A Living Legacy: McCain Library Breaks Ground as a Hub for Leadership and Innovation

TEMPE, ARIZONA – February 12, 2026 – On a clear January morning, the legacy of Senator John S. McCain III took a tangible step forward as dirt was turned on the site of his future library and museum. The January 29 groundbreaking ceremony marked the official start of construction for the landmark 80,000-square-foot facility, a project envisioned not merely as a repository of the past, but as a dynamic engine for the future of American leadership and civic engagement.

Gathered on the 22-acre site within Arizona State University’s Novus Innovation Corridor, the McCain family joined a bipartisan group of state leaders, university officials, and community figures to celebrate the milestone. The event featured remarks from Senator McCain's widow, Cindy McCain, alongside Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, former Governor Doug Ducey, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, Tempe Mayor Corey Woods, and ASU President Dr. Michael Crowe. The presence of friends like Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald and team owner Michael Bidwill underscored the late Senator's broad and lasting impact on his home state.

The project is being delivered by a joint venture of Clark Construction Group and Chasse Building Team, two firms tasked with translating a powerful vision into a physical reality. As construction begins, the focus is not just on erecting a building, but on creating a home for the ideals of service, dialogue, and democracy that defined McCain’s career.

More Than a Museum: A Forge for Future Leaders

From its inception, the project has been defined by its forward-looking mission. Speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony repeatedly emphasized that the John S. McCain III Library and Museum will be a living institution, actively shaping the next generation.

“This is not a building, but a visual reminder to the next generation who will be inspired to fight the good fight hopefully by what they see, learn, and hear from this institution,” Cindy McCain remarked, capturing the spirit of the endeavor. Her sentiment was echoed by ASU President Dr. Michael Crow, who framed the university’s commitment in starkly active terms. “Move democracy forward, protect and defend what we have. That’s the legacy, that’s what we want to be a part of, and that’s what the center will be focused on for now until the future,” he shared.

The facility's programming is designed to fulfill this ambitious mandate. It will serve as the new Arizona home for the McCain Institute, whose Global Leaders Program trains character-driven individuals from around the world to advance democracy and human rights. Beyond high-level leadership development, the center will host programs to foster nonpartisan civic dialogue and serve as a vital educational resource, housing the Senator’s extensive papers and making his archives digitally accessible to a global audience.

Plans also include immersive, ever-changing exhibits designed by Local Projects, which may feature an AI hologram of the Senator and a flight simulation that allows visitors to experience landing on an aircraft carrier. The goal is to create a space that is both a solemn tribute and a place of active, hands-on learning.

An Anchor for Innovation and Community

The library's strategic placement within ASU’s Novus Innovation Corridor is central to its identity. Novus is a 355-acre, master-planned “city within a city,” a public-private partnership designed to be an ecosystem of corporate headquarters, advanced research facilities, residential units, and retail spaces. With a projected economic impact of $4.6 billion annually upon completion, it represents ASU’s vision for a sustainable, tech-forward urban core.

The McCain Library and Museum will serve as a crucial cultural and civic anchor in this landscape of technological and commercial innovation. Its mission extends directly into the surrounding community, supported by a significant $83 million federal grant from the American Rescue Plan's Capital Projects Fund. This funding, part of a total estimated project cost of $167 million, is specifically targeted to help the facility provide essential services. The center plans to offer public health programs, telemedicine access, employment training, and secure broadband connectivity, directly addressing the digital divide and creating new opportunities for underserved communities.

Arizona Cardinals President Michael Bidwill highlighted this dual role. “This is going to be a tourism mecca; it’s also going to be a mecca to tell his story and talk about his history and what he stood for, but also how to form public policy, how to have civil discourse, and to teach that service-beyond-self message that he had.” With projections of 50,000 to 100,000 visitors annually, the facility is poised to become a significant economic driver for Tempe, boosting tourism and local businesses.

Building a Monument in the Desert

Bringing this multifaceted vision to life by its 2028 target completion date falls to the Clark | Chasse joint venture. The project requires a builder with deep expertise in constructing large-scale public and cultural institutions, a profile Clark Construction Group fits well. The firm’s extensive portfolio includes the 600,000-square-foot revitalization of the National Air and Space Museum, the Museum of the Bible, and numerous complex projects on active university campuses and secure government sites. This experience is critical for a project of such national significance and technical complexity.

“The entire Clark-Chasse team is incredibly honored to be a part of this historic project,” said Michael Guzzi, vice president with Clark Construction. “We are proud to be a part of delivering a state-of-the-art facility with a deeply personal mission.”

The design, crafted by the renowned New York-based SHoP Architects, envisions a low-slung complex that integrates with the surrounding Papago Park landscape rather than dominating it. This architectural humility reflects the challenging desert environment. Building in Arizona requires sophisticated solutions to mitigate extreme summer heat, manage intense solar gain, and withstand the effects of dust and monsoon seasons. The design must incorporate features like strategic orientation and advanced materials to ensure the building is both sustainable and durable.

As the construction team begins site demolition and prepares for foundation work, they are laying the groundwork for a structure that must be as resilient as the man it honors. The John S. McCain III Library and Museum is set to become a defining feature of the Arizona landscape, a place of reflection, learning, and action for decades to come.