Arizona Athletic Grounds, in one paragraph
Arizona Athletic Grounds is a youth and amateur sports complex at 6321 S Ellsworth Rd, Mesa, AZ 85212, in southeast Mesa near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. It used to be called Legacy Park and, before that, Bell Bank Park. General parking is included with event admission, but spectators usually pay an admission fee set by the event organizer, sold through Tixr. The whole complex is cashless. Outside food is not allowed, though water, hydration drinks and coolers of water are fine at outdoor venues. Hours run 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Call the complex at (480) 572-0600 or check your tournament’s event page for lot and gate details before game day.
If you have a kid in club volleyball, soccer, basketball or baseball anywhere in the West, there’s a good chance you’ll end up spending a weekend in southeast Mesa. Arizona Athletic Grounds is one of the biggest youth sports complexes in the country, and it’s big enough that showing up without a plan costs you real time: the wrong lot can mean a long walk across the property in the sun. This guide covers what the complex is, who runs it now, how parking and admission work, what you can bring, where to eat, and where to stay. If you’re making a full weekend of it, our things to do in Mesa guide covers the rest of town.
What Arizona Athletic Grounds is, and who runs it now
The complex sits on former General Motors proving-ground land at Ellsworth and Williams Field roads. It opened in January 2022 as Legacy Park, took the name Bell Bank Park under a naming-rights deal, and went back to Legacy Park when Bell Bank ended that deal in April 2023. Its original owner, Legacy Cares, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2023.
In December 2023 the complex was bought out of bankruptcy by AZ Athletic Associates LLC, a joint venture between Mike Burke, who became the park’s president, and Rocky Mountain Resources, a private firm with offices in Los Angeles and Denver. That group renamed it Arizona Athletic Grounds, and it has been operating continuously since. The complex reported more than 2.8 million visitors in 2025, and in June 2026 it served as the World Cup base camp training site for the Türkiye men’s national team.
On September 17, 2026, the Carvana PPA Tour announced a multi-decade deal to take over year-round pickleball operations at the complex. The pickleball center will be known as the PPA Campus at Arizona Athletic Grounds, and the Tour says it will add shade and seating, with the new programs expected to launch in early 2027. Nothing changes for the volleyball, basketball, soccer and baseball side of the property.
What’s on the property
| Area | What’s there |
|---|---|
| Fieldhouses A, B and C | Indoor volleyball (57 courts) and basketball (20 courts), linked by the Covered Walkway. The main food court sits between Fieldhouses A and B. |
| The Fields | About 35 soccer, lacrosse and football fields, including Championship Field 1. There are three gates: west, main and east. |
| The Diamonds | Eight baseball and softball fields. |
| Pickleball Center | 41 courts, including a covered championship stadium court. It hosts the Carvana PPA Mesa Cup and other PPA events. |
| Beach Volleyball and The Yard | 12 sand courts and an outdoor event yard. The Yard and the Covered Walkway are free to enter. |
| Everything else | Gymnastics, cheer, dance, futsal, a sports performance center and a fitness center. |
Arizona Athletic Grounds parking: which lot to use
General parking is included with event admission, so you’re not paying at a lot gate. What matters is picking the lot closest to your venue, because the property is huge. These are the complex’s own recommendations. Lots marked with an asterisk aren’t always open, so confirm with your tournament organizer that the lot and its gate will be open for your event.
| Lot | Closest to |
|---|---|
| Lot 1* | Pickleball Center, Diamonds, Fields west gate (Fields 5 to 9 and 15 to 19) |
| Lot 2 | Diamonds, Fieldhouses A and B, Pickleball Center |
| Lot 3 | Fieldhouses A, B and C, Covered Walkway |
| Lot 4 | Beach Volleyball, Fieldhouse C, Fields main gate (Fields 8 to 11 and 18 to 21) |
| Lot 5 | Covered Walkway, Fieldhouse C |
| Lot 6 | Beach Volleyball, Fields main gate (Championship Field 1, Fields 2 to 4, 10 to 14 and 20 to 24) |
| Lot 7* | Fields east gate (Championship Field 1, Fields 2 to 4, 10 to 14 and 20 to 24) |
| Lot 8 | Overflow |
On busy event weekends, courtesy carts shuttle people around the property. Look for the “Courtesy Cart” signs. Hours vary by event. Overnight parking, tailgating and camping aren’t allowed anywhere on the property.
Ask your club for the court or field number the night before and park by that, not by whichever entrance you hit first. On a big volleyball weekend, Lots 2 and 3 fill early because they sit between the fieldhouses and the food court. If you’re on the Fields side, Lot 6 puts you right at the main gate and the Championship Field. Walking from the wrong side of the property can take 15 minutes, and in September that’s a long 15 minutes.
Admission, tickets and payment
- Spectator admission: each event organizer sets its own spectator fee, and it’s sold on the complex’s Tixr ticket page. Prices vary by tournament, so check your event’s listing.
- Free areas: the Covered Walkway, The Yard and weekday practices don’t need a ticket.
- Athletes and coaches: athletes, coaches, officials and promoters get credentials at the box office.
- Cashless: cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay only. If you only have cash, no-fee reverse ATMs on site load it onto a prepaid debit card.
- Watching from home: games stream live and on demand on SportsEngine Play. The complex lists promo code ARIZONAATHLETIC for 10% off an all-access subscription.
What you can bring to Arizona Athletic Grounds
This is the part that catches families out, especially if you’re used to tailgating a soccer weekend somewhere else.
- Water and hydration drinks: allowed for athletes and spectators. Bottle-filler stations are on site.
- Coolers: coolers of water are allowed at outdoor venues only. No coolers indoors. Bags and coolers can’t be larger than 24″ x 15″ x 18″, though team coolers are exempt.
- Outside food: not allowed unless it’s for a medical reason. The on-site menu covers allergies and dietary restrictions.
- Chairs: folding chairs and bleachers are fine at outdoor venues. Indoors, bring a portable seat cushion instead.
- Team tents, flags and banners: allowed, but nothing can be staked into grass or turf. Bring sandbags or other weights.
- Wagons and strollers: stroller wagons are allowed at the field complexes. No wagons indoors and no oversized strollers.
Outside alcohol, tailgating, cooking and open flames, propane heaters and fire pits, metal cleats (molded cleats are fine on turf), drones, skateboards and scooters, balloons, fireworks, and horns or large megaphones without approval. Pets aren’t allowed; service dogs and miniature horses are the only exceptions, and emotional support animals don’t count. The grounds are smoke-free; tobacco and vapes are allowed only outdoors, at least 20 feet from any building or field.
Getting to Arizona Athletic Grounds
- Entrances: on Ellsworth Road, or turn off Ellsworth onto Williams Field Road.
- Freeways: the complex is off the Loop 202 Santan Freeway and State Route 24. From central Phoenix, plan on 40 to 50 minutes without traffic.
- From Sky Harbor: take Sky Harbor Boulevard to the Loop 202 east, then US 60 east (exit 34A) to Ellsworth Road (exit 190B), and head south.
- From Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport: about 5 miles. Take Sossaman Road, then Pecos Road west for about 3 miles, then Ellsworth Road for about 2 miles. If your family is flying in for a tournament, Gateway is much closer than Sky Harbor.
Southeast Mesa has almost no natural shade, and outdoor tournaments run from late summer well into October. Bring a canopy you can weight down, a cooler of water for the field side, cooling towels and real sunscreen. The fieldhouses are air-conditioned. The covered walkway between them is the best place to wait out the middle of the day. From November through March, mornings on the fields can start in the 40s, so pack a layer for early games.
Where to eat at and near Arizona Athletic Grounds
On site
The main food court is between Fieldhouses A and B. It has Arizona Grounds (coffee and pastries), The Protein Bar (subs, wraps, bowls and salads) and Burgers, Tenders and Beers (breakfast, then burgers, tenders and pizza). Zaria Pizzeria and Jaelicious (dirty sodas and ice cream) are on the covered walkway between Fieldhouses B and C. Sideline Snacks and Baseline Snacks food trucks serve the Fields and the Diamonds. Bristol’s is the 500-seat sit-down restaurant and sports bar, and extra food trucks rotate in on tournament weekends.
Nearby, off property
Most of the good options are a five-to-ten-minute drive north, around Ellsworth and Ray roads and the Eastmark neighborhood. Addresses and hours were checked against Google Business Profiles on October 21, 2026.
Point 22 Tavern · 9248 E Cadence Pkwy, Ste 101
A sit-down bar and grill in Eastmark that handles big team groups well. Opens at 9 a.m. on weekends and stays open until midnight Friday and Saturday. (480) 912-5033.
Luna Grill Mesa · 9317 E Ray Rd
Fast-casual Mediterranean: gyros, kabob plates and salads. A lighter option between games, open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. (623) 469-5862.
Steadfast Diner · 5149 S Inspirian Pkwy
A farm-to-table diner with shaded, misted outdoor seating, burgers, sandwiches and milkshakes. It’s an easy pick for families with younger siblings in tow. (480) 721-4145.
Zeitouna · 3515 S Ellsworth Rd, #101
A family-owned Middle Eastern restaurant and the parents’ dinner pick after the last game. Reservations are recommended on weekends, and it’s closed Sundays. (480) 219-0894.
More verified Valley restaurants are in the AZ Charged Arizona restaurants directory.
Hotels near Arizona Athletic Grounds
The complex has pre-negotiated tournament hotel rates that teams book through EventConnect, so check with your club before booking on your own. These hotels are the closest, most of them clustered by Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport along Power Road.
| Hotel | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Four Points by Sheraton Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport | 6850 E Williams Field Rd, Mesa | (480) 579-2100 |
| Courtyard Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport | 6907 E Ray Rd, Mesa | (480) 351-7088 |
| Spark by Hilton Phoenix East Mesa | 4470 S Power Rd, Mesa | (480) 457-8181 |
| Holiday Inn Express & Suites Gilbert – Mesa Gateway Airport | 5530 S Power Rd, Gilbert | (480) 507-3000 |
| Hampton Inn Queen Creek | 20768 E Maya Rd, Queen Creek | (480) 888-7474 |
Tournament weekends fill these quickly. If they’re booked, the Superstition Springs area off US 60 and Ellsworth is about 15 minutes north and has more rooms. Headed to a bigger event on the other side of the Valley? Our State Farm Stadium parking and bag policy guide covers Glendale, and the things to do in Phoenix guide covers off days. For bag and parking rules side by side at every big venue, see every Phoenix stadium and arena guide.
Arizona Athletic Grounds FAQ
Where is Arizona Athletic Grounds?
6321 S Ellsworth Rd, Mesa, AZ 85212, at Ellsworth and Williams Field roads in southeast Mesa. It’s about 5 miles from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and off the Loop 202 and State Route 24.
Does it cost money to park at Arizona Athletic Grounds?
General parking is included with event admission. Spectators usually pay an event admission fee set by the tournament organizer, sold through the complex’s Tixr page.
Is Arizona Athletic Grounds the same as Legacy Park and Bell Bank Park?
Yes. It opened in 2022 as Legacy Park, was called Bell Bank Park under a naming-rights deal, and went back to Legacy Park in 2023. It was renamed Arizona Athletic Grounds after AZ Athletic Associates LLC bought it out of bankruptcy in December 2023.
Can you bring food and coolers into Arizona Athletic Grounds?
Outside food isn’t allowed unless it’s for a medical reason. Water and hydration drinks are allowed, and coolers of water are allowed at outdoor venues only, with no coolers indoors.
What are the hours at Arizona Athletic Grounds?
8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Holiday hours may vary.
Are dogs allowed at Arizona Athletic Grounds?
No. Only service dogs and miniature horses are allowed, and they must be leashed or harnessed. Emotional support animals don’t qualify.
Is Arizona Athletic Grounds cashless?
Yes. It accepts major credit and debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay, and has no-fee reverse ATMs that turn cash into a prepaid debit card.
Run a business near Arizona Athletic Grounds?
Millions of tournament families come through southeast Mesa every year, and they all need somewhere to eat, sleep and fix the car. AZ Charged is a hand-verified Arizona directory with zero pay-to-rank. If you run an East Valley restaurant, hotel, urgent care or auto shop, you can apply to be reviewed and listed.
Sources: Arizona Athletic Grounds FAQ, Parking at AAG, Facility Rules, Food & Beverage, Getting Here, Phoenix Business Journal via ABC15, The Dink on the PPA operating deal and Wikipedia, all retrieved October 21, 2026. Restaurant and hotel details from Google Business Profiles, October 21, 2026. Policies are set by the complex and can change by event.
Featured photo (illustrative, not taken at Arizona Athletic Grounds): Airman 1st Class Tammie Ramsouer, U.S. Air Force, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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