After years of planning, partnerships and design work behind the scenes, the team behind the Atari Hotels is moving from vision to reality.
Construction has officially begun on the Phoenix-based Atari Hotels project in Roosevelt Row, marking a significant milestone for what developers call the first immersive hospitality and entertainment destination built around gaming, esports, pop culture and sports.
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Developer Intersection Development said, in a statement, that demolition work on an adjacent former radio station building — home to KOY-AM, KOOL, KMLE, Y94 and KZON — is part of Phase 1.
The Atari Hotels project is targeted for completion in late 2028 or early 2029.
“The opportunity to build an interactive venue like this in our hometown with an incredible partner like Atari is a privilege, and we’re excited to celebrate this milestone with the community as we break ground,” said Jordan Taylor, Intersection Development partner.
Taylor said the past several years have been spent navigating the less visible aspects of development.
“Like a lot of development projects, there’s always a lot that goes on behind the scenes,” Taylor said. “From a design and programming perspective, and of course, we’ve been working with the city to kind of get to this first phase of construction.”
The project extends beyond a hotel. Atari Hotels is envisioned as the centerpiece of a larger two-block entertainment district, Fascination Street, which will connect multiple properties and experiences throughout the area.
One of the biggest updates is an expanded entertainment venue that will now accommodate approximately 2,400 people, making it one of Downtown Phoenix’s larger mid-sized event spaces. Taylor said the venue is being designed to host concerts, esports competitions, gaming events, collectible and card shows, and other live programming.
“We really felt like that medium-sized venue made a lot of sense,” Taylor said. “We’ll have our 200 to 250 nights a year where our venue will have something going on.”
The venue will be two levels — a main floor and mezzanine — and can be configured with seats or standing room only. The programming is expected to focus on DJ-driven electronic music, as well as games and esports events.
Taylor said developers are going beyond the traditional hotel experience. The guest rooms won’t be identical. Instead, Atari Hotels plans to create themed, partnership-driven accommodations with as-of-yet-unnamed creators and brands.
One example is a collaboration with gaming creator Adapt, who will help design a customized room experience for fans.
“His fans will be able to not only come to Atari and stay on property and kind of enjoy the property as a whole, but they’ll have another level of experience staying in the room that he helped design,” Taylor said. “Those are some of the little Easter eggs that we’re excited about.”
The development team is building a roster of partners that includes content creators, athletes and entertainment organizations. Other partnerships will be announced soon.
Equally important, he said, is maintaining strong local ties.
“We’ve been really fortunate to have a lot of partners we’ve worked with over the last decade in Roosevelt Row that have kind of helped build this neighborhood,” Taylor said.
“We wanted people who are from here to come and enjoy the property as well and not have it just be a destination for out-of-town travelers.”
The project’s triangle-shaped plot was challenging, but Taylor said the development team and architecture firm räkkhaus have found solutions.
When completed, Atari Hotels will feature high-tech guest rooms, creator studios, a sportsbook, bars, restaurants, retail offerings, VIP suites and immersive entertainment experiences inspired by the iconic gaming brand. The project is being developed under an exclusive Atari license and includes support from investors such as professional wrestler Henry Cejudo and Adapt.
For Taylor, the groundbreaking represents more than the start of construction.
“These projects are a labor of love,” he said. “We just continue to move forward and go as fast as we reasonably can. But at the same time, we’re continuing to make great progress.”
