The Ra Ra Room at the Phoenix Suns and Mercury Arena

Overview

Opportunity

Solution

Impact

Team

Behind a discreet entrance and glowing neon sign, The Ra Ra Room reveals an intimate, layered hospitality experience of glamour, intrigue, and connection.

Location

Phoenix, Arizona

Client

Phoenix Suns and Mercury Arena

Expertise

Hospitality

Opportunity

Within the Phoenix Suns and Mercury Arena, underused space offered Player 15 Group an opportunity to create a premium destination that draws guests far beyond game time.

As sports venues compete to offer more premium experiences, Mat Ishbia and Player 15 Group saw hospitality as a way to expand the arena’s role in downtown Phoenix. The goal was bigger than an upgraded club, resulting in a members-only destination with the caliber of service, cuisine, and exclusivity associated with Major Food Group. Located on the arena’s event level, the space also needed to connect effortlessly with VIP arrival, dining, and seating.

Why This Matters

01
Extend the Arena
The Ra Ra Room prompts a new reason to visit the arena beyond games and concerts, extending its relevance into the weekly social calendar.
02
Elevate the VIP Journey
Direct access from a VIP drop-off to dining and arena seating creates a seamless experience for members before events, after the final buzzer, or on standalone nights.
03
Create a Phoenix Original
Rather than importing an existing hospitality concept from New York, LA, or Paris, the team set out to create a one-off experience with its own personality and sense of Phoenix.

FPO Quote

Solution

A secretive arrival gives way to theatrical decadence, turning the arena’s utilitarian event level into a glamorous supper club rooted in the Arizona desert.

Upon entry, guests follow a subtle red line through the arena to a discreet neon-marked entrance before pulling back a curtain into a room designed as social theater. A sculptural ceiling and Murano glass chandeliers frame the central bar, while mirrored column bases extend sightlines and heighten people-watching. Warm pinks, reds, and sage tones draw from the Phoenix desert’s rock and cacti, layered with ruched velvet, brass, animal prints, and locally sourced artwork. Plush carpeting tempers the room acoustically without diminishing its glamour.

The Ra Ra Room gives Player 15 Group a destination that stands apart from the event calendar while deepening the arena’s premium hospitality offering.

The club now operates beyond event nights, bringing Major Food Group’s hospitality to Phoenix and establishing a new premium social destination inside the arena.

What Changed Because of This

01
Year-Round Destination
The underused event-level space now draws members for standalone dinners and celebrations, extending the arena experience beyond basketball, concerts, and traditional event-day hospitality.
02
Phoenix Debut
Major Food Group’s first Phoenix venture introduces a private club experience built specifically for this market, rather than reproducing one of its established concepts.
03
Design Recognition
The project earned recognition from the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards and Retail Design Institute, positioning the club among leading hospitality interiors.

It’s designed to feel like a club where you either know everyone or you’re going to know everyone.

Recognition

01

The Retail Design Institute (RDI) International Design Awards

The Retail Design Institute (RDI) International Design Awards, 2025, The Ra Ra Room — Outstanding Merit Award for “Architectural Context for Contrast and Sensory Engagement”

02

Wallpaper

Wallpaper explored how curtains are “having a moment” in interior design, spotlighting the Gensler-designed Ra Room in Phoenix, Arizona.

03

Restaurant and Bar Design Awards

Restaurant and Bar Design Awards, 2025, The Ra Ra Room — Winner, Luxury Category

Team

Project Leadership

Siobhan Barry

With 20 years of experience designing high-profile retail, restaurant, and hospitality environments, Siobhan has built a reputation for dynamic, modern interiors that delight the senses and capture the imagination.

FAQ

01

What is The Ra Ra Room?

The Ra Ra Room is a members-only dining club located inside the arena home to the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury. It combines Major Food Group cuisine with a private, hospitality-focused social experience.

02

Where is The Ra Ra Room located?

The club is located on the event level of the arena at 201 East Jefferson Street in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. The venue is currently known as Mortgage Matchup Center.

03

Who created and designed The Ra Ra Room?

The concept was conceived by Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Mat Ishbia and Player 15 Group in collaboration with Major Food Group. Gensler designed the interior with Major Food Group’s in-house design team.

04

What inspired the design of The Ra Ra Room?

The design combines Art Deco glamour and midcentury supper-club culture with colors, textures, and artwork inspired by the Arizona desert, creating an experience that feels both transportive and specific to Phoenix.

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Related Expertise

Hospitality

Behind a discreet entrance and glowing neon sign, The Ra Ra Room reveals an intimate, layered hospitality experience of glamour, intrigue, and connection.

Within the Phoenix Suns and Mercury Arena, underused space offered Player 15 Group an opportunity to create a premium destination that draws guests far beyond game time.

Why This Matters

A secretive arrival gives way to theatrical decadence, turning the arena’s utilitarian event level into a glamorous supper club rooted in the Arizona desert.

The Ra Ra Room gives Player 15 Group a destination that stands apart from the event calendar while deepening the arena’s premium hospitality offering.

What Changed Because of This

Recognition