The much-anticipated Mattel Adventure Park in Glendale appears to be delayed indefinitely.
Epic Resort Destinations was discovered recently to no longer be the developer behind the theme park and resort. However, the developer will continue to build in its other Mattel Adventure Park location in Kansas City, Kansas, which has also been delayed.
Epic Resort Destinations broke ground on the theme park as part of a larger 60-acre development in 2021, initially called Crystal Lagoons. In 2022, funding troubles prompted the developer to hand over the resort side of the project to Fisher Industries, who rebranded the project as the VAI Resort.
The resort is now the owner and operator of the theme park.
It appears this ownership change took place sometime on or before June 22, 2026, the date when VAI Resort published its job listing for a rides and operations director for Mattel Adventure Park. The director would be responsible for the maintenance, engineering, and technical operations for the theme park, and compensation would start at $150,000.
VAI Resort also posted job listings earlier this month for a construction procurement specialist and construction project coordinator. Both would pay $30 per hour.
Joseph said in a statement to Axios that the resort would be “redefining” the park’s “guest experience and creative vision.”
As of this report, the Mattel Adventure Park website reflects the theme park as “coming soon.” Links to park features are broken, however.
Some of the attractions have been partially constructed.
The theme park was promised to have a Barbie-themed shopping and dining experience which included a custom Barbie set builder, a flying theater, and rooftop bar and restaurant; Hot Wheels-themed go-kart and rollercoaster rides; seven Thomas & Friends attractions and an indoor play space and cafe; a Masters of the Universe-themed, 4,500 square-foot laser tag arena designed to look like Castle Grayskull fortress.
Other promotional materials shared on the park’s website or social media also included mentions of a beachfront pool, UNO! Wild Climb, mini golf, a Kerplunk drop tower, pizza kitchen, and general games area. Both official social media accounts for the theme park ceased posting in March 2024.
The theme park was originally set to open in 2023 but was hit with a series of delays, the latest of which occurred earlier this summer.
One of the causes for those delays concerned propositions limiting development on the 60 acres joining VAI Resort and Mattel Adventure Park. Last year, voters rejected Proposition 401, which would have allowed for the development of office buildings and a parking garage for the project.
Voters approved Proposition 402, which enables commercial development on the project land.
Faced with similar delays, VAI Resort no longer advertises its opening date. Instead, the owners will announce the opening date nine months prior to its occurrence.
The Mattel Adventure Park, if completed, would be the state’s first fully themed indoor/outdoor amusement park.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly suggested that the park’s delayed opening was due to the ownership change. That statement has been corrected.
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The Trump administration has finally come to an agreement with Arizona and the other Lower Basin states on Colorado River water usage.
The news was met with a mixed reaction.
Gov. Katie Hobbs described the agreed-upon deal in an announcement on Friday as adequately protecting the state from the “disastrous and unacceptable forced federal water cuts” that were floated by the federal government earlier this month.
I'm glad the federal government has chosen to implement the Lower Basin's water allocation plan. We've protected Arizona from disastrous and unacceptable forced federal water cuts.
Together, we’ve proven that the Lower Basin will work in meaningful ways to protect the Colorado…
Under the federal government’s proposal, Arizona would have seen cuts up to 77%.
Under this deal, Arizona will lose about 61%: the most out of the Lower Basin states.
While Arizona will give up 760,000 acre-feet between 2027 and 2028, California and Nevada will collectively lose 490,000 acre-feet. Overall, the cuts represent a reduction of approximately 25%.
The Upper Basin states will not see cuts under this plan.
Brenda Burman, Central Arizona Project (CAP) general manager, said the Upper Basin states needed to pull their weight.
“Lake Mead should not be sacrificed to protect Lake Powell or other Upper Basin reservoirs, and every state that relies on the river should be part of the solution,” CAP General Manager Brenda Burman said in a statement. “The Colorado River needs to be treated as the system it is.”
Some of Arizona’s elected leaders issued stand-in statements in which they disclosed that they were still reviewing the plan.
Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06), co-chair of the congressional Colorado River Caucus, said that upon initial review the current plan avoids the “most drastic options” previously announced by the Trump administration. However, Ciscomani intimated that long-term solutions were still lacking in this latest plan.
“The goal is clear: long-term water certainty and security for Arizona,” said Ciscomani. “I will continue working with the Administration and bipartisan leaders at every level of government to protect this critical resource for our farmers, ranchers, businesses, tribes, and every Arizona family that relies on the Colorado River.”
Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04) said that the deal provided two years of “welcome” stability, but that it was only “another short-term fix” and not a lasting solution.
“[A] two-year reprieve is not a solution. The agreements holding this decision together must be durable, and a record-breaking drought won’t suddenly resolve itself,” said Stanton. “Every two years, this same threat of ‘CAP to zero’ will hang over Arizona’s head. That’s no way to run a system millions of people depend on for water, power and food.”
Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03) didn’t issue a statement on the plan, but did post on social media calling water “the lifeblood of Arizona,” promising “bold action to confront the climate crisis,” and including a link to the city of Phoenix’s water quality page.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ-07) issued a statement blending elements from colleagues Stanton and Ansari, calling for a more permanent solution among both the Upper and Lower Basin states while also urging action on climate change as the purported root causes of the prolonged drought.
Democrat Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego issued a joint statement simply expressing gratitude for the two years the plan afforded Arizona, and presented a lighter look forward at the road ahead for a more “lasting” plan of action. The senators also indirectly called on the Upper Basin states to take on some of the water-cuts burden as well.
“This decision provides much-needed certainty for Arizona and the Colorado River over the next two years,” Kelly and Gallego said. “The 2027 and 2028 guidelines protect Arizona from even deeper near-term cuts while giving the seven Basin states more time to reach a long-term agreement.”
Danny Seiden, Arizona Chamber President and CEO, said that the deal was “workable,” not perfect. Seiden credited state leaders for working in a bipartisan manner to accomplish the deal, specifically Hobbs, Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14), and House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-LD29).
“We are still working through the details, but today’s decision appears to provide a workable path forward over the next two years and avoids some of the most damaging scenarios our state was facing,” said Seiden. “Arizona has already put real conservation and real cuts on the table, and the work now continues toward a long-term agreement that requires every Basin state to share in the responsibility. Arizona’s business community will continue to support our leaders as they fight for a fair, durable solution that protects our water and our economic future.”
Others weren’t so optimistic.
Scot Mussi, president of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, called the deal “a total failure of leadership.” Mussi criticized the deal, saying it imposes water cuts on single family homes but not data centers and apartments.
This deal is a total failure of leadership. On top of that, this deal will place most of the cuts on new single family homes while data centers and apartments get unlimited water. Conveniently, those big water users happen to be some of your biggest campaign contributors. https://t.co/pLaenPuDCc
Phoenix resident Jamar Johnson, 54, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for the theft of more than $1 million in COVID-19 pandemic loans.
Johnson admitted to submitting false applications to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, according to a press release issued on Wednesday by the Arizona District Attorney’s Office.
Johnson claimed to run a multimillion-dollar business called CBL Worldwide II, a recreational basketball league which he purported had 73 employees and more than $4.9 million in annual payroll expenses.
Federal prosecutors said the fraudulent business had zero employees and zero payroll expenses.
Johnson reportedly used the $1 million in PPP loans for personal gain through purchases of cryptocurrency, a vehicle, and cosmetic dentistry. Johnson also transferred the ill-gotten funds to foreign markets in an effort to conceal them.
According to court records, Johnson applied for relief in late April 2020, three weeks after the PPP launched, in which he initially claimed that he had five employees and paid $144,000 in annual payroll the year prior. Johnson received $30,000 from that first loan application in May 2020.
Then, Johnson applied for a second loan in late March 2021 in which he claimed to have 73 employees and more than $4.8 million in annual payroll expenses for his amateur basketball league. Johnson received more than $977,000 for the second loan.
Court records also revealed that Johnson lost a large portion of funds invested in cryptocurrency: at least $839,000.
Johnson also received PPP loan forgiveness, which required him to falsely attest that he had spent at least 60% of the loan proceeds on actual payroll costs. He submitted false tax records to back up his claims.
Federal prosecutors requested in their sentencing memorandum filed last week that Johnson be sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
“Defendant lied outright to obtain the funds, which he then used to pay for personal expenses and failed investments,” stated the memorandum. “This offense involved greed, repeated lies, and Defendant taking advantage of a national emergency for his own personal benefit.”
Arizona District Court Judge Sharad Desai — a 2024 Biden appointee and brother to Roopali Desai, a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals judge also appointed by Biden — sentenced Johnson to 15 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
Johnson will also be required to pay full restitution to the Small Business Administration.
Versions of Johnson’s CBL venture extend back over 20 years under various names like “CBL City Rec” or “CBL Basketball.” These versions of the CBL venture would promise varying payouts to recreational players who obtained memberships through his league.
According to a 2019 profile on Johnson by VoyagePhoenix, CBL Worldwide II was a recreational basketball league platform for adult players that offered monthly player membership fees as opposed to the traditional team fee format.
Prior to the pandemic loan fraud, Johnson promised wins up to $20,000 per year. Johnson directed applicants to download his CBL League App to subscribe to the league.
Then, around late 2021 and through 2022, Johnson began advertising $1.6 million in cash prizes. He reintroduced his venture as “CBLHoopCity.”
The league purportedly offered several team levels with “a tax-deductible membership fee,” ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. Johnson promised that national tournament cash prizes would range from $100,000 to $1 million.
Johnson’s final post on his CBLHoopCity Instagram page was a video in 2024 cautioning against scammers.
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The Joint Economic Committee (JEC) chairman, Republican Rep. David Schweikert (AZ-01), says the government’s inaction on the $40 trillion national debt is “immoral.”
The JEC leader issued a statement on Thursday after the national debt reached a new record high of more than $40 trillion. This fiscal year, the U.S. added more than $2.4 trillion to the national debt. The JEC noted in its press release that interest payments on the national debt make up the fourth-largest line item in the federal budget.
Schweikert said the debt posed “a dangerous fiscal trajectory” that forecasts future economic demise as well as the reality that the national debt will consume most of federal spending.
“Our debt is quickly switching from sustainable, business as-usual, to an unsustainable, market-unraveling nightmare. At this rate, it won’t be long before we face catastrophic consequences,” said Schweikert. “Congress must take the math seriously and act now by charting a new economically responsible path to secure our nation’s future for generations to come. To do nothing or keep on this path is flat out immoral.”
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has defined that unsustainability as an economy growing at a much slower pace than the debt.
Rising federal debt will raise borrowing costs, such as for home and car loans; stagnate wages and curb investments; and increase the costs of goods and services overall, if not lead to shortages.
Deficits have only continued to grow despite the announced goals and promises from Trump administration leaders.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent established a substantial goal of deficit reduction: three percent of GDP by 2028. Deficits have grown. Bessent has said that the war in Iran, tariff refunds, and misappropriated tax cuts have been the main culprits behind stunted improvements to deficits.
The federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic represented unprecedented spending, as noted by the GAO in its page dedicated to federal debt and debt management.
One of President Donald Trump’s promises upon his initial election in 2016 was to eliminate the national debt within two terms. At the time, the national debt was more than $19 trillion.
The GAO projected in March that continued federal deficits will add an average of $2 trillion to the debt annually through 2036. If unchecked, debt will surpass $60 trillion.
Based on those projections the GAO has, like Schweikert, characterized the debt progression as an unsustainable fiscal path and urged Congress to develop a debt reduction strategy, which it had urged previously in 2020.
In its March publication, the GAO renewed its recommendations to Congress from 2020 as well as a recommendation from 2015 and 2020. The 2015 recommendation encouraged Congress to replace the current debt limit process with a clearer approach to link decisions on debt to decisions on revenue and spending.
The GAO also reported that the Department of the Treasury has increased the size and frequency of its debt auctions since fiscal year 2014. In fiscal year 2025, the GAO reported that the Treasury Department held more than 400 auctions of bills, notes, and bonds to borrow $1.9 trillion for government operations and refinance $9.1 trillion of maturing debt.
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One candidate’s voting records are resurfacing amid a heated race for the 1st Congressional District seat.
Democratic nominee Amish Shah, while a state representative, voted against a measure banning sex change surgeries for minors.
Shah took the vote in 2022 while representing the 24th Legislative District. He did not explain his vote during the House floor decision on the bill.
Senate President Warren Petersen, a Republican, sponsored the legislation.
Shah also voted against bills perceived as noninclusive of transgender individuals, including a ban on males from participating in female sports, and a requirement for students to use bathrooms in accordance with their biological sex.
This resurfaced voting record provides a context of continuity with Shah’s approach as a lawmaker, considering his promises to voters in recent months to represent a further-left faction of the Democratic Party.
Publicly, Shah has styled himself as an independent that works beyond political party.
His platform proposes advancing socialized medicine, codifying abortion, ending tariffs, and increasing public school funding. When Shah first announced his candidacy last May, he pledged to defend abortion access, namely for the abortion drug mifepristone.
I believe in universal healthcare. The system is broken. #LD5#ShahForAZ
During his time in the state legislature, Shah balanced his public commitment to bipartisanship by introducing legislation that aligned with a more progressive arc, such as a bill to expand anti-discrimination laws by affording protections for gender identity and sexual orientation, and another bill to redefine marriage within the state constitution.
That anti-discrimination expansion bill has been included within Shah’s bipartisanship count, since Shah cosponsored the bill alongside former Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, a Republican.
Shah played an active role in the 2020 presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders. Shah headlined a town hall for the Sanders campaign and endorsed his approach to socializing healthcare. In one town hall, Shah proposed replacing capitalism with socialism.
It was prior to his unsuccessful 2024 campaign for this same seat that Shah openly situated himself within the socialist camp of the Democratic Party. Shah lost that 2024 race despite outspending his opponent by several million, Rep. David Schweikert.
Shah also signed onto a compact to make Washington, D.C., into the 51st state. Shah was among 33 Democratic lawmakers from Arizona to sign the 2021 letter. In 2023, Shah followed up on that letter by cosponsoring a 2023 resolution to support D.C. statehood.
Shah has declined to sign onto other compacts. Shah is not among the signatories on board with Promise to America, a commitment for Democratic elected officials and candidates to oppose socialism.
Shah’s primary election opponent, Marlene Galan-Woods, did sign onto the pledge.
Apart from himself, among Shah’s biggest single donors have been the IA Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee based out of D.C., and 314 Action Impact Slate, a hybrid PAC based out of D.C.
Shah has raised more than $1.8 million this reporting period, per Federal Election Commission data.
The Republican nominee in the race, Jay Feely, has raised more than $2.5 million. As with Shah, apart from himself Feely’s top donors include Grow the Majority, a Virginia-based PAC, and Emmer Majority Builders, a Georgia-based PAC.
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