The New Mexico-based arts and entertainment group, Meow Wolf, just announced a brand new hotel and art exhibition concept coming to Roosevelt Row in Downtown Phoenix. The project is slated for a vacant parcel of land located at Third and Garfield streets, and will be developed in collaboration with Phoenix-based developer True North Studio.
Meow Wolf’s first project, the House of Eternal Return, is a multi-dimensional mystery house in Santa Fe with secret passages, portals to magical worlds, climbing apparatuses and immersive art exhibits. Similar to the house, the Phoenix hotel will be in the style of a surrealist, mind-bending narrative world, totally redefining the hospitality experience, according to the announcement.
“Guests are always asking about staying overnight inside of our House of Eternal Return project in Santa Fe, so doing an intertwined exhibition and hotel just made sense to us.” said Vince Kadlubek, Meow Wolf CEO and co-founder in a statement. “Our partnership with True North Studio in Phoenix is a perfect opportunity to explore this wild concept.”
Named the “Dream Machine Hotel,” it will be comprised of around 400 rooms and stand at 20-plus stories. Rooms will be designed by local artists and explore different themes like faux-glamping, communal hostel environments and outlandish luxury suites.
The project will also feature a 75,000-square-foot exhibition space with a 10,000-square-foot music and performance venue, blurring the lines between where the exhibition ends and the hotel begins.
Since launching its first permanent installation in Santa Fe in 2016, Meow Wolf has gained international acclaim, and transitioned from a small art collective into a multi-million dollar company. This year, Meow Wolf announced new permanent locations in three other major cities: Denver, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. Phoenix will be the fourth.
True North Studio currently has several other projects underway in the Roosevelt Row neighborhood including another hotel project, the Cambria Hotel, in addition to the Knipe House, the recently-purchased MonOrchid building and others.
“We are committed to the future of Phoenix as a great American city and understand the importance of a cultural economy,” said Jonathon Vento, founder and principal developer of True North Studio in a statement. “Meow Wolf’s presence will give Phoenix a spectacular boost in our ability to work with local artists and to attract and retain the kind of creative workforce necessary for success.”
The Roosevelt Row Arts District is known for its popular First and Third Friday art walks, and annual events like the Chile Pepper Festival, Pie Social, CulivEAT and more. In 2015, Roosevelt Row was recognized as one of America’s “Great Places” —  a designation awarded by the American Planning Association for exceptional neighborhoods, streets and public spaces.
Located in the Evans Churchill historic neighborhood, Roosevelt Row is a hotbed for commercial development, which has raised concerns in recent years about displacement and affordability within the downtown community.