Voter-approved measure gives millions to Arizona youth, amateur sports every year

Hotel and rental car taxes that pay for the Cardinals’ stadium in Glendale, spring training baseball parks and promote Arizona tourism also fund youth and amateur sports.

This year, $6.3 million is being shared by dozens of groups, including one with plans to make physical movement part of grief support.

One service offered by Billy’s Place in the northwest Valley is peer-support groups for children with a parent, sibling or loved one who has died.

But frustration born out of trauma can keep kids from getting the most out of sessions.

So with grant money from the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority, Billy's Place will turn an old bathroom in the nonprofit's future headquarters into a space for blowing off steam.

“It’ll have padded walls. It’ll have a punching bag. A space for kids to let go of those big emotions,” said Kris Friedman, the organization's executive director.

Grant money will also pay to outfit an outdoor play area at the new Billy’s Place, a feature that does not exist at the current location.

“And this grant is going to turn it into our dream space with stuff for them to climb on a firepit for the parents to sit around,” said Madelyn Vincent, associate executive director.

Voter-approved hotel and bed taxes that fund projects like this one are scheduled to sunset in 2031.