Unprecedented times. Two words we all seem to use a lot these days. And while the crisis we now face can be described in no other way, our industry and our community’s ability to unite and recover in the face of incredible challenges is not unprecedented. In the past, we have rallied together and come out even stronger on the … Read More

By Recker McDowell — The Scottsdale City Council approved a $1.2 million outlay earlier this month as part of the regional effort to host Super Bowl LVII in 2023. Scottsdale should repurpose that money to help local businesses being devastated by the impacts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Super Bowl money is coming from the Tourism Development Fund via four … Read More

By Recker McDowell — Take a minute and think about our community and the impact the Coronavirus is having on so many of our neighbors who make up the backbone, the soul of our city, our region and state. The impact is everywhere. That means our response and our efforts on the public health and economic fronts need to be … Read More

By Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane As mayor of Scottsdale, I am keenly aware of the growing concern about coronavirus (COVID-19) in Arizona. I want you to know that your city government is focused on keeping the public and our employees safe while continuing to serve the community. The city’s emergency response and continuity of operations plans account for public health … Read More

It’s not often the City of Apache Junction is accused of having a more beautiful mind and a more steely spine than the Town of Paradise Valley.  Yet, at least on one issue recently, it has and does. Readers may recall Paradise Valley’s aborted attempt to transition to a single-hauler trash system not too long ago. It considered so for … Read More

By Recker McDowell — Health care and medical research are front and center with the Coronavirus and its impact on public health, stock markets, consumer confidence and travel. Biomedical research is also critical the region’s economic growth and projected jobs gains. Economic developers, city planners, elected officials and the private sector need to make sure the region continues to welcome … Read More

By Recker McDowell WeTravel Inc.— a San Francisco-based fintech startup — is landing 150 jobs at new offices at the Scottsdale Quarter. The B2B travel oriented financial tech firm picked Scottsdale over sites in Nashville, Austin, Salt Lake City, Denver and other cities, according to the Business Journal. Why the investment and jobs landed in Scottsdale are important as the … Read More

By Recker McDowell — Scottsdale Airport is an important economic, jobs and tourism driver for the city. It also is a prime example of how Scottsdale (and other cities) can balance growth and development with existing economic assets. Scottsdale Airport had a $688 million economic benefit for Scottsdale. The general aviation airport and adjacent Scottsdale Airpark account for 3,979 jobs. … Read More

By Recker McDowell It is very easy to cast skeptics and opponents of real estate developments and economic development projects as cranky neighbors or stubborn, stuck in the mud ‘no growthers’ resistant to new ideas, innovation and change. And some are just that. Whether it’s the growth debate going on in Scottsdale or economic development projects in rural parts of … Read More

By Recker McDowell Arizona is projected to add 159,000 new jobs over the next two years. That comes after the state has added 350,000 new private sector jobs since 2015. Most of Arizona’s job gains happen in metro Phoenix with its large labor pool and friendly business climate and costs, especially compared to cities in California and the Pacific Northwest. … Read More