The city of Glendale spent nearly half a million dollars related to the memorial service last month for conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The memorial drew thousands of mourners to State Farm Stadium, as well as Desert Diamond Arena, where overflow crowds were diverted when the stadium reached capacity.
Deputy City Manager Rick St. John assures the city will be reimbursed for its expenses by the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority, which owns State Farm Stadium, and ASM Global, a venue management company.
St. John says the money went towards several public safety elements.
“We charged fire personnel, ambulance costs, transportation personnel, barricade costs. And then, of course, police resources, personnel and anything else that we needed to include,” he said.
The bill will be covered by the authority and management company.
“Obviously, we have good partnerships with both AZSTA and ASM ... holding events at these venues is nothing new for any of us.”
St. John says a similar event planning was done when the Los Angeles Rams football team shifted their playoff game to the Cardinals stadium as a result of California wildfires.
-
The overall feeling of Turning Point USA’s annual AmericaFest conference in Phoenix three months after co-founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University was one of determination to carry out his legacy. -
Turning Point USA conference attendees in Phoenix say the organization is back stronger — and resonating with women — following co-founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination. -
The group is called National Ground Game, and they’re calling their event something we can’t say on the radio. -
Looking forward, Erika Kirk says Turning Point’s political arm will focus on keeping Congress in Republican hands and electing JD Vance as the 48th president in 2028. -
State Sen. Warren Petersen, Gilbert Republican and GOP candidate for attorney general, said Charlie Kirk should be publicly recognized by putting his name along a 78-mile stretch of Loop 202. -
Several cities and towns across the Valley will consider requests to officially memorialize conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed by a gunman last month. -
The memorial event honoring conservative activist Charlie Kirk was held at State Farm Stadium on Sept. 21, 2025. See KJZZ's coverage from Glendale. -
The Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority owns the stadium in Glendale. An authority spokesperson says event contracts, done by a separate stadium manager, are confidential.
