Bell94 Sports Complex

Scottsdale, Ariz.

Award of Merit, Sports/Entertainment

Submitted By: Valley Rain Construction Corp.

Owner: City of Scottsdale, Ariz.

Lead Design Firm/Civil Engineer: Gavan & Barker Inc.

General Contractor: Valley Rain Construction Corp.

Structural Engineer: Bakkum Nolke

MEP Engineer: Energy Systems Design

Architect: Fucello Architects

Subcontractors: Holly Steel; Hawkeye Electrical; Adams Fence; Alta Vista Masonry; Native Resources; Flynn BEC; Extreme Drywall; Ryan Mechanical


A year-round outdoor space for community sports and leisure, this 37-acre facility features six lighted fields for recreational and competitive sports and more than two miles of pedestrian pathways.

When it was determined that soil characteristics would require more export than anticipated, the design and construction team used a detailed 3D digital surface to grade the site. This created a digital model that allowed for collaboration between construction and engineering teams and served as an input for the grading subcontractor’s automated machine control for precise excavation. The team eliminated 30,000 cu yd of export, which reduced schedule and hauling impacts on local streets.

All fields were designed flat in a terraced manner, with subsurface piping serving as underground stormwater retention—which freed up space for an additional athletic field.  Although the complex is designed primarily as sports fields, the city plans to design the site for additional parking. With approximately 600 parking spaces, the facility will replace the temporary parking lots that the city was using for special events.