The City of Surprise is a great place to live, work and play.
With family-oriented neighborhoods and parks, the city is home to 100,000 people along with a multitude of recreational and cultural public facilities. One of the standout amenities is the Surprise Recreational Campus which includes the Surprise Stadium, Aquatic Center, Surprise Regional Library and other amenities. The bustling city is also home to Spring Training facilities for the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers.
Surprise was founded in 1937 by Homer C. Ludden, a Glendale real estate developer and state legislator, and began as a subdivided square mile parcel of land with low-cost home sites for the area’s agricultural workers. Today, Surprise is one of Arizona’s fastest growing cities with a new home completed every 44 hours.
Recreation
The approximately 132-acre Surprise Recreational Campus is comprised of:
- Surprise Aquatic Center featuring a zero depth area with water play features, flume slide, tunnel slide, vortex whirlpool, 8-lane competition pool, diving well with two 1-meter boards and concessions.
- Surprise Spring Training, which includes 10,500 seat stadium, 12 practice fields, 2 practice infields, 16 hitting tunnels, 8-acres of multi-purpose turf and two clubhouses.
- Northwest Regional Library with a children’s library, adult library, multi-media computer lab and a collection of over 40,000 items in all formats.
- Countryside Recreation Center with collegiate-size basketball court.
- Gaines Park, Bicentennial Park, Three-Star Park, Stonebrook Park, Villanueva Recreation Center and a 5-acre urban fishing lake.
- Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex featuring classes and activities for all levels of skill. This large complex includes 25 courts and a 2,500 seat center arena.
- Surprise Dog Park features 1.5 acres of landscaped trees and turf, 2 shade structures and drinking fountains for pets and owners.
- DreamCatcher Park The first of its kind in Arizona, DreamCatcher Park is a fully accessible, barrier-free facility for athletes with special needs. It features a urethane based surface, widened walkways, gates to the play surfaces and shaded stadium seats.
For more information, visit the City of Surprise.