arena's highest-grossing single-day event and set a new record gate for a UFC Fight Night. City officials point to that success as evidence the bed tax investment is already supporting increased visitation and ticket revenue.
- Purpose: Drive hotel occupancy and local economic activity through major sports events.
- Funding source: Bed tax (hotel and short-term lodging fees).
- Partners: TKO Group Holdings and the Arizona Sports & Events Alliance.
Local businesses could see heightened demand during event periods. Hedstrom described the typical visitor itinerary: arriving by air, renting cars, dining out and spending on entertainment around the venues. Those direct expenditures often boost sales tax collections and provide secondary benefits to service-sector employers in the city.
What Glendale aims to secure
Under the three-year pact, Glendale expects to host a mix of championship and specialty fights and large-scale entertainment events drawn from TKO’s roster. City Manager Banger specifically referenced:
| Event types | Primary venues |
|---|---|
| UFC championship and specialty fights | State Farm Stadium; Desert Diamond Arena |
| PBR bull riding championships | State Farm Stadium |
| WWE WrestleMania and Royal Rumble | State Farm Stadium |
| Zuffa Boxing Championships | Desert Diamond Arena |
City officials have argued the arrangement supports the broader regional sports tourism strategy. With large-scale events already delivering record revenue at local arenas, municipal leaders say continued investment in attracting headline acts can sustain hotel tax receipts that, in turn, fund marketing and infrastructure to keep drawing visitors.
Questions for residents and next steps
While municipal leaders emphasize economic benefits, bed tax investments often prompt questions about priorities and oversight. Residents may ask how the city measures return on investment for these contracts, whether funds could be used for other municipal services, and how the city will mitigate traffic and public-safety demands during major events. The Arizona Sports & Events Alliance will continue coordinating the events alongside Glendale staff as the multi-year schedule unfolds.
For now, the partnership marks an unmistakable bet: use lodging-tax dollars to draw major national sports and entertainment brands to Glendale, with the goal of turning visitors into measurable revenue for the local economy.
