February 5, 2001
For Information Contact: Chris Karis (602) 707-0050

West Side Site For New Stadium Favored By Metro Phoenix Residents

• (Verbatim questions follow written/tabular analysis)
• (The following information was provided to the Tourism and Sports Authority on Friday, February 2nd.)

Nearly three of ten (29%) residents of the metro Phoenix area favor the 91st Avenue and Thomas site for the new football stadium to be built in the Valley. This level of preference is higher than any other site being considered by the Sports Authority selection committee according to the results of a survey conducted by WestGroup Research of Phoenix. This site is one of two that remains in contention for the eventual placement of the stadium. The Tourism and Sports Authority selection committee is expected to announce the winning site on the thirteenth of this month.

The other site still under consideration, at Priest and Washington in Tempe, was favored by one of ten respondents (10%). Officials of the Fiesta Bowl have announced their support for this site.

Of the three sites eliminated from consideration by the Authority late last week, the site along the borders of Tempe and Mesa where the 101 and 202 freeways meet was the preferred by one of five (21%) survey participants. This site had little chance for selection prior to its official elimination because the management of the two cities had announced earlier they did not feel the issues of taxes, infrastructures and other requirements could be mutually resolved.

Of the two sites previously vying for the stadium, approximately one of seven (14%) supported the downtown location at 7th Street and Buchanan and six percent most preferred the site on the Fort McDowell Indian Reservation near Fountain Hills and the Beeline Highway. One of five (20%) was not sure where the stadium would be best situated.

As might be expected residents of the west Valley (Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, New River, El Mirage and Sun City) were most in favor of the west side location (62%). The following table details how residents of various communities felt toward individual sites.

For the most part, attitudes were similar among men and women as well as by various age groups. Not surprisingly, women were more likely than men to say they were not sure where they preferred the stadium be built. Similarly, the proportion of not sure/ don’t know responses rose as the respondents’ age increased.

As the following table delineates, support for the west side site is strong among all income groups except those with household incomes of $75,000 or more (who are more supportive of the Mesa/Tempe or downtown Phoenix sites).

The following table details the reasons respondents gave in support for each site.

Verbatim Questions
Question: Local voters recently approved public funding for the construction of a football stadium for use by the Arizona Cardinals, and, perhaps, for college bowl games and other events. Several sites have been suggested and a Sports Authority committee is expected to choose the exact site next month. Among the sites are: (Rotated List). Where would you most prefer the new football stadium be built?

• 91st Avenue and Thomas, in west Phoenix
• 7th Street and Buchanan, in downtown Phoenix
• Priest and Washington, in west Tempe
• Near the entrance to the 101 and 202 freeways in Mesa
• On the Fort McDowell Indian Reservation along the Beeline highway

Question: Why do you prefer that location?

Research Results—Background Information
Each month WestGroup Research conducts WestTrack, an omnibus poll, with Arizona residents. The following findings are a portion of the results of the non-proprietary questions posed in the January phase of the WestTrack polling (to residents of metro Phoenix). The research was designed by WestGroup analysts and conducted by WestGroup interviewers at the state-of-the-art phone bank in the firm’s Phoenix offices. The research was conducted from January 5th through January 25th.

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