TEMPE, AZ-Business Real Estate Weekly of Arizona reports that the last 58.5 acres within the 350-acre Papago Park Center could eventually be the site of Grand at Papago Park Center, a 3 million-square-foot, mixed-use development that would hold retail, hotels, office buildings and multi housing. BREW notes that the land's owner, Papago Park Center Inc. recently filed an application in Tempe for a planned area development (PAD) overlay amendment, requesting high-density usage for the site.

Papago Park Center Inc., owned by Salt River Project, is proposing a development consisting of 19 buildings and seven parking structures on the site at 1151 W. Washington St., near the northeast corner of Priest Drive and Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway). If all goes according to plan, Grand at Papago Park Center could eventually offer 600 hotel rooms, up to 800 multifamily units, 27,000 square feet of restaurant space and an additional 7,000 square feet dedicated to other retail uses.

Another part of the 20-year build-out plan would involve realigning the Grand Canal, which runs along Papago Park Center's southern edge.  BREW rerpots that Papago Park Center association and office manager Brian Marsh says the canal could be moved approximately 100 feet to 150 feet north and encompass a water feature through the project. A website about Grand at Papago Park Center also mentions this water feature.

According to the city of Tempe's website, the city council has scheduled a second and final public hearing for the request on Feb. 7. According to previous minutes, a neighborhood meeting taking place on Dec. 6, 2012 attracted three visitors and a city staff representative. The BREW article explains that, similar to the additional 291 acres already developed at Papago Park Center, SRP will enter into long-term ground lease agreements to successful bidders for any development.