The long-planned Walmart near Signal Butte Road and State Route 24 no longer looks like a distant proposal. Its brown exterior walls stretch across the site, the large blue entrance panels are in place, and crews are working around a building that is visibly moving toward completion.
The most important detail for nearby shoppers is also the one that requires the most care: the current public opening window is the fourth quarter of 2026—October through December—but Walmart has not announced a specific opening day.
Recent reporting tied to the development team points to a late-2026 opening. As of September 12, however, East Valley Explorer could not locate an official Walmart store page or corporate announcement naming a date. Construction schedules can move, so any exact date circulating before Walmart confirms it should be treated as tentative.
These photos were taken September 12, 2026. They show substantial exterior progress, but the parking field, landscaping, signage and other site work still appear unfinished. The images do not show the condition of the store’s interior.
The quick facts
What: Planned Walmart Supercenter
Location: Near the Signal Butte Road interchange with State Route 24 in southeast Mesa
Development: Destination at Gateway
Planned store size: Approximately 171,000 square feet
Walmart site: Approximately 17.6 acres
Current opening window: Fourth quarter of 2026, or October through December
Exact opening date: Not yet announced by Walmart
Planning-stage features: Auto Care Center, fuel station, outdoor center and a dedicated online pickup area
This is not the existing Walmart at 1606 S. Signal Butte Road near U.S. 60. The new store is several miles south, beside SR 24 and the fast-growing Gateway corridor.
What the latest construction photos show
The September 12 images capture a project well beyond the steel-frame stage. Much of the main exterior shell appears complete, rooftop equipment is visible, and the blue facade panels that typically frame Walmart branding stand out against the brown building.
Crews and construction equipment remain active around the storefront. Portions of the concrete apron have been poured, while other areas still show exposed dirt, temporary fencing and unfinished access work. No permanent Walmart lettering is visible on the primary blue panels in the photos.
That combination—a largely formed building with significant site work still underway—is consistent with a project aiming for a late-year opening, but exterior progress alone cannot confirm when the store will pass inspections, stock shelves or welcome customers.
When will the new Walmart open?
The best currently available answer is the fourth quarter of 2026.
Hoodline reported in July, citing Phoenix Business Journal reporting, that the Supercenter was expected to open during that quarter. A fourth-quarter window covers October 1 through December 31.
That is a useful target, but it is not the same as a grand-opening announcement. Walmart’s public Mesa store directory does not yet list this location, and the company has not posted location-specific hours, a store number or a grand-opening schedule that East Valley Explorer could verify.
The next reliable signs to watch for will be permanent storefront lettering, local hiring announcements, a live page in Walmart’s store directory and a company-issued grand-opening date.
What is planned for the store
Walmart’s 2024 pre-application described a roughly 171,000-square-foot Supercenter on 17.6 acres, according to Arizona Builder’s Exchange. The proposal included an Auto Care Center, fuel station, outdoor center and an on-site medical clinic.
The plans also emphasized online ordering. A dedicated pickup area was designed for the west end of the store, with separate drive aisles, pickup stalls and charging spaces for Walmart electric delivery vans. The layout was intended to keep pickup traffic from conflicting with shoppers heading to the main entrance.
Some of those details date to the planning stage. The City of Mesa later approved the large-format retail site plan in June 2025, followed by approvals involving Walmart and the fuel center in August 2025, according to a 2026 city staff report. Final departments, clinic plans, fuel-center timing and opening-day services should be confirmed when Walmart publishes the location’s official page.
Walmart is the anchor for a much larger project
The store is part of Destination at Gateway, a major commercial development surrounding the SR 24 and Signal Butte interchange. Current project marketing describes a 163.59-acre site combining a Walmart-anchored power center with 24 Auto Row, a planned group of dealership parcels.
The Walmart may be the most visible piece for everyday shoppers, but it is not the only business planned. KTAR reported in June that the retail lineup also included 7 Brew, Taco Bell, Take 5 Oil Change, Zara Nail Bar and PAC Dental. Additional shop space, drive-thru pads and room for another larger retailer were still being marketed.
Those businesses will not necessarily open with Walmart. Tenant lists and construction schedules can change, and no shared grand-opening date has been announced for the broader center.
Why this location matters to southeast Mesa and nearby communities
The site sits at a crossroads for some of the East Valley’s fastest-growing residential areas. It is immediately south of Eastmark and close to Cadence at Gateway, while SR 24 creates a direct east-west connection toward Queen Creek and the Superstition Vistas area.
For residents of Eastmark, Cadence, Radiance, Blossom Rock, Barney Farms and Ironwood Crossing, the store could turn some longer shopping trips into a more direct run along Signal Butte Road or SR 24. Apache Junction residents will gain another large-format shopping option on the southern side of the Mesa–Apache Junction area, particularly for trips already using Signal Butte, Meridian Road, SR 24 or Loop 202.
The location also puts Walmart near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, ASU Polytechnic and a growing cluster of industrial and technology employers. The developer’s current marketing materials cite more than 10,000 new residences within five miles and position the project beside Eastmark’s planned 17,000-plus homes.
More retail will also mean more traffic. The broader Destination at Gateway plan includes new access, signals and road improvements, but opening-week patterns may take time to settle as drivers learn the entrances and neighboring pads continue construction.
How the project reached this point
The Walmart is part of a planning process that has evolved over several years:
2020: Mesa approved an early development agreement and tax-incentive framework for Destination at Gateway.
March 2024: Walmart submitted its pre-application for the Supercenter and related features.
June 2024: The Mesa City Council approved an amended development agreement and land-use actions for the larger project.
June 2025: Mesa approved the Walmart site plan.
August 2025: City records list approvals for Walmart and the Walmart fuel center.
September 12, 2026: New East Valley Explorer photos show the exterior shell substantially built with site work continuing.
Fourth quarter of 2026: The currently reported opening window.
Mesa’s 2024 agreement covered land both inside the city and in unincorporated Maricopa County. The city described the project as a mix of large commercial development, auto dealerships and residential uses. The City Council record provides the formal approval history.
What to watch next
The building is now prominent enough to make the project feel close, especially from SR 24. The remaining milestones matter more than appearances: completed access and parking areas, permanent signs, final inspections, hiring and an official Walmart announcement.
For now, southeast Mesa and nearby Queen Creek and Apache Junction shoppers should circle late 2026, not a particular day. East Valley Explorer will update this story when Walmart publishes a confirmed opening date, store number and service list.
