By Recker McDowell —
White Claw is landing a new $250 million brewing and production facility in Glendale.
The project is off the Loop 303 near Olive and Peoria Avenues. Glendale is trying to brand the area as its ‘New Frontier’.
The Loop 303 and new South Mountain Freeway connecting the East Valley to Laveen and the West Valley offer more economic connections for the region.
Microsoft and Nike are landing new data center and manufacturing operations, respectively, in Goodyear. Amazon.com also continues to expand its footprint in Goodyear.
El Mirage is looking to bring in my commercial uses and homebuilders continue the growth in Buckeye and Surprise.
The economic development and growth in the West Valley should show cities there that they are even more of a connected area.
The days of old municipal rivalries, turf wars and encouraging the development of sales tax generating retailer centers should be replaced with more cooperation and regional approaches to bringing in jobs and investment.
The East Valley as well as Scottsdale and Phoenix have mostly gotten over past rivalries and battles. The growth and economic maturation of the West Valley is seeing its cities become more connected including through new transportation corridors.
That creates a future focused on cooperation and cohesion more and the need to put neighborhood bickering, hurt feelings and municipal rivalries in the rear-view mirror.