Resort HISTORY
A Dazzling Legacy
On February 23, 1929 the Arizona Biltmore opened in grand fashion. Over 600 invitations were sent out, with the thought of only a few hundred attending, but it seemed no one wanted to be left out and the resort had to re-create the opening gala three days in a row to accommodate all 600 people. From that day forward, the Arizona Biltmore has been a private retreat for some of the most influential powerhouses of the time. Scroll to learn more about our legendary storied past and the meticulous restoration of the iconic property.
Legendary History Tours
Learn more about our storied past and the meticulous restoration of the iconic Arizona Biltmore. Join us for a 90-minute walking tour of the resort with one of our Historians.
In 1910, Warren and Charles McArthur move to Phoenix from Chicago. They outfitted a Dodge truck with extra seats and a supply car calling it “The Wonderbus.” They used the truck to take people on tours around Arizona landmarks.
By 1924, the McArthur brothers wanted to make Arizona a tourist destination – but they needed proper accommodations. Albert Chase McArthur – Warren and Charles’ brother – designs the Arizona Biltmore with a strong Frank Lloyd Wright influence.
FUN FACT
McArthur paid Frank Lloyd Wright $10,000 to use his patented block design, but it turned out Wright didn't actually own the patent. This permanently soured their relationship.
In August, 1928, construction begins on the Arizona Biltmore and was completed in nine short months.
February 23, 1929, the Arizona Biltmore has three days of grand opening celebrations.
FUN FACT
The Arizona Biltmore had over 250,000 blocks, 33,000 pounds of copper in the roof and the second largest gold leaf ceiling in the world (only behind the Taj Mahal)!
In 1929, the stock market crashes and the Biltmore is sold to William Wrigley Jr., an original investor from Chicago.
FUN FACT
The Arizona Biltmore’s master bartender Gene Sulit invents the Tequila Sunrise in the 1930’s at The Wright Bar.
The Arizona Biltmore thrives as a socialite’s escape hosting presidents, dignitaries and the dazzling elite of every generation. We continue to hold ourselves in this elevated place of cool glamour; of Marilyn by the pool and Frank Sinatra at the bar, but now there’s a fresh edge to it - an effortless chic.
The Wrigley’s own the resort until it is sold to the Talley’s in 1973.
In 1973 after the sale, a devastating six-alarm fire rips through the resort during renovations, calling 35 firetrucks and 150 firefighters.
The Talley’s promise to reopen for the holiday season, hiring all students from Taliesin West and a construction crew. Crews worked 24 hours a day for 81 days and saved the season.
In celebration of the 1973 grand reopening, Frank Lloyd Wright’s widow donated “Saguaro Forms and Cactus Flowers” as a stained-glass gift. It still hangs in the lobby today.
FUN FACT
Frank Lloyd Wright originally created "Saguaro Forms and Cactus Flowers" as a colored pencil drawing for a series of covers for Liberty Magazine in 1927. The magazine
said it was too radical for the times and never published it. Mrs. Wright found the drawing and commissioned an
artist from Mesa to put it into stained glass. It remains the centerpiece in the front entrance.
In 1975, the Paradise Wing is completed.
In 1979, the Valley Wing and Conference Center is completed.
In the 1980’s, Terrace Court Wing, East Wing, and Garden Wing are completed. The cottages and lobby are renovated, but the original architecture is preserved.
In 1998, the spa, beauty salon and fitness center are added to the property.
1999 begins a four-year, $50 million refurbishment with additions of the Villas, Ocatilla Wing and Olympic sized pool.
In March 2020, the property undergoes a $150 million reinvention, elevating it to a new standard of service and decorum.
