Glendale/West Valley Development Thread

[zoomingthe305]

Azliam,

I agree with you, although, I didn't want to even touch on Don's post because there will be no common ground with that guy. Best to just let it be.

[Don B.]

^ Or maybe it's too difficult for you to articulate a cogent response, line by line, to my arguments?

--don

[HooverDam]

Glendale 'tea party' backing Tohono O'odham casino plan

53 comments by Cecilia Chan - Apr. 8, 2011 11:49 AM
The Arizona Republic

The Tohono O'odham Nation has found an unlikely ally in the Glendale Tea Party Patriots.

The Glendale group supports the tribe's proposed casino despite conservative state lawmakers' attempts to stop the project near 95th and Northern avenues.

Renderings of proposed Glendale casino
Feds move up plans to create reservation land

Republican lawmakers such as Senate President Russell Pearce have called it a states' rights issue, balking at what they see as overreaching by the federal government. Pearce, a "tea party" supporter, has supported Glendale's legal challenge of the federal decision to create a reservation near the city's sports and entertainment district.


Annette McHugh, founder of the Glendale tea party group, said party members have yet to meet with Pearce.

"Right now, he is busy with legislative duties and doesn't have time to talk," she said. "All we are going to do is let him know our side."

The group says its position is all about the money. McHugh said they oppose the city spending taxpayer dollars to fight a losing battle to stop the casino.

Glendale has so far spent $1.3 million. That's sure to climb as the city appeals a judge's ruling in March that upheld the U.S. Department of Interior's decision to create a reservation, paving the way for a casino.

The federal government has indicated it plans to formally designate the 54 acres a reservation on May 16.

Tribal Chairman Ned Norris Jr. was invited to Wednesday's tea party meeting in Glendale but could not attend.

Elizabeth "Libby" Francisco, chief operating officer for the tribe's Gaming Enterprise, was at the weekly meeting at Marie Callender's restaurant on Bell Road. She presented renderings of the casino, spa and hotel to about 50 receptive group members.

Those at the meeting expressed approval for the project's economic impact - $300 million annually, 6,000 construction jobs and 3,000 permanent jobs. Although the project has been scaled back, the tribe said an updated study found the economic impact remained the same because the project was still expected to draw 1.2 million visitors a year.

Party legislative Vice Chairwoman Francine Romesburg noted the casino would be self-sustaining and would require no outside money.

"If there is anything we need, we will pay for it," Francisco said, countering Glendale's arguments that the casino would be a drain on city resources. "We are not asking the city of Glendale for a dime. We are capable of paying for any services we need."

Glendale City Councilman and casino advocate Phil Lieberman has been a frequent face at the Glendale tea party meetings. On Wednesday, he said the deal to bring Cabela's to Glendale required the city to invest up to $16.7 million for infrastructure and store elements. "The nation has not asked us for a single cent," Lieberman said.

He said the tribe last year contributed $439,000 in grants to Tucson unlike developers who build in Glendale.

"Do you know how many grants Bidwill gave to the city in the last five years?" Lieberman said, referring to the owner of the Arizona Cardinals. "I've not seen the first one yet."



Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/g...#ixzz1J3DtyhrE

Good for the Tea Party folks, they're on the money on this one. This Casino is going to help MAKE MONEY FOR GLENDALE IN THE LONG RUN. The City is spending millions it doesn't have to fight a losing battle, its so amazingly stupid.

[Leo the Dog]

Originally Posted by HooverDam

Good for the Tea Party folks, they're on the money on this one. This Casino is going to help MAKE MONEY FOR GLENDALE IN THE LONG RUN. The City is spending millions it doesn't have to fight a losing battle, its so amazingly stupid.

Well said. Can't believe Glendale has wasted $1.3M so far.

[Vicelord John]

Originally Posted by Leo the Dog

Well said. Can't believe Glendale has wasted $1.3M so far.

What do you expect? This is a city with a severe inferiority disorder. As long as I remember, Glendale has had this "if you have it then we want it too" attitude about everything and if they cant have it then no one can... at any cost. Is Elaine Scruggs still the mayor out there? I remember her as being completely awful.

[zoomingthe305]

Yes, Elaine Scruggs is still the mayor.

Don, getting into a discussion about the white man's former wrong doings towards Indians and their current tax exempt status in our society would not change either of our minds. I figure its not worth it on this board.

I agree that the legal costs for this thing are getting out of hand. At this point, it sounds like the casino will be built. Like I said earlier, Glendale should have sat down with the tribe and talked first.

[HooverDam]

Arizona named one of two finalists for 2015 Super Bowl

29 comments by Rebekah L. Sanders - Apr. 28, 2011 03:24 PM
The Arizona Republic

Arizona and Tampa Bay, Fla., will woo the National Football League as the two locales on Thursday were announced as finalists to host the 2015 Super Bowl.

The NFL gauged interest from University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale and other venues and then narrowed the pool to two.

"We are delighted," Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee chairman Mike Kennedy said. "As I have always said, we are in the Super Bowl business and believe we have the best facilities and most hospitable venue in the country."


Final bids must be submitted by Aug. 1, with an NFL decision in October.

Arizona has hosted two Super Bowls, which include a glitzy spectacle of parties and festivities in the week leading up to the game. The New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots in Glendale during Super Bowl XLII in 2008. ASU's Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe hosted Super Bowl XXX in 1996, when the Dallas Cowboys beat the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Tampa has hosted four Super Bowls, most recently in 2009 when the Arizona Cardinals played the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"Our chances are better than they've ever been," said Kennedy, since the choice is down to two and Tampa held its game more recently.

Arizona lost bids for the 2012 Super Bowl to Indianapolis and the 2013 game to New Orleans. Last year, the state committee declined to bid for 2014, citing the economy. The game went to New Jersey.

The NFL has changed its Super Bowl bid process.

Rather than allowing any city to submit bids, the league will now select two locations to compete each year. The timing is adjusted too. Selection will happen in the fall instead of spring.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy called it "a more strategic approach in the bid process."

In previous years, the bidding was more open. "You would have three or four cities go through the process every single year. And then you would have losers," McCarthy said.

Now the NFL will choose sites, such as two warm-weather cities or two new-stadium cities.

"We think this is more fair to the clubs and to the communities who put a lot of time into their bids," he said.

Some bids got fairly elaborate. Indianapolis school children hand-delivered bid books for the 2012 game. New Orleans reportedly delivered team owners cypress-crafted wood boxes that contained bid books for the 2013 game.

In the coming months, the Arizona host committee must obtain commitments from hotels for rooms and rates, approval from the Glendale City Council and buy-in from other stakeholders.

"If we do get this, it's a huge economic impact, not to mention the media exposure," said Kiva Couchon, spokeswoman for the Arizona Office of Tourism.

The last Super Bowl generated $500 million statewide, according to a study commissioned by the host committee.

But the games came at a price for Glendale. The city spent $2.2 million more on security and other costs than the sales taxes it raked in.

Because of that, a minority of council members, such as Phil Lieberman, have voted against bidding for another Super Bowl, unless the costs are shared more widely. Lieberman says he would vote the same this year for the 2015 game.

Kennedy in the past has said he'd like the state Legislature to create a mechanism to help cover costs for mega-events. On Thursday, he said the political and economic climate may not make that possible.

"Hopefully folks will consider this as an investment and know the dollars will come around at the time of the game," he said.



Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/card...#ixzz1KxOzCrkj

Welp I pray we get this, we could really use it. Tampa has had twice as many Super Bowls as AZ & they've hosted one more recently. It seems only fair for the 2015 game to come to Glendale. I just wish we could get the damned Final Four here as well.

Its too bad that even by 2015 Light Rail won't be anywhere near Glendale and commuter rail won't be around either.

[PhxER]

Wasn't sure which one to put this under, so I just did West Valley since ASU West is on the border of Glendale and Phoenix

ASU to break ground for new West campus facilities
June 07, 2011
The growth taking place at Arizona State University’s West campus will soon be supported by the addition of a new residence hall and dining facility. The university will celebrate the start of construction on these projects with a groundbreaking ceremony on June 15, with the public invited to attend.

The facilities are set to open for the beginning of the Fall 2012 semester on the campus at Thunderbird Road and 47th Ave., in northwest Phoenix.

The new residence hall, meant to serve freshmen and sophomores, will double the current number of on-campus beds for resident students. The existing Las Casas facility, with its apartment-style units, will be an attractive alternative for upperclassmen and graduate students.

The 365-bed, 93,000 square-foot residence hall will feature 109 one- and two-bedroom suite-style units for two or four residents. Amenities include a social lounge, gaming lounge, study rooms, a community kitchen for programming use, laundry facilities, a business center and an interior landscaped courtyard. The building is designed to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver specifications.

The $14.3-million residence hall will be built and owned by American Campus Communities, with whom ASU worked to establish the successful Barrett Honors College and Vista Del Sol projects on the Tempe campus.

Among the amenities in the 37,000 square-foot dining facility will be open and private dining areas, late-night dining options, market-style servery areas and retail space. The Jamba Juice restaurant and Devils’ Den student lounge currently located in the University Center Building are expected to become part of the new dining facility.

The total project cost for the dining facility, also to be built by American Campus Communities, is $9.5 million. ARAMARK, the dining service provider, will contribute to the project.

No state dollars or tuition revenues are being used to fund the residence hall or dining facility.

“The West campus is a key asset for Arizona State University and for the West and North Valley,” said ASU President Michael M. Crow. “We are committed to making the campus a sought-after destination for outstanding students not only from the Valley but from around Arizona and the United States, and these new facilities will help us make continued progress toward that goal.”

The campus already has begun attracting increased numbers of out-of-state students, providing a boost to the local economy. In Fall 2010 nearly 25 percent of the newly admitted students to ASU’s New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, the core college on the West campus, came from outside Arizona. Some of those students were drawn by the ability to take advantage of the Western Undergraduate Exchange program that enables students from 14 Western states to enroll in select majors and pay lower tuition than the regular non-resident rate.

“Research has repeatedly shown that university freshmen who live on campus have higher retention and graduation rates than those who do not,” said Elizabeth Langland, dean of New College and ASU vice provost. “We have added elements to the new residence hall and dining facility that are specifically designed to bring students together for academic and social interaction, which will enhance our sense of community on campus.”

Along with New College, ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College and W. P. Carey School of Business offer degree programs on the West campus. Barrett, The Honors College also maintains an active presence on the campus, with students in all majors eligible to participate in Barrett programming.

The new buildings will add to the many facilities and services for students already offered at the West campus, including a full-service library, computing commons, tutoring services, disability resource center, dining options including Starbucks, dozens of student clubs, and opportunities for students to work with professors on research projects. A shuttle service is available for students who take classes on multiple ASU campuses.

The June 15 celebration of the construction projects begins with breakfast at 7:30 a.m., followed by the groundbreaking at 8:00 a.m. R.S.V.P.s are requested by June 10 at (480) 965-2116 or eventrsvp@asu.edu.

ASU’s West campus is at 4701 W. Thunderbird Road in Phoenix. The groundbreaking event will be held on the multipurpose field west of the Sands Classroom Building. Visitors to campus may park in Lot 13, off University Way North on the north side of campus.

Link: http://asunews.asu.edu/20110607_westgroundbreaking

[PhxER]

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/n...mploy-250.html

Finally a Hospital up by Lake Pleasant

[zoomingthe305]

Westgate City Center facing foreclosure:

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/n...-glendale.html

[phoenixboi08]

Originally Posted by zoomingthe305

Westgate City Center facing foreclosure:

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/n...-glendale.html

Whoa whoa whoa...is this the place near the Stadium!?

[zoomingthe305]

From AZCentral:

Westgate City Center, the flashy dining and shopping complex that anchors Glendale's football stadium and hockey arena, is facing foreclosure.

The Ellman Cos. announced Monday that the property at Loop 101 and Glendale Avenue has been scheduled for auction.

"Despite Herculean efforts, the Westgate ownership group, including a consortium of Wall Street real-estate entities, is not immune from the real-estate collapse," the Phoenix-based Ellman Cos. said in a statement.

The developer blamed the national recession and uncertainty surrounding the future of the Phoenix Coyotes staying in Glendale for the complex's struggles. The Coyotes have been without a permanent owner for two years, hurting the number of visitors to hockey games and to Westgate shops and restaurants.

The situation has several potential outcomes: Developer Steve Ellman could negotiate a deal with lenders to keep the property; new buyers could purchase the complex at auction; or lenders could take over the complex if no buyer is secured.

At least one potential investor has already expressed interest. Matthew Hulsizer, working on a deal to purchase the Coyotes, said Monday that he might be interested.

Westgate has played a major role in Glendale's economic aspirations.

Ellman worked with the city a decade ago to build a sports and entertainment district. The city paid $180 million to build Jobing .com Arena for the Coyotes, a team that Ellman owned at the time. Ellman built Westgate, which the city depends on for sales-tax revenues to make annual $8 million to $10 million debt payments on the arena.

Westgate opened in 2006, behind schedule and behind in the size of the promised development. The complex boasts Bellagio-style fountains, a movie theater, more than a dozen eateries and night spots like Saddle Ranch Chop House.

Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs said Ellman assured her Westgate would stay open and visitors would notice no changes.

"We're disappointed to hear the news," she said, but "it really isn't surprising. Steve Ellman has poured tens of millions of dollars into the project. But just like all other properties, his valuation has dropped so low in comparison to what is owed on the property."

Glendale issued a statement that Westgate businesses "will be open as usual."

Eric Bennett, Saddle Ranch's acting general manager, echoed that, saying that "who we write our check to is a moot point."

He said Westgate and Saddle Ranch would continue to be a destination for Valley residents.

The complex is owned by subsidiaries of Ellman Cos., Entertainment Center Development LLC and Coyote Center Development LLC. Records of the trustee sale were not immediately available from the Maricopa County Recorder's Office. Ellman Cos. spokesman Jason Rose said the auction should take place in 90 days or more.

Rose said the developer was current with all payments on interest, vendors, services and staff salaries, but that a lead lender found the developer and other lenders in default for missing payment on the balance of the loan when it recently came due.

Hulsizer, who has been working with the city for a year on an arena lease agreement for the Coyotes, said the foreclosure process will not deter him from trying to purchase the team. Hulsizer said he even would be interested in buying or partnering in the purchase of Westgate.

"We're investors, and we believe in Arizona long-term," he said. "There might be some interest in purchasing Westgate if it came for sale."

[zoomingthe305]

Glendale approves new zoning overlay for Downtown.

From AZCentral:

Revitalization efforts for downtown Glendale moved forward Tuesday. The City Council unanimously approved the establishment of the Centerline Overlay District to give property owners more flexibility when it comes to building in the Glendale Avenue corridor from 43rd to 67th avenues between Myrtle and Ocotillo avenues.

The new zoning option is Glendale's attempt to boost the redevelopment of vacant and underperforming properties along one of the city's main corridors. The new standards allow for taller buildings, more floor space and mixed-used development.

City officials launched the renewed focus on Glendale Avenue more than two years ago. They want to transform Glendale's aging downtown into a pedestrian-friendly urban village with dining, entertainment, retail shops and housing.

Councilman Phil Lieberman, whose district includes part of Glendale Avenue, called the new standards "a very vital part of our Centerline project" in that it allows businesses more opportunities.

Councilwoman Yvonne Knaack, who owns an insurance business in the Centerline project area, applauded the new building standards.

"It's a very progressive economic tool for the city," Knaack said. "It will do wonders for this area."

Property owners will be able to develop their properties using the existing zoning or the overlay district but not both.

The overlay bans certain uses such as tattoo parlors, halfway houses and car dealerships.

The overlay's main benefit is greater height, intensity and density in building. In the Historic Downtown District, buildings would be allowed to reach 60 feet, compared with the current cap of 30 feet. And the overlay would allow for up to 50 dwelling units per acre, which is prohibited in the current zoning.

[HooverDam]

Beet Sugar Factory in Glendale getting a new life

14 comments by Rebekah L. Sanders - Jul. 31, 2011 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

One of the state's most notable historic buildings, the Beet Sugar Factory in downtown Glendale, is getting a new chance at life.

The iconic red-brick building has stood in the West Valley for 105 years, vacant for the past quarter-century.

This week a Scottsdale wine merchant and developer will announce plans for restoration of the crumbling five-story factory.


Ray Klemp, owner of AZ Wine Co., and his two daughters plan to turn the site into a specialty liquor manufacturer, distributor and tasting room. Visitors will be able to sip on varieties of premium vodka, rum, tequila, gin and apple-pie-flavored liqueur and, once construction is done, tour the factory to watch production of the spirits.

The promise of a fixed-up, income-generating Beet Sugar Factory is thrilling to Arizona historic preservationists, nearby business owners and generations of residents who grew up in the building's shadow. Many had wondered whether the broken-windowed behemoth would ever operate again, after enduring years of neglect and failed proposals for reincarnation.

"I've begun to think it's jinxed," said Jim Eggleston, 85, who has run a downtown Glendale clothing shop since the mid-1950s.

As a touchstone for the local community, the Beet Sugar Factory ranks with Hayden Flour Mill in Tempe and the Citrus Growers Association plant in Mesa. Tempe recently decided to spend $70,000 to turn its mill into an events venue. Mesa's citrus plant was closed last year.

Glendale officials have been pushing for a downtown renaissance for years and staked hopes on reviving the factory in some way.

"Imagine for all of the people that live around it . . . the impact that's going to have to see that project going forward," Glendale Economic Development Director Brian Friedman said. "It's going to have a lot of ripple effects socially and financially for that whole neighborhood."

Built to last

A factory built during territorial days is no easy place to modernize.

The plant opened in 1906, six years before Arizona became a state.

But skilled brickwork and a steel frame make the Beet Sugar Factory sturdier than some historic buildings, State Historic Preservation Officer James Garrison said.

"It's a well-built building," he said. "That's one of the reasons it's lasted so long with barely a roof."

Rehab will include lifting by crane a new roof onto the structure, clearing out pigeons, adding a bathroom and brick repair.

Partial floors separating the multiple stories will need to be reinforced, but Klemp plans to keep them open-air so tourists can enjoy the dizzying view to the bottom, where copper liquor stills and wooden barrels will be stored. Banners will be unfurled outside to advertise the distillery and downtown Glendale.

A small house on the corner next to the factory will be renovated for the tasting room with tile floors, a bar and tables inside and outside. A weed-choked lot will be paved into parking, with lush landscaping surrounding it, including plants used in the liquors - agave for tequila, pink grapefruit and Mexican lime for gin, and oak for barrels.

Klemp estimates the cost will reach at least $1 million, paid in cash, over several phases of restoration in the next few years.

He expects construction to begin next month, with tastings offered by the fall and the distillery moved from temporary Phoenix quarters to the Glendale plant by the end of the year. Glendale does not plan to offer incentives or provide money for the project.

Klemp has revamped an Art Deco-era City Hall into offices in Santa Ana, Calif., and restored an adobe structure in Provo, Utah, once owned by Brigham Young, he said. He fell in love with the Beet Sugar Factory in Glendale more than a decade ago.

"When you see it, it challenges your imagination," he said. "It should be saved. It's a great building."

Sugar roots

The factory at Glendale and 52nd avenues has had many lives.

Entrepreneurs built it to process sugar beets into sugar, riding a boom that was successful in other parts of the country.

The factory prompted hundreds of new residents and economic investment in Glendale, one reason the small community formed a town. The sugar beet was the center of the city seal for decades.

But the processing plant was short-lived. It stopped operating after a decade due to poor soil, drought, plant disease and other problems.

What followed was a beer-distribution center, storage facility, Squirt soda plant and soy-sauce operation, interspersed with bouts of vacancy. The doors closed for good in 1986.

The city pursued redevelopment ideas with a Tucson family that owned the property. An indoor rock-climbing gym. Artist lofts. Apartments. Retail shops and restaurants.

Studies showed such projects would cost astronomical amounts. The Ringer-Morgan family riled city leaders by saying they preferred to see it demolished.

Then in 2009, the family agreed to sell the factory to Klemp, a partner with them since the late-1990s.

At the time, he was helping his daughters, Lauren Klemp, 26, and Morgan Klemp, 24, launch their own Valley liquor company, Forward Brands, in a small Phoenix warehouse.

If they moved in, the Beet Sugar Factory could return to its original purpose: manufacturing a local product. And having Dad as landlord wasn't bad.

Forward Brands began bottling its spirits last year and sells to places like the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Rancho Pinot in Scottsdale and AJ's Fine Foods across the Valley.

The daughters hope to ramp up production when the first section of the factory is renovated and later expand to the 248-foot length of the building.

Historic value

Saving a historic building in Arizona, which has fewer such landmarks than the East Coast, is a big deal to preservationists here.

The Beet Sugar Factory takes on additional significance for its age, size and construction, Garrison said. He believes it is Arizona's largest manufacturing building more than a century old and its largest vacant historic property.

The factory should be working by the time Arizona marks its centennial in February 2012.

Klemp and Glendale officials want to incorporate the factory into the celebrations of state history.

Residents and business owners in downtown Glendale, meanwhile, are focused on the financial possibilities. They hope the idea will take off and bring much-needed tourists and customers to the area.

Glendale Councilman Manny Martinez, who was raised blocks from the factory, recalled playing in the vacant structure as a kid.

"Hopefully, it'll be the start of attracting some other businesses," said 82-year-old Martinez. "We need all the good things we can get."



Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/g...#ixzz1ThJLbi7F

This is great news for Glendale, it seemed like forever that nothing would happen with that building. Its especially good that the person redeveloping the factory has a proven track record.

[HooverDam]

GLENDALE
Super Bowl 2015: NFL selects Phoenix

6 comments by Rebekah L. Sanders - Oct. 11, 2011 10:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

The National Football League announced this morning that Arizona will host Super Bowl XLIX in 2015. It will be the Phoenix area's third time to host the Super Bowl.

The Valley faced stiff competition from Tampa, which planted billboards for NFL owners to see touting its beaches and warm weather. Tampa has hosted four Super Bowls to Arizona's two, in 1996 and 2008.

The Super Bowl is a huge economic driver, according to a study by Arizona State University's W.P. Carey School of Business.


Football fans generated about $500 million in direct and indirect spending in Arizona during Super Bowl XLII in 2008, the study found. However, Glendale, where the game was held, collected less than the cost to provide security and other needs for University of Phoenix Stadium. The city hopes to recoup more of the cost for the game in 2015.

Hosting Super Bowl XLIX in the warm Arizona climate will be a welcome change from the ice storms in Dallas last year and frosty weather in the coming years as the Super Bowl heads to Indianapolis, New Orleans and New Jersey.

This year's Super Bowl bidding included less of the feats of showmanship seen in past years. No elected officials or celebrities were allowed and Arizona's delegation gave no interviews before the NFL's decision.

Things were different when Arizona bid for the 2008 game and delivered chocolate replica Arizona Cardinals stadiums to owners before the bid.

Other cities had in past years sweetened owners with dozens of roses and enlisted U.S. senators to promote their bids.



Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/g...#ixzz1aUkIV8gO

Welp this is great news for Glendale, Phoenix and the entire State. I hope UofP stadium can continue to be in a fairly regular rotation for the Super Bowl, getting it every decade at least.

Its too bad that even by 2015 we likely won't see Commuter Rail out to Glendale, that would've been nice to get over the big complaint about the '08 game (Glendale being too far away).

[Butta]

New Distribution Center to Support 160 Dick's Stores

Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc., a full-line sporting goods retailer, announced its plans to construct a distribution center in Goodyear, Ariz., that will service the western United States and is expected to bring approximately 120 jobs to the area when business opens in early 2013.

The distribution center will be designed to ultimately support approximately 160 stores as Dick's Sporting Goods grows its store base in the western United States over the next 5-10 years and is eventually expected to employ up to 300 associates.

Spanning 600,000-square feet and stretching across more than 50 acres, the Goodyear operation will reside at 4651 N. Cotton Lane at the confluence of Interstate 10 and Loop 303 as an anchor tenant in the master planned 1,600-acre PV303 business park.

"We are extremely pleased to announce our plan to build and open a distribution center in the City of Goodyear, Ariz., and further our commitment to the overall strategic growth of the organization," said Lee Belitsky, Senior Vice President at Dick's Sporting Goods. "This distribution center, our fourth nationally, is a positive step in the expansion of the Dick's Sporting Goods footprint in the western United States. We're excited to establish deep roots in the greater Goodyear community and help play an important role in the active daily lives of the people who live, work and visit here."

After exploring several location options in the western United States, Arizona and the City of Goodyear was chosen by Dick's Sporting Goods for the business friendly environment, the quality and reliability of the workforce, and the support of Mayor Georgia Lord and the Goodyear City Council.

"A perfect fit for our Palm Valley 303 business park and its foreign trade zone, Dick's west coast distribution center will not only generate jobs to help pay mortgages in Goodyear households but will also be a development catalyst by bringing needed infrastructure to the area," said Goodyear Mayor Georgia Lord. "We recognized from the outset that Dick's Sporting Goods would be a quality company to have in our corporate family and we welcome them into our community."

Construction on the approximately $40 million distribution center is scheduled to commence in December 2011 and conclude early in the first quarter of 2013. The building phase is expected to bring more than 375 temporary construction jobs to the area. An additional $18-20 million in capital investment in technology and automation equipment is expected to be injected into the project's development prior to opening.

Additionally, Dick's Sporting Goods is pursuing LEED certification for the facility with plans to incorporate sustainable components such as high efficiency lighting and HVAC, recycled and environmentally-friendly construction materials, energy management systems and recycling programs for corrugate and plastics.

Read more: http://apparel.edgl.com/news/New-Dis...googleid=77097

[MegaBass]

West Campus SRC broke ground this week

[MegaBass]

Aerial of the West Campus

[HX_Guy]

Tanger outlet mall set for Westgate site in Glendale
Center to feature 85 brand-name stores, open this year

Glendale's beleaguered Westgate City Center should get a shot of consumer energy later this year, when Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc. opens a new outlet mall on the site.

The project, called Tanger Outlet Center Westgate, will feature about 85 brand-name stores in an open-air mall on 38 acres at Loop 101 and Glendale Avenue.

"This shows that Westgate is not dead," said Glendale Councilwoman Joyce Clark. "This is a sign that things are turning around for Glendale and for Arizona."


The 328,000-square-foot mall is designed in a modern style to merge with Westgate, which has large, colorful billboards scattered around an outdoor plaza with a fountain that "dances" to music.

Designs show that the outlet center also is oriented toward pedestrians, with courtyards -- some covered -- and a parklike atmosphere. Like Westgate, the buildings vary in height and the setting will have a few towers.

The project has been in the works for months, with Glendale's design-review team pushing it through the system in two days. But Tanger made the official announcement only Thursday. The company had a one-sentence statement about the project in its earnings statement released Wednesday.

Steven B. Tanger, president and CEO of Tanger, a North Carolina-based company, said the project should do well in the "dynamic" Phoenix market.

Company executives and city officials plan to break ground within a couple of weeks.

Outlet malls, which generally send name-brand products for discounts of up to 75 percent, have boomed amid the economic slump.

Tanger also has signed a sublease to build an outlet at Loop 101 and Indian Bend Road, near the Talking Stick Resort and two other companies are considering outlet malls for the Valley.

A Tanger outlet in Barstow, Calif., features popular brands such as Banana Republic, Coach, Gap, Michael Kors, Reebok and Tommy Hilfiger.

Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs said the upscale Tanger malls "are a favorite among all shoppers because of the variety of brand-name products they offer for the entire family."

Tanger did not release a cost for the project Thursday, but Glendale officials said the city is not putting any money into the project or providing any incentives beyond the expedited review of the design.

Construction alone should create 700 to 800 jobs, with about 900 full- and part-time retail positions available once the mall opens in time for holiday shopping later this year.

"Tanger's new location in Glendale means new jobs, new brand-name shopping opportunities for residents and tourists and an increase in tax revenue for the city," said Glendale City Manager Ed Beasley.

The city and Westgate can use all the help they can get. Westgate businesses have been complaining for months about low foot traffic.

"The shopping component will bring a lot of people to the area," said Glendale Planning Director Jon Froke. "We think it's great for Westgate."

The Westgate shopping and entertainment center opened with a bang in 2006, three years after Glendale built an arena for the Coyotes ice-hockey team. Since then, the dour economy and dealings to keep the hockey team from leaving the city have been a drag on the area.

In 2011, Tanger announced plans to build a major West Valley shopping center. The company pulled back from plans to build the outlet near Loop 101 and Camelback Road when potential tenants lacked interest. Tanger then opened talks with the Ellman Cos. in May.

The Ellman Cos. went on to lose the bulk of Westgate to lenders in a foreclosure in September, and a new management team has been trying to reinvigorate the area.



Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/business/ar...#ixzz1mbsT0TFq

[HX_Guy]

Good news for Glendale and Phoenix in general...


Luke AFB picked as F-35 training hub

The U.S. Defense Department has officially picked Luke Air Force Base in Glendale as the training hub for the new F-35 jet fighter. Luke is already the Air Force’s training base for the F-16 fighter.
The Pentagon will station 72 F-35 jets at Luke for training for American pilots as well as those from foreign allies.
Luke has been listed as the DOD’s first choice for F-35 training, though the military considered some other locations.
Arizona and Phoenix-area elected officials lobbied hard to get the F-35 training. Otherwise, Luke’s future could have been in jeopardy.
“The goal of our statewide initiative was to send a clear message to the decision makers in Washington D.C. that Arizona strongly supports Luke Air Force Base continuing to serve as our nation’s premier fighter pilot training facility,” said Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs in a statement.
“Arizona’s military industry is one of the largest industries in our state, and Luke serves as the anchor,” Scruggs said.
Luke is located in the West Valley and first opened during World War II. Its land is owned by the city of Phoenix and leased to the U.S. Air Force even though the property is in Glendale. Luke has been a desirable pilot training ground because pilots can train with live ordnance in the Goldwater Range area in southwestern Arizona.
The Lockheed Martin-manufactured F-35 is replacing the F-16 in the U.S. military arsenal. F-35 fighter jets will start arriving at Luke sometime either in 2013 or 2014.
The base will also undergo some runway and other improvements to accommodate the new jet. That construction will start immediately after today’s official confirmation.
“This is a great day for Luke,” said Brigadier General J.D. Harris, who commands the 56th Fighter Wing group at the Glendale base “Our selection for F-35 training ensures the long-term viability of our mission of training the world’s greatest fighter pilots, which we’ve been doing at Luke for seven decades.”
Eglin Air Force Base in Pensacola, Fla. is also serving as an F-35 training ground.