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- Gold City Casino Online. Casinos Card Playing Rooms. Sun City West Area.
- Sun City West offers four recreation centers with amazing amenities for our residents. Whether you are looking for Bowling, Tennis, Pickleball, or anything else, Sun City West has what you are looking for in an active adult retirement community.
Quick facts about Sun City Arizona History. One of the most important things to remember when retiring in Sun City Arizona is that it was the first intentionally-planned 55+ community in the United States. Founded in 1960 by the Dell Webb Development Corporation, it has become the model for 55+ communities across the country.
Like many large cities, downtown Phoenix has its share of large stadiums and event centers. Symphony Hall, the Herberger Theater, the Orpheum Theatre, Comerica Theatre, and of course, Chase Field and Talking Stick Resort Arena, which are home to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Phoenix Suns, respectively.
Downtown Phoenix is not the only place in the Valley of the Sun to catch a great concert or performance. As you venture towards West Phoenix and Glendale, there are several big venues including the University of Phoenix Stadium (completed in 2006), Gila River Arena (completed in 2003), and the Ak-Chin Pavilion (opened in 1990).
| The Sundome in Sun City West, AZ |
The Carpenter's Apprentice
The story of the Sundome really begins in 1928 when a carpenter's apprentice from California named Delbert 'Del' Webb moved out to Arizona and started his own construction company. America's involvement in World War II was a catalyst that ignited a building boom in Arizona, and Webb was riding a wave of success with Government contracts. His company built the Poston War Relocation Center near Parker, AZ as well as Thunderbird Field No. 1 (today Thunderbird School of Global Management), Luke Air Force Base, and Pinal Air Park near Tucson, AZ.
| Fred Kuentz, Del Webb, and John Meeker Photo (c) Del Webb Sun Cities Museum |
Pueblo Gardens - The Prelude to Sun City
In 1948, Del Webb was awarded a contract that would be a significant turning point for his company. The project was a 700 home development in Tucson called Pueblo Gardens, which included a 100,000 square-foot shopping center called Pueblo Plaza.
The homes were constructed simply with wooden frames on concrete foundations, but Webb and project manager A. Quincy Jones found ways to make them unique. A total of six floorplans were designed, but by building the homes at different angles on the lots and varying the setbacks from the street, the neighborhood did not appear to be a 'cookie cutter' subdivision. Models included a one-bedroom, one-bath for $4,975, a two-bed, one-bath home for $5,975, and a three-bed, one-bath for $7,975.
| Families lined up to view new models. Photo by Peter Stackpole for LIFE Magazine, 1948 |
Sun City Rises
In 1959, Del Webb began constructing the first of what would later become many master-planned retirement communities. The company purchased 20,000 acres of cotton fields and transformed the land into Sun City, an age-restricted development for those age 55 and up who wanted an 'active lifestyle' retirement. Sun City opened on January 1, 1960 and received a cover story in Time Magazine.
The homes were built using many of the same principles that had made Pueblo Gardens successful, and surrounding them with golf courses, community centers, and recreation facilities. One of the key features of Sun City was the Sun Bowl, an open-air amphitheater for hosting concerts and other public performances.
The Sun Bowl
The idea came from John Meeker, who was the president of DEVCO, Del Webb's Development Company. In a 1996 interview with the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum, Meeker recalled that in about 1967 or 1968, he was on an airplane flight and read a Time magazine article about a large housing project in south San Francisco that had built an outdoor amphitheater as a marketing tool. Meeker liked the idea, and it wasn't long until Sun City had its own amphitheater - the Sun Bowl.
| The Sun Bowl Amphitheatre in Sun City, AZ Photo: North Phoenix Blog |
| A 1960s era billboard advertising Liberace at the Sun Bowl on March 17th (year unknown). |
| Two of the most popular performers ever to walk the Sun City Sun Bowl stage, Bobby Burgess and Cissy King, react to the enthusiastic full-house crowd. Photo by: Del Webb Sun Cities Museum, January 1972 |
| Another all-time Sun Bowl favorite, Guy Lombardo, meets his fans after a Sun City Performance. Photo by: Del Webb Sun Cities Museum, January 1972 |
However, the Sun Bowl was not without its problems. As Meeker stated in the interview, the unpleasant odor of cattle from the nearby Spur Feedlots and the constant flyovers of jet aircraft from Luke Air Force Base were sources of frustration for the residents of Sun City, and affected the enjoyment of these outdoor performances.
Sun City West - Home of the Sundome
By 1978 Sun City was fully built out, but Webb had no intentions of stopping there. The company began work on a new project 2 miles to the west, appropriately named Sun City West.
| Aerial image showing construction of Sun City West on April 3, 1980 The Sundome is visible as indicated by the white arrow Photo (c) Del Webb Sun Cities Museum |
Instead of another outdoor amphitheater, the Del Webb Company wanted to build a large indoor theater to draw larger acts and performances. They had looked into a New York based architect who had built inflated dome structures in Iowa and Florida as a possible low-cost alternative to traditional construction methods. However, Meeker recalls that the interior noise of those structures was 'tremendous.' Still, the developers liked the idea of the dome-shaped structure, and hence the name Sundome was chosen.
| Construction of the Sundome began in November 1978. Photo by: Arizona Memory Project |
| Work is progressing rapidly by the Webb contracting group on Sun City West's Sundome. At the Sundome, a steel deck and roofing will be supported by four huge fabricated trusses, including 2 of 250 feet length and tapering to a mid-length of 19 feet. Two cranes lift one of the huge, 60-ton members which will allow a clear span auditorium, 48 feet high, seating 6,800 people. Photo: The Webb Spinner, May-June 1979 Del Webb Sun Cities Museum |
The new Sundome was several orders of magnitude larger than the old Sun Bowl. With a roof four stories tall and a seating capacity of 7,000 people, the Sundome would be a major selling point for Sun City West. Construction on the new 108,000 square-foot Sundome began in November 1978 and lasted more than a year. Whereas the Sun Bowl cost just over $100,000 to build, the Sundome was constructed at a cost of $8.6 million dollars.
| Opening Night at the Sundome 9/13/1980 Photo (c) Del Webb Sun Cities Museum |
New Owners, New Opportunities
While the Del Webb Company had built the Sundome, the company had no interest in operating the venue going forward. They noticed that Arizona State University had a proven record of managing Gammage Auditorium, and offered it to ASU for $1. ASU assumed ownership of the Sundome in 1984. At the time, the Sundome was operating with an average annual deficit of $200,000 - meaning the facility was not making any money.
| Arizona State University operated the Sundome for many years. This University Seal is located in the sidewalk on the site of the former Sundome. |
Refit and Financial Troubles
By 1995, the 15-year old theater was in need of a refit. Upgrades to the stage, dressing rooms, and adding additional restrooms were estimated to cost $5 million dollars. It took almost 4 years to raise the necessary money, but donations and gifts of $5.4 million had been raised by December 1999.
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According to the Sun Cities Historical Society, professional theater design companies were brought in to review the planned upgrades. Cost estimates quickly spiraled out of control to $20 million dollars. Some of the desired upgrades were cut back, but the lowest bid still clocked in at $13.5 million dollars - far more than the Sundome could afford. The project to refit the theater was officially cancelled.| West Entrance to the Sundome Google Street View - June 2011 |
Closure and Sale
In 2009, ownership was transferred from the County back to Arizona State University. Not long after that, the Sundome closed permanently. The seats and lighting equipment were removed, along with the 75 foot by 6 foot mural from artist Alfred Kabica that hung in the lobby for 29 years.
| The Lobby area of the Sundome featured a 75 foot-long mural by Alfred Kabica. Photo (c) Arizona Republic |
| Aerial image sequence showing Sundome in 2012, demolition in 2013, new Fry's in 2014 |
Demolition of the Sundome commenced in August 2013 and was completed by September. The site was cleared and construction on the new grocery store and shopping center was underway.
Fry's Preserves the Sundome's Legacy
When the new Fry's Grocery Store opened on August 29, 2014, residents who fondly remembered the Sundome were delighted to see that the new structure incorporated elements of the Sundome into the design. The decorative iron gates from the Sundome were saved and were added to the exterior walls as design elements. The original light fixtures could not be saved, but replica ones were created for the front of the store. Mosaic tile adorns the entryway, as it did with the original building. A smaller scale replica of the original fountain was also built near the store's entrance.
| The new Fry's store preserved the arched gates and mosaic tile pattern from the original stadium. The lighting fixtures are replicas. |
| Small Plaque dedicated to the Sundome |
| This fountain is a smaller replica of the original Sundome fountain |
Throughout its 33 year history, the Sundome was one of the most iconic and memorable venues of Phoenix's West Valley. Though its history was a turbulent one, it was a source of entertainment and community events for nearly three decades. While it is sad that the Sundome could not be saved, there is some consolation that the memory of this place is not lost forever. Personally, I am very pleased that Fry's recognized the importance of the Sundome to Sun City West and its history and I appreciate the lengths they went to incorporate details of the former structure into the new grocery store.
Sun City, Arizona is seven miles long and three miles wide with everything you need in between
It’s unique in almost every sense—architecturally, culturally, environmentally, and socially. Located within easy reach of entertainment venues, recreation facilities, major sports arenas, cultural institutions, and all manner of natural wonders, Sun City, Arizona is also your launching pad to a world of events, destinations, and experiences just beyond its borders. Golf, recreation, amenities, sports, and more can be found here. Come find out why SCA is the best active adult community in the world.
It’s safe to say you’ve never seen a community quite like Sun City, Arizona
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People who live here always seem to be in a good mood. And why shouldn’t they be? They spend most of their time enjoying life, which makes for a very happy and friendly kind of place. We pride ourselves on maintaining a healthy and happy community for people to live.
Far from cookie-cutter
Architecturally, Sun City, Arizona is known for its unique character, personality, and legacy. Its signature easily accessible wide-open streets and clean and orderly atmosphere are all about accessibility. Golf carts are allowed to roam freely, so you can zip conveniently wherever you want to go and still be environmentally friendly. You’ll find a vast collection of 70s-style homes here—a desirable trend in real estate nowadays. And pride of ownership is high, with everyone’s yard and house looking good—and just a little bit different.
Never boring
With parks and trails, Sun City recreation centers and golf courses, an open-air amphitheater and dozens and dozens of activities and social clubs, there is always something fun and interesting to do. Sun City, Arizona is host to a number of arts festivals, neighborhood parties, musical concerts, and special events. And if you ever leave the town, you have even more options, with all the professional sports, theaters, museums, casinos and bars, restaurants and nightclubs of a major metropolitan area close at hand.
Learn something new every day
If you’re looking to further your education and expand your skills, knowledge, and expertise, you can’t find a better place to do it than Sun City, Arizona. ASU West, Lifelong Learning Club, multiple community colleges, and RISE: Rio Institute for Senior Education are all nearby. “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” – Henry Ford
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Seems like everywhere you want to go is less than 30 minutes away
From Glendale, where the NFL Cardinals and NHL Coyotes play, to Scottsdale, with its world-class shopping, art galleries, and nightlife, to downtown Phoenix, which is the cultural and entertainment hub of the Valley, Sun City, Arizona is in the heart of it all. Within a 7-mile radius, there are two spring training baseball stadiums with events year-round, major shopping centers and small boutiques, and so much entertainment you couldn’t possibly run out of things to do. And that’s just within the greater Phoenix area. Sun City, Arizona hosts hundreds of events and actives a year and invites you to partake in our amenities.
Expand your horizons just a little farther
You’ll find an endless supply of magnificent sights to see. Arizona is the Grand Canyon State, after all, and it’s just a short half-day trip away. For a 25-degree drop in temperature, drive a quick two hours to Flagstaff and take in the cool, tall-timber pines or the red rock beauty of Sedona. Or for a different kind of thrill, Las Vegas is just five hours by car and Laughlin is even less. In fact, Sun City, Arizona is perfectly situated to take full advantage of the Great American Southwest in every direction. From the Painted Desert to the snow-capped mountains, the sun-soaked beaches of California to the RVing pleasures of Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado, Sun City, Arizona is your gateway to glorious travel.
But don’t stay away long
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As soon as you’re ready, come back to Sun City, Arizona. Friendliness, beauty, convenience, and value are the things that make this community unique—and all the reasons you’ll want to make it your permanent home. Come find out why Sun City, Arizona is the best retirement city in the world.