This article originally appeared in the Arizona Republic.
One of the nine-hole golf courses at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa could be redeveloped into housing, according to a plan submitted to Phoenix.
The plan includes redeveloping the Mesquite Golf Club, one of three nine-hole courses at the resort, which would change the resort from 27 holes of golf to 18. The Mesquite course includes about 72 acres of land, with about 16 acres on the north side of Greenway Parkway and about 56 acres on the south side. The resort is located in Phoenix, west of Scottsdale Road and Greenway Parkway.
The proposed development, called Copper Residences, would include high-end, for-sale condo residences on the northern portion. The southern portion could include both for-sale condos and for-sale traditional single-family homes.
The northern portion could have a density of between 10 and 15 units per acre, reaching four stories in height, according to the application. The southern portion could include both attached and detached homes, reaching up to three stories tall with a rooftop deck.
The resort’s owner, Host Hotels and Resorts, submitted the application to the city, but could choose to sell the land to a developer or multiple developers to build the housing.
In the company’s earnings call on Nov. 6, James Risoleo, Host’s president, CEO and director, said the Westin Kierland is one of a handful of the company’s properties scheduled to undergo major renovations.
“We believe these reinvestments will position the hotels to outperform competitors in their respective markets while enhancing long-term performance,” Risoleo said in the presentation. According to company presentations, the renovation is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2026.
Jason Morris, attorney with Withey Morris Baugh, said the application is still very early in the process and no formal meetings have been scheduled yet.
The move, Morris said, is similar to the redevelopment of nine holes at the Phoenician’s golf course, which is also owned by Host. The project also left 18 holes of golf remaining, and developed houses, townhomes and condos on the redeveloped course.
The redevelopment will save a “significant” amount of water, Morris said, but he did not quantify how much water use would decrease.
All of the homes planned at the Copper Residences would be for sale, not rentals, Morris said, and the tallest developments would be adjacent to the hotel, not existing single-family homes.