The popular Atlanta-based sports bar submitted paperwork for a 7,800-square-foot restaurant at Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway and Stonegate Road, next to The Home Depot. The site will feature other businesses including Circle K and Starbucks.
June
German grocer Aldi submitted preliminary plans to build a new store in the Southbridge Shopping Center, marking Maricopa's fifth supermarket. The discount chain will be located near Lowe's, currently under construction. Construction and opening dates remain unclear.
July
The City of Maricopa began calling for bids on a 680-acre industrial park with big potential. Several companies are eyeing the land, including Cleveland, Ohio-based Envision Waste Services and an unnamed major plastics renewal company, both proposing massive investments and job creation. The site, equipped with a railroad spur, could house industries like waste processing and waste-to-energy, with salaries ranging from $50,000 to $110,000. City officials are optimistic about the park's future, projecting up to 37,000 new jobs. A $1 billion smart rail project will follow, bringing even more development.
July
Maricopa Chief Strategy Officer Rick Horst announced Mesa-based Elevate Trampoline Park will open a 25,000-square-foot location at the southwest corner of John Wayne and Alterra Parkways. The park will feature indoor dining, office space and, naturally, lots of trampolines. With a focus on family entertainment, Horst pointed out the city's growing need for kid-friendly activities was a major factor in bringing this new business to town.
August
Plans for a major solar farm on nearly 1,100 acres in Hidden Valley were unveiled. The site, near Salt River Project's Pinal West Substation, is being developed by Phoenix-based Sawtooth Development Co. on behalf of Hidden Valley Ranch Partners. The solar farm would switch the land's zoning from residential to green energy production and would be managed by Copia Power. Pinal County approved the project and rezoning in the fall. The facility would generate enough clean energy to power 95,000 homes.
September
Duke's Roadhouse revealed fresh plans to the city planning department, signaling progress on its much-anticipated honky-tonk restaurant project at Maricopa and Edwards Roads. The updates included a retro neon sign with a sleek arrow mounted on the façade, ditching its original rooftop placement. Demolition began early last year. Plans for a nearby road extension aim to connect Duke's to the developing Southbridge Marketplace. Meanwhile, the venue sponsored Maricopa's fall concert series, ensuring country music fills the air before the restaurant serves its first meal.
September
Pinal County officials confirmed the Colorado cannabis retailer Nirvana Center plans to open a new dispensary at a Hidden Valley strip mall. Located next to Raceway Bar & Grill, this will be the third pot shop at 49237 W. Papago Road. A rezoning update and a special-use permit are all that stand between Hidden Valley and its weed store comeback. Once operational, the Nirvana Center will offer extended hours and robust security.
October
InMaricopa celebrated two first-place victories at the Arizona Media Association's Better Newspapers Contest. Managing Editor Elias Weiss' investigative series, Scamouflage, exposing stolen valor in Maricopa, claimed top honors for investigative reporting, while Raising Kane, a sharp dive into Sovereign Citizen and Constitutional Sheriff movements, earned best narrative work. Weiss credited the editorial team's "big-market journalism" approach for their success, while Publisher Scott Bartle praised their dedication to serving Maricopa's readers. Competing against midmarket giants like The Arizona Mirror and Phoenix Business Journal, InMaricopa continues proving even small towns demand quality investigative journalism.
November
PHX Surf is finally paddling toward progress after years of choppy waters. CEO Erin LaGrassa described the project's transformation from a raucous waterpark to a serene "wellness oasis" featuring a sunglass-shaped surf lagoon, earthy 3D-printed villas and barefoot luxury. Despite delays, developers filed for a permit in September, hinting two months later at an early 2025 groundbreaking at the southwest corner of Loma Road and State Route 238.
November
Lowe's Home Improvement began work on its 139,000-square-foot store and garden center at the Southbridge Marketplace. Positioned to compete with The Home Depot, which opened nearby in September, Lowe's entree signals Maricopa's continued retail boom.
November
Scottsdale's De Rito Partners proposed Maricopa's first 7-Eleven on the southwest corner of Honeycutt and White and Parker Roads, with a 4,600-square-foot convenience store and gas pumps. The site would include parking and six fueling islands, catering to local workers and traffic along Honeycutt Road. A second 7-Eleven was proposed earlier near John Wayne Parkway. For now, Maricopa's nearest 7-Eleven is a 20-mile drive north in Tempe.
December
Action Behavior Centers ABA Therapy for Autism is approved for 41800 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway. Permits for the signage were issued in October and were installed in mid-December. It will replace what once was Big 5 Sporting Goods, the city's only sporting goods store, which closed in November after eight years in business. The center will provide therapy to children between a year-and-a-half and 13 years old who are on the autism spectrum. An opening date has not been announced.