Phoenician Resort

In 1985 Charles Keating purchased the property at the base of Camelback Mountain, which included the land occupied by the historic Jokake Inn and Elizabeth Arden's Maine Chance Spa.{{cite web | url=https://www.thephoenician.com/history/ | publisher=The Luxury Collection | title=Resort History}}{{cite web | url=https://www.canyonsuites.com/history/ | publisher=The Luxury Collection | title=A Land of Legend}} In addition, three other valley facilities also sat on the acreage Keating purchased: the Paradise Inn, the Valley Country Club, and the El Estribo Lodge. As architects, Keating hired the firm of Killingsworth, Stricker, Lindgren, Wilson and Associates, located in Long Beach, California. The spa, the Centre for Well Being, was designed by JGL Associates, out of Vermont.{{cite web | url=https://mgrwebbook.com/thephoenician/#page-8-9 | publisher=The Phoenician | title=The Phoenician Rising | year=2013 | page=5 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412163128/http://www.mgrwebbook.com/thephoenician/ | url-status=live | archivedate=April 12, 2015}} He intended to build a world class resort, envisioning it as "the eighth wonder of the world".{{cite news|title=Keating resort purchased by Kuwait |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/62941788/?terms=%22Phoenician%2BResort%22 |newspaper=Standard-Speaker (Hazelton, Pennsylvania) |date=March 9, 1992 |page=14 |via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = February 15, 2016 | first1=Jack | last1=Anderson | first2=Michael | last2=Binstein}} {{Open access}} For the construction of the lobby, white marble was imported from Carrera, Italy. Landscape craftsmen from Tonga were brought to Scottsdale to create the tropical landscape surrounding the hotel. The Phoenician was built at a cost of over $300 million. The resort opened for business on October 1, 1988,{{cite web | url=https://mgrwebbook.com/thephoenician/#page-6-7 | publisher=The Phoenician | title=The Phoenician Rising | year=2013 | page=4 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412163128/http://www.mgrwebbook.com/thephoenician/ | url-status=live | archivedate=April 12, 2015}} The hotel initially had 604 rooms, 132 casitas, a VIP suite and a presidential suite. The dome in the hotel's lobby was covered with 24 karat gold, and the cactus garden, which contained over 250 varieties of cacti, was the second largest in the state when it was completed. In addition, the hotel had 9 Steinway grand pianos, which was the largest order in the company's history. Keating's ownership of the resort was short-lived, however, as it was seized when he was indicted in 1989 for his role in the savings and loan crisis.{{cite news|title=Feds Fire Arizona Millionaire |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/33648778/?terms=%22Phoenician%2BResort%22 |newspaper=The Indiana Gazette |date=November 18, 1989 |page=9 |via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = February 15, 2016}} {{Open access}} After its seizure, the government briefly ran the resort, during which time it became known colloquially as "Club Fed".{{cite news|title=Phoenicians - a monument to S&L's excesses, battles |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/13446502/?terms=%22Phoenician%2BResort%22 |newspaper=Standard-Speaker (Hazelton, Pennsylvania) |date=September 10, 1990 |page=4 |via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = February 15, 2016 | first=Scott | last=McCartney}} {{Open access}} The government sold it shortly after to the Kuwaiti Investment Office.{{cite web | url=http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2015/11/02/snapshot-the-phoenician.html | publisher=Phoenix Business Journal | title=Snapshot: The Phoenician | date=Nov 2, 2015 | first=Mike | last=Sunnucks | accessdate=February 14, 2016 }}{{cite web | url=https://mgrwebbook.com/thephoenician/#page-10-11 | publisher=The Phoenician | title=The Phoenician Rising | year=2013 | page=8 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412163128/http://www.mgrwebbook.com/thephoenician/ | url-status=live | archivedate=April 12, 2015}} The Kuwaitis had owned 45% of the hotel prior to its seizure by the federal government, and they paid $111.5 million for the remaining 55%.

The Kuwaitis sold it to ITT Sheraton in 1994, which was absorbed by Starwood in 1998.{{cite news|title=ITT to shed finance unit for whopping $4 billion |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/92014309/?terms=%22Phoenician%2BResort%22 |newspaper=The San Bernardino County Sun |date=December 27, 1994 |page=16 |via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = February 15, 2016 | first=Bruce | last=Meyerson}} {{Open access}} In 2010, a new ballroom was added to the property, at a cost of $40 million. Between 2010 and 2012, $80 million in renovations were done to the property, which included the creation of a "resort within a resort", the Canyon Suites. This unusual feature includes 60 rooms, including 38 suites, and 2 presidential suites.{{cite web | url=http://www.visitphoenix.com/listing/the-phoenician/445/ | publisher=Visit Phoenix | title=The Phoenician | accessdate=February 14, 2016 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222081626/http://www.visitphoenix.com/listing/the-phoenician/445/ | url-status=live | archivedate=February 22, 2016}} The resort also includes a $25 million art collection. In 2015, the property was purchased from Starwood by Host Hotels & Resorts. As of February 2016, the resort contains 643 rooms (including 62 suites), and sits on 250 acres, with eleven restaurants, nine swimming pools, eleven tennis courts (and the only resort in Arizona with four different playing surfaces), and a 27-hole golf course designed by Ted Robinson and Homer Flint.{{cite web | url=http://www.worldgolf.com/features/the-phoenician-resort-scottsdale-arizona-12794.htm | publisher=WorldGolf.com | title=The Phoenician resort: A palace in the shadow of Scottsdale's Camelback Mountain | first=Jason Scott | last=Deegan | date=February 21, 2012 | accessdate=February 14, 2016 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222222634/http://www.worldgolf.com/features/the-phoenician-resort-scottsdale-arizona-12794.htm | url-status=live | archivedate=February 22, 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://www.azcentral.com/story/travel/2015/06/08/phoenician-resort-sold-for-400-million/28704743/ | publisher=Arizona Republic | date=June 9, 2015 | first=Dawn | last=Gilbertson | title=Phoenician resort sold for $400 million | accessdate=February 14, 2016 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609214020/http://www.azcentral.com/story/travel/2015/06/08/phoenician-resort-sold-for-400-million/28704743/ | url-status=live | archivedate=June 9, 2015}} The golf course is rated as a USGA championship course,{{cite web | url=http://www.troongolf.com/troon_facility.cml?cmd=view&id=phoenician_golf_course | publisher=Troon Golf | title=The Phoenician | accessdate=February 14, 2016 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100911173548/http://www.troongolf.com/troon_facility.cml?cmd=view&id=phoenician_golf_course | url-status=dead | archivedate=September 11, 2010}} which consists of three 9-hole courses, each with its own unique character.{{cite web | url=http://www.travelgolf.com/departments/resortfeatures/arizona/the-phoenician-resort-phoenix-scottsdale-arizona-10206.htm | publisher=WorldGolf.com | title=The Phoenician resort: Swanky epicenter of Phoenix/Scottsdale golf | first=Kiel | last=Christianson | date=June 8, 2009 | accessdate=February 15, 2016 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160224012214/http://www.travelgolf.com/departments/resortfeatures/arizona/the-phoenician-resort-phoenix-scottsdale-arizona-10206.htm | url-status=live | archivedate=February 24, 2016}} In the 2000s, the hotel installed a solar array, which helps to supply the energy needs of the property.{{cite web | url=http://microgridknowledge.com/embracing-renewable-energy-to-benefit-the-bottom-line/ | publisher=Microgrid Knowledge | title=Embracing Renewable Energy to Benefit the Bottom Line | first=Cara | last=Goman | date=October 13, 2015 | accessdate=February 15, 2016 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223160250/http://microgridknowledge.com/embracing-renewable-energy-to-benefit-the-bottom-line/ | url-status=live | archivedate=February 23, 2016}}

In 1994 the hotel was awarded the first of its five-star ratings by the Mobil Travel Guide (now Forbes Travel Guide).{{cite news|title=Restaurants, hotels join the five-star family |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/90202280/?terms=%22Phoenician%2BResort%22 |newspaper=The San Bernardino County Sun |date=December 21, 1993 |page=41 | first=Gene | last=Sloane |via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = February 15, 2016}} {{Open access}} Since that award, the hotel has received either a five- or four-star award every year through 2015 (the current award).{{cite web | url=https://mgrwebbook.com/thephoenician/#page-52-53 | publisher=The Phoenician | title=The Phoenician Rising | year=2013 | page=50 }}{{cite web | url=http://blog.forbestravelguide.com/the-2015-forbes-travel-guide-star-award-winners | publisher=Forbes Travel Guide | title=The 2015 Forbes Travel Guide Star Award Winners | date=February 13, 2015 | accessdate=February 15, 2016 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201201154/http://blog.forbestravelguide.com/the-2015-forbes-travel-guide-star-award-winners | url-status=live | archivedate=February 1, 2016}}

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Category:Hotels in Arizona

Category:The Luxury Collection

Category:Buildings and structures in Scottsdale, Arizona

Category:Hotels established in 1988

Category:Hotel buildings completed in 1988

Category:Tourist attractions in Scottsdale, Arizona

Category:1988 establishments in Arizona