Queen Creek planning commission approves 40-foot Horseshoe Park monument sign with LED display

The Queen Creek Planning & Zoning Commission approved a comprehensive sign plan to replace the existing monument sign at Horseshoe Park & Equestrian Center with a 40-foot monument that includes a double-sided LED display.

Sarah Clark of the Development Services Department presented the item, describing the Horseshoe Park At Equestrian Center (HPEC) site and the requested deviations from the town’s sign regulations. Clark said the proposed monument would measure 40 feet tall with a total sign area of 253.75 square feet and would include a 128-square-foot LED animated panel that would change static images every eight seconds and remain illuminated 24 hours a day with an evening dimming setting.

The action matters because the request exceeds the zoning ordinance’s usual limits: Clark said the code’s maximum monument sign height is 8 feet and the maximum sign area is 48 square feet. Staff compared the proposed sign to existing large-scale signage nearby, noting Pecan Lake Entertainment Center and Fat Cats also use LED signs, and concluded the request is consistent with surrounding uses and the large arena massing at HPEC.

David Solum, general manager of Horseshoe Park, told commissioners that the park’s existing marquee technology is obsolete and no longer supported. Solum said the park has grown since it opened and cited recent visitation and sponsorship figures: he said HPEC hosted roughly 245 event days, drew about 216,000 visitors in the past year, had about 12,000 horses enter events and 17,000 RV stays, and currently has 43 sponsors averaging about $7,100 each. Solum said Earnhardt agreed to be the title sponsor for the new sign and contributed $124,000; he estimated the digital sign could generate about $75,000 per year and that the park would reserve 25% of digital time to promote Queen Creek events.

Commissioners asked staff about the tallest freestanding sign currently in town; Clark said the existing 30-foot sign at HPEC is likely the tallest freestanding sign and that comparable entertainment venues in the area also use LED signage. No public comments were made on the item; the commission treated this as a final action item. A motion to approve the Horseshoe Park comprehensive sign plan (Case P24-0195) was made and seconded; the chair called the vote and the motion carried (voice vote). The meeting record does not include a roll-call tally.

The commission approved the specific deviations described in the application: (1) monument sign height to 40 feet (code: 8 feet), (2) total sign area of 253.75 square feet (code: 48 square feet), and (3) use of an LED animated sign with dimming controls and a static-image cycle every eight seconds. Staff noted the LED panel would be dimmed in the evening to minimize glare.

The approved plan also describes design features including a top panel with the Horseshoe Park emblem, a gable roof detail with halo illumination, wood-finished posts and a stone veneer base. Solum said the applicant has not yet sold advertising time beyond park sponsors and that the park intends to use part of the digital board for town messaging.

The commission did not request additional information prior to approval. Future implementation will be subject to plan submittal and standard building and electrical permitting processes required by the town.