Phoenix finds home for Super Bowl climbing wall

• Climbing wall will be permanently installed at Margaret T. Hance Park in downtown.
• Phoenix officials said the 30-by-100 foot wall bolsters efforts to make park an iconic downtown landmark.
• City negotiating agreement to determine climbing fees and operating hours.

Phoenix has found a new home for its largest Super Bowl XLIX souvenir.

A massive rock-climbing wall, known as the "Grand Canyon Experience," that was featured at the city's Super-Bowl block party will be permanently installed at Margaret T. Hance Park in downtown.

Phoenix officials said the 30- by 100-foot wall bolsters efforts to make Hance Park an iconic downtown landmark. The city has a master plan to transform the often-sleepy park into a bustling hub with amenities like a zip line, splash pads and performance pavilion.

"The addition of the climbing wall at Hance Park is the start of many great things coming to our vibrant downtown," said City Councilman Michael Nowakowski, who represents the area.

The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee donated the wall to the city after the February game for its residents to use.

Built to resemble the canyon's sandstone South Rim, the attraction was the host committee's "wow factor" for the 12-block area that made up Verizon Super Bowl Central. It featured a waterfall, to symbolize the Colorado River, and a big-screen TV, though those features won't be included at Hance Park.

Nowakowski said the climbing wall will be operated by the non-profit Hance Park Conservancy. The city is expected to negotiate an agreement that will determine climbing fees and operating hours.

The city will hire an engineer to install the wall and make it accessible for residents with disabilities, officials said. Phoenix will work with National Bank of Arizona, which sponsored the wall, and other donors to find financial support for the project.

A report from the Parks and Recreation Department says a climbing feature goes hand-in-hand with its vision outlined in the Hance Park Master Plan, which aims to make the area a popular gathering place. The plan calls for about $118 million in upgrades, from a beer garden to shade structures.

Downtown advocates want Phoenix, the nation's sixth-largest city, to make Hance Park a jewel, equivalent to noteworthy parks in other major cities, such as New York's Central Park and Chicago's Millennium Park.

Spending that kind of money to transform the park might seem like a stretch given the city's recent financial troubles, but supporters have stressed other possible funding mechanisms, including private partnerships. The Hance Park Conservancy has said it would also look into taxpayer-approved bonds as a funding mechanism.

Phoenix plans to locate the climbing wall south of the Ellis-Shackelford House, a historic site in the park, along Central Avenue near Culver Street. The city said the move will not have any visual impact for residents of the nearby Roosevelt historic neighborhood.

"It's kind of bringing the outskirts of Phoenix right into the downtown area," said Karl Obergh, president of the Roosevelt Action Association, which represents the area. "There's just so much that can be done in this park."

The dusty-brown and reddish fiberglass wall looks and feels like real rock. It has an automatic belay, the cord that keeps climbers from falling, that doesn't require a partner on the ground to release. Instead, the rope automatically drops when a person leans back, removing the potential for human error.

Phoenix said the area around the wall will be fenced off when it's not in use. The city's agreement with the park conservancy is expected to outline insurance requirements and operator-training needs.