| West Phoenix, AZ growing at an alarming rate. | | | | mixed now with Retail, Food Processing and |
| During our heated visit recently, we studied | | | | lots of Aerospace, we talked to a maintenance |
| the economic vitality of Avondale, Goodyear, | | | | supervisor for Timco who said their newest |
| Litchfield and Tolleson. This area is the | | | | contract would require an additional 140 |
| fastest growing area of all of Phoenix which | | | | people to be hired. Luftstanza Airlines has |
| is the second fastest metro DMA area in the | | | | its training center there also. Del Monte and |
| United States of America. Maricopa County is | | | | Poore Brothers process there. Snyders of |
| #2 next to Clark County in Las Vegas NV | | | | Hanover, Rubbermaid, Walle Corp, Cavco.The |
| metro. Surprise, Glendale and Goodyear are | | | | Goodyear Airport is a major plus along with |
| breaking all kinds of records as the Governor | | | | the neighboring business parks. The runway is |
| looks at the issues of water and future | | | | over 8500 feet and can land and takeoff any |
| resources. We of course do our homework on | | | | aircraft known to man. The city has attracted |
| economic factors before we attempt to enter a | | | | many companies and is business friendly and |
| region as most seasoned veteran business | | | | has online applications for just about every |
| people do.In Avondale the population is | | | | permit. They have attracted; |
| growing and currently about 36,000 | | | | Aviation-Plastics and Composites, Sun Cor |
| population. 33% of which is Hispanic with HS | | | | Development, Chariot Eagle, Wal-Mart Dist |
| education average education level. | | | | contractor McClane, West Valley Medical |
| Agriculture and Agriculture processing is the | | | | Center. The weather is hot in summer, but |
| biggest industrial sector although that too | | | | year round workable if you are able to handle |
| is changing as light industrial is taking | | | | the average daytime summer temps; .June to |
| advantage of the labor supply. Many new car | | | | September it is 100-105 degrees. Greater |
| dealerships are assisting the city coffers | | | | Phoenix Economic Council has some interesting |
| with sales tax revenue although some of that | | | | stats for the area as well. All the cities in |
| has been given up short term as incentives, | | | | the West Phoenix are charge an additional 2% |
| but all that kicks in two years. Beam Corp is | | | | sales tax and the schools are considered |
| a major employer there says Jeffrey Fairman, | | | | great, even with all the non-english speaking |
| Economic Development Director.Avondale is | | | | students struggling at first.Litchfield has |
| just South of Luke AFB and derives much | | | | about 4000 population with only 8% Hispanic, |
| income from military employees who buy good | | | | but is growing exponentially. Some of the |
| and services there. Also in the area is an | | | | major employers include; Conklin Rose, Wig |
| 80,000 square foot Medical Center. Also major | | | | Wam 4-star Resort, Goodyear Family grew |
| employers include; LP Steel Industries, | | | | cotton there and then sold the land to |
| Cashion Tank and Steel, California Materials, | | | | Litchfield, who grew Egyptian long-staple |
| Bio Scientific and several new projects in | | | | cotton for use in the processing and |
| progress. Average house price has risen 10% | | | | manufacturing tires for Goodyear. Water of |
| in the past year and is still good at; $132K | | | | course brought in by SRP. We will in the |
| which is average for the area. The housing | | | | future do a complete study of the history of |
| growth once again is incredible. The permit | | | | SRP-Salt Water River Project. Average Home |
| processing is helped by the City Streamlining | | | | price in the area has grown to 310K. The city |
| Committee. in the area enjoy the local water | | | | is pro business and allows grading of at risk |
| park, bowling alley, church youth groups and | | | | soil before final permits to test the ability |
| Pop Warner Football and lots of soccer teams. | | | | of the land to support the project. These |
| The MAG-Maricopa Association of Governments | | | | four cities on the West side of PHX average |
| is spending 15.5 Billion on new | | | | 16.8% of the population at 25-34 meaning |
| transportation infrastructure of which much | | | | labor supply and good customer base. 16.2% |
| will be for expanding freeway widths through | | | | has 35-44 age grouping. 46% Hispanic and |
| Avondale on I-10. The 22-member panel is | | | | similar to Los Angeles. Labor force is 29% |
| about 1 billion over budget but that will be | | | | less than HS education. 23% have HS only |
| picked up as the housing is not slowing down. | | | | education and 24.8% have some college but no |
| About the only big draw back is the problems | | | | degree. Prevailing average wage for labor is |
| of auto theft which Phoenix area is number | | | | $9.86 per hour.Tolleson, has had good growth |
| two only beaten out by Tucson AZ. Most of | | | | since the freeway interchange got finished |
| these cars find their way to Mexico. Of all | | | | for the 101 loop connecting to I-10. Huge new |
| the West Maricopa cities there is severe fire | | | | Auto Center. Freightliner Facility, Truck |
| risk in the hot summers until the Summer | | | | Stop, mostly due to the city fathers seeing |
| Monsoon season starts, at which time the | | | | an opportunity due to the freeway interchange |
| on-call fire teams and hot shot crews move to | | | | and had some 6 new car dealerships move in by |
| Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Washington, South | | | | on I-10 and they used a fast track permit |
| Dakota.In Goodyear, AZ things are a bit | | | | processing program to do the rest. Also in |
| different. The population has absolutely | | | | the area are Lisanti Foods, Nabisco, Quaker |
| exploded and is continuing to. Many people | | | | Oats, Western Container, Greater PHX Auto |
| work out at the Prisons on Palos Verde Rd and | | | | Auction, Auto Zone Dist., Graybar Dist., Sara |
| the newest prison that you can see from I-10, | | | | Lee Dist., Sysco Dist., Frys Dist., Cactus |
| some people we talked to worked at the | | | | Transportation, Cost Co Dist., Fed Ex Depot, |
| Nuclear Power plant or for SRP or Betchel all | | | | and still there are many residents which have |
| of which work there at the Power Plant. There | | | | brought the housing prices of this industrial |
| are about 20,000 people in Goodyear but there | | | | freeway adjacent to 100K on average. Tolleson |
| are also some 5000 new homes going up right | | | | has a pop of 5000 and 70% Hispanic, |
| now. It is 22% Hispanic and that number is | | | | unemployment is 6%. The major jobs are |
| being diluted, but future growth should be | | | | service based, retail, warehousing and |
| equal under that ratio in my opinion for the | | | | manufacturing . Other large employers are |
| next decade. As more and more Hispanic | | | | CSI, Sun Land Beef, Albertsons Dist., Pet |
| Families enter the middle class we will see | | | | Smart Dist. Dist., and several meat and food |
| them turn Republican and buy into the area of | | | | packing plants. .The Western Suburban areas |
| Goodyear with an average home price of 142K | | | | of Phoenix have turned from rural dusty |
| and climbing.Goodyear as you might have | | | | farming communities to extremely livable |
| guessed is named after the Akron Rubber | | | | middle class soccer mom communities with all |
| Baron, which you can learn more about on the | | | | the trimmings. It is a good place to do |
| second floor of the Goodyear Building outside | | | | business, great customer base and it will |
| Akron in the World of Rubber Museum at | | | | continue to build out for another two |
| Goodyear original HQ. In Goodyear they made | | | | decades.Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank |
| rubber for the US Navy Seaplanes, now that | | | | forum board. |
| facility is Lockheed Martin. The area is | | | | |