Michelle
Ride, President and CEO, WESTMARC welcomed the attendees at the event held
at the Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park.
There was standing room only.
The 250 business men and women in the audience far surpasses last's
year's number by twice as much. CassidyTurley/BRE
Commercial was the event's sponsor and West Valley Financial Real Estate
Group was the co-presenter.
The
summit included a panel of five: Pete
O'Neil, Senior Research Analyst, Colliers International of Greater Phoenix
gave an Update and Forecast for Real Estate in the West Valley,
John Graham, President, and CEO, Sunbelt Holding, presentation titled:
The West Valley: An Investor's Point of View; Barry Broome,
President and CEO, Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC), presentation
was entitled: Competitive Position, Assets and Economic Strategy for
the West Valley, Amy St. Peter, Human Services and Special Projects Manage,
Maricopa Association Governments (MAG) and Jim Rounds, Senior Vice Preside
and Senior Economic, Elliot D. Pollack and Company, presented: Metropolitan
Business Planning Initiative: Value for the West Valley. Michael Ryan, Vice President/GM Community Newspapers, The
Arizona Republic served as the panel's moderator.
Mr.
Ryan had this to say about the Summit:
"West Valley residents should feel encouraged that the economy
is coming out of its years-long slump,'' said Michael Ryan, Arizona
Republic vice president of its community newspapers and moderator of the
forum. "As John Graham, president and CEO of Sunbelt Holdings said,
the wind is finally at our backs and just like in golf, that's good after
years of battling head winds. The key now is for all the West Valley
communities to come together and work together to encourage economic
development."
After
the panel presentations, there was a short question and answer session.
Before lunch was served and, Jerry Colangelo, Principal Partner,
JDM Partners, Co-Chairman, Arizona Commerce Authority delivered the
keynote address.
The
West Valley is set for an economic boom.
With regional cooperation, it could be magical, but if that
cooperation breaks down, just the opposite happens.
Transportation is a key in bringing this "magic" to the
West Valley. The Loop
303 and the various sports facilities are key components to the
area's success. The area is
getting noticed by companies like Sub-Zero, Amazon, Dick's and Solar
First. Each of these new
business have huge footprints (very large facilities) in the West Valley.
The
West Valley needs to compete and stay competitive nationally and
internationally. China has
money and the Chinese are looking at West Valley properties. Florida and Texas are tough competitors.
Key factors in their success are the intensives these states offer
businesses. Businesses can be
like free agents in sports. They will be looking for who can give them what they are
looking for.
These
are new times. Cities need to
be ready and organized to deliver quickly.
An example is a quicker turnaround is for permits. The process needs to be an online process as well and
available 24/7.
California
is loosing people and businesses and that in turn is good for Arizona.
The West
Valley
could literally become East LA. The
drivers of the big 18-wheelers can be on the road for 11 hours.
The seaports on the west cost are just 6-8 hours from the West
Valley. Reasonable land
prices and rents, an available labor force as well as the generally low
cost of living here Arizona become very attractive to businesses who want
to locate in our state. Another
key component is the Interstate 11 (I-11).
This new highway, when ready, will connect Mexico with with Canada.
Before I-11 is completely finished, it will connect Phoenix with
Las Vegas. These two large
cities are the only two cities with their populations in the country that
do not have a major highway connecting them.
Bette
Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 3363.
Glendale
City Councilmember Phil Lieberman at the 2012 WESTMARC Economic
Development at the Wigwam on Thursday, April 18, 2013.
Bette
Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 3388.
Michael
Ryan, Vice President/GM Community Newspapers, The Arizona Republic was the
moderator for the five member panel.
Bette
Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 3379.
Peter
O'Neil, Senior Research Analyst, Colliers International of Greater
Phoenix, John Graham, President and CEO, Sunbelt Holdings, and Barry
Broome, President and CEO. Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) were
part of the five member panel and the Economic Development Summit on April
18, 2012. Peter O'Neil said
he has seen signs of growth in the West Valley since the downturn, and
"this is a good sign." Mr.
Graham would like to see the "theme of collaboration" throughout
the West Valley. "He also said, We are seeing tons of activity",
which supports his optimism. "At
the end of the day, it's all about building market potential," said
Barry Broome. Mr. Broome said
that solar is an industry that might go through the roof.
The West Valley is well suited
for solar energy installations.
Bette
Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 3380.
Amy
St. Peter, Human Services and Special Projects Manager, Maricopa
Association of Governments (MAG) and Jim Rounds, Senior Vice President and
Senior Economics, Elliot D. Pollack and Company were part of the five
member panelist.
Bette
Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 3367.
Former
WESTMARC President and CEO Jack Lundsford attended the 2012 Economic
Development Summit. Mr.
Lundsford was instrumental in establishing the Greater Maricopa Foreign
Trade Zone (GMFTZ). Manufacturing
companies using imported components and if that company utilized a
warehouse/distribution center that is larger than 300,000 square feet,
the center that is larger than 300,000 square feet, as the GMFTZ may help
save greatly on personal and property taxes.
(Source: http://www.westmarc.org/files/images/GMFTZ-summary-brochure.pdf
(April 19, 2012. 11:20 a. m.)
Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no.
3412.
Keynote speaker
Jerry Colangelo, Co-Chairman Arizona Commerce Authority and Principal
Partner JDM; told the standing room only crowd about Douglas Ranch in
Buckeye, Arizona. The master
planned community, when finished could be about the size of Tempe,
Arizona. At 36 square miles
it would be largest master-planned community to date.
Voters in Buckeye approved (by a 67 percent margin) the annexation
of Douglas Ranch. The town of Buckeye also secured the rights to the Hassayampa
River groundwater aquifer, the largest untapped aquifer in the state.
The
finished project could have 83,000 homes and 250,000 residents.
The planed community would be divided into 27 separate planning
areas, including 2,000 commercial acres and 947 acres for employment.
Twelve high schools and 25 elementary schools are planned.
there will be 22 percent of the land in Douglas Ranch will be
left open for trails and parks, and there are plans for 22 golf
courses. Prices and styles for homes will inclue the entry-level to
the custom built.
Source: http://www.buckeyevalleychamber.org/about-more.htm
(April 19, 2012
-11:37 a. m.).
Interstate
11 (I-11) would begin at Tonopah, Arizona and follow the US 93 and US 95
routes northward. The
interstate would be part of the CANAMAX Corridor.
The southern route for I-11 is more uncertain.
Following State Route 85 south to Lukeville, Arizona is a good
guess. Population follows the
highway.
Arizona is one of the largest destination states for people
leaving California.
And the States of Destination...
Among the largest destination states
from
California in ACS 2010 data
–
Texas 68,959
–
Arizona 47,164
–
Washington 39,468
–
Nevada 35,472
–
Oregon 34,190
These
estimates have not been previously published for 2010 ACS. Because of
sampling error, these estimates may not be significantly different
from one another or from estimates for other flows not listed.
Source:http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/pdf/2011-11-
15_migration_slides.pdf (Slide 19, April 19, 2012, 12:50 p. m.)
When
Arizona, and especially the West Valley, tie these things together: areas
with intensives for businesses, additional highways such as the Loop 303
and the planned Interstate 11, and anticipated population growth; the
results indicate the West Valley is set for very positive economic
changes. Two possible bumps
in the recovery could the housing market, and in 2017-2018 some economists
see a difficult financial time in Europe.
The West Valley is in the global market an economic bump in the
road there could mean one here.
Everyone
in the room Thursday morning needs to be on the same page, according to
Jerry Colangelo and everyone will need to work collectively to make things
happen.
Mr.
Colangelo "does want to talk to naysayers." Sports men and women
know how important teamwork is for success.
Talent
wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.
- Michael
Jordan
