Arizona State University to break ground Thursday on John McCain Library and Museum

Arizona State University will hold a groundbreaking Thursday for the John S. McCain III Library and Museum, an 80,000-square-foot facility on a 22-acre site near Tempe Town Lake; the ceremony will include speakers such as Gov. Katie Hobbs and Ambassador Cindy McCain.

Arizona State University will break ground Thursday on the John S. McCain III Library and Museum in Tempe. The planned building is 80,000 square feet and will sit on a 22-acre site overlooking Tempe Town Lake, across from ASU's Tempe campus. ASU describes the facility as intended to honor the late senator's legacy and to host programs that foster civic dialogue and leadership development. Construction will be led by Clark Chasse alongside SHoP Architects, and the project is scheduled to open in 2028. Key details: - The groundbreaking ceremony is set for Thursday at 200 E. Curry Road in Tempe. - Speakers at the event include Gov. Katie Hobbs, Ambassador Cindy McCain, ASU President Michael M. Crow, Larry Fitzgerald Jr., and Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell. - The facility will be approximately 80,000 square feet on a 22-acre site overlooking Tempe Town Lake. - The library and museum are described as a gathering place and community resource that will host programs for civic dialogue, leadership development, and democratic exchange. - The project will provide opportunities for students, scholars, and the public to research McCain's collection of congressional papers. Summary: The project is presented as a combined library and museum focused on preserving the late senator's papers and offering public programs related to civic life. The immediate next step is the scheduled groundbreaking Thursday, with the facility planned to open in 2028.