CENTRAL ARIZONA
TempeTourism.com; @TempeTourism—Tempe offers planners and visitors a taste of urban desert life, where the “electric hum of the city meets the warm embrace of a connected community, with sun-soaked outdoor adventures, tantalizing cuisine, and exciting arts and culture,” says Matt Connelly, director of sales for Tempe Tourism.
Among Tempe’s newest venues is Mullett Arena, a 5,000-seat multipurpose venue on the campus of Arizona State University (ASU). Along with university sports programs, the arena hosts live touring entertainment and is home to the Valley Suns, a basketball affiliate of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. “Also, in January 2025, Teresa Nguyen, owner of Tempe Eats, began transforming her 16,000-square-foot food hall-style restaurants into a special event venue,” Connelly says. “Home to eight separate micro-eateries, several bar areas, a wall of self-pour beer taps, a beer-garden-style patio, outdoor seating, 50 televisions, and a video wall, this will continue to be a crowd-pleaser for groups of up to 300.” Recently opened as a hub for dining and gathering, NOVUS Place, located between downtown and the ASU Tempe campus, is a mixed-use dining, shopping and entertainment district with residential and lodging options, including Hyatt Place Tempe / Phoenix / University, with 9,751 square feet of event space, and the extended-stay 105-room Hyatt House Tempe / Phoenix / University, with 3,900 square feet of event space. Additional lodging is planned.
ASU offers additional event options, including the 14,198-person-capacity Desert Financial Arena, 53,599-seat Mountain America Stadium, and the ASU Art Museum, which is free and open to the public.
Opened in 2023, the AAA Four Diamond Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU has 330 guest rooms and 36,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting, event, and pre-function space, including the 15,000-square-foot Salt River Ballroom, the largest in the city. Tempe Mission Palms, a Destination by Hyatt hotel, has 303 guest rooms and 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including a 9,384-square-foot ballroom and rooftop terrace. The 353-room Marriott Phoenix Resort Tempe at The Buttes, just three miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, has 43,523 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including 19 event spaces.
Unique offsite venues in Tempe include ASU Gammage, a historic 3,000-seat theater built in 1964 by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It has an open-air promenade seating 250 for dinners, a lobby accommodating up to 250 people for receptions, and additional smaller event spaces. Tempe Center for the Arts features a 600-seat theater, 200-seat studio, and 3,200-square-foot meeting and event room.
Fun venues for group experiences in Tempe include Arizona Bouldering Project, a 19,000-square-foot indoor rock-climbing gym with classes, fitness center, and a yoga studio, and Boat Rentals of America, with motorized boats seating up to 10—perfect for tours of Tempe Town Lake and Tempe Beach Park, one of Tempe’s most-visited attractions. “Tempe Town Lake is the epicenter of outdoor activities here,” Connelly says. “The waterway has more than five miles of paths around the lake for skating, running, bicycling, and walking, and Tempe Beach Park has 25 acres of paths, trails, picnic areas, art, and beautiful scenery. The park plays host to many cultural celebrations, music festivals, and other events. Meeting and event attendees are invited to participate in endless recreational options here or during one of the seasonal events.”
Getting around Tempe is easy, Connolly notes. “Once attendees arrive, they can park their car once and immerse themselves in all aspects of our city on foot or via one of our other group-friendly options, which range from the Tempe Streetcar and Valley Metro Rail to Waymo’s self-driving ride-share experience. In 2019, the League of American Bicyclists designated Tempe a Gold-Level Bicycle-Friendly Community Award winner, recognized for safe bike paths and for promoting biking.” Bike rentals are available from The Bicycle Cellar, Northshore Water Sports Rentals, and other suppliers.
