Last verified: April 2026
Three Spring-Training Cities
The West Valley’s three Cactus League cities — Peoria, Surprise, and Goodyear — share a similar profile: rapidly growing suburbs anchored by an MLB spring-training stadium, with conservative-leaning zoning that keeps cannabis dispensary density lower than central Phoenix or Scottsdale, but with enough operator presence to serve Cactus League fans (1.7M+ in 2025) who descend on the Valley each February and March.
Peoria (~200,000)
Peoria hosts the Peoria Sports Complex, the shared spring training home of the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. The complex draws roughly 250–350K spring-training attendees per year. Peoria also borders Lake Pleasant, a major regional water-recreation destination.
Peoria dispensaries
- JARS Cannabis Peoria (20340 N. Lake Pleasant Rd.)
- Sol Flower Peoria
- Trulieve Peoria
- Arizona Natural Selections Peoria
Surprise (~160,000)
Surprise hosts Surprise Stadium, the shared spring training home of the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals. Per the Cactus League’s official website, "the Texas Rangers saw a 42.3% attendance increase at Surprise Stadium after their championship win" in 2024 — averaging 7,511 fans per game.
Surprise has a substantial retiree-community population (Sun City West and adjacent neighborhoods) and corresponding suburban zoning conservatism. Dispensaries are fewer than in Peoria or Goodyear, but Sol Flower and a handful of independents serve the area.
Goodyear (~115,000) — The Fastest-Growing City
Census 2024 reported Goodyear at 22.9% four-year population growth, making it one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation. Goodyear hosts the Goodyear Ballpark (spring home of the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds). Trulieve Goodyear and several independent operators serve the area.
Cactus League Tourist Realities
For Cactus League fans visiting these West Valley cities:
- Cannabis is prohibited inside every Cactus League stadium — MLB leaguewide policy plus stadium clear-bag rules. This includes Peoria Sports Complex, Surprise Stadium, and Goodyear Ballpark.
- Tailgating outside stadiums is generally permitted in stadium parking lots but cannabis consumption (smoking, vaping) remains illegal under the Smoke-Free Arizona Act.
- Spring-training rental car — do not store cannabis in a parked car (interior reaches 140°F+ even in February sun in some cases). See our Parked Car Warning page.
- Hotel and AirBnB consumption depends on individual policies. The Clarendon Hotel in central Phoenix (a 30–45-minute drive from these West Valley stadiums) is the only adult-only cannabis-friendly hotel in metro Phoenix per Visit Phoenix.
Cactus League by the Numbers
The 2025 Cactus League drew 1,695,480 fans and generated an estimated $764 million in economic impact, per a study by ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business. Sixty percent of attendees come from outside Arizona — a major driver of cannabis tourism. See our Cactus League page for the full picture.
Cannabis Workforce in West Valley Suburbs
These cities have growing logistics, healthcare, and retail employment. The federal-contractor density that defines Chandler / Mesa / Glendale (Luke AFB) is somewhat lower in Peoria, Surprise, and Goodyear — but employer drug testing remains common, and AMMA card protections do not override federally regulated workplace requirements (DOT-regulated drivers, hospital staff in federal-funded programs, etc.). See our Federal Contractors page.
For in-depth cannabis education, dosing guides, safety information, and research summaries, visit our partner site TryCannabis.org