Casa Grande, Arizona -- The Casa Grande Dispatch is reporting a 1,500-acre “destination resort” plan to be built by Florida-based, Block Sports Company, near Casa Grande. The scope of phase one has yet to be determined, but the plan outlines a few amenities that include an “extreme” sports park, resort hotel with indoor water park, a village marketplace with retail spaces and an RV park.
The project, referred to as ‘Dreamport Villages’ is being compared to Walt Disney World in Orlando and will require a number of infrastructure and utility needs according to the development plan Block Sports Company submitted to the city last month.
Some of these infrastructure needs were identified in the development plan. They include the construction of a roadway network that incorporates existing freeways with new infrastructure.
The plan outlines the construction of at least four new roadways: a 3.5-mile extension of Henness Road from Interstate 8 to Florence Boulevard, a two-way road from Henness to Peart roads, a road to align along I-8 and a new interchange at Henness Road and I-8.
The Federal Aviation Administration has already determined the Henness Road interchange to be operationally acceptable, according to an October 2016 letter included in the development plan.
According to the plan, the new roadways “will not significantly change travel path routes within the existing study area.” A traffic analysis estimates that about 25,000 daily vehicle trips will be brought to the site after phase one is completed.
An extreme sports park, indoor water park, retail space and RV park are some amenities listed under phase one of the project. An amusement park, wildlife exhibit and movie studio are other amenities to also be developed.
At full build-out, the $4 billion project is estimated to generate 66,000 new daily weekday trips on the area roadways. A more detailed traffic analysis will likely be conducted when it comes time for developers to plat the property.
Full development of the project is estimated to take up to 10 years with a budget of $4 billion. Phase one of the project is expected to generate up to 5,800 direct and indirect jobs.
The developers describe the project as similar to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
“We believe we are at the same point today in Casa Grande as was Orlando 50 years ago when Walt Disney envisioned Disney World,” the plan says.
The developers argue that Casa Grande is actually better positioned for this type of project than Orlando was back in the 1960s, considering its proximity to two major freeways and location between Tucson and Phoenix.
The Casa Grande Planning and Zoning Commission will review the project March 2 regarding amendments to the property’s original development plan.
The land is owned by Casa Grande Mountain Ranch Limited Partnership, according to records of the Pinal County Assessor’s Office, and was previously planned for development into a “commerce center” for business and commercial uses.
The City Council approved an amended version of the development plan two years ago, yet the land surrounding the freeway junction remains undeveloped.
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