Economic ‘Megaregion’: Pinal County Joins Phoenix Business Group to Court New Industries

Article originally posted on AZ Central on December 21, 2023

Pinal County will join one of the largest business groups in the state in a bid to enhance its economic development.

The Greater Phoenix Economic Council will assist the county with marketing, business exposure and industry prospects, according to an agreement approved Wednesday by county supervisors.

In exchange, Pinal County will contribute $150,000 annually to the council. Contributions in its first fiscal year will be prorated at $75,000.

Pinal County officials hope the move will help stem the daily flow of commuters to nearby urban areas by creating new, high-paying opportunities within county borders as its population booms.

The county is sandwiched between Phoenix and Tucson. Nearly three-quarters of its working residents hold jobs in neighboring Maricopa County, according to data from the Maricopa Association of Governments.

“We want them to live, play and work at home,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff Serdy.

The council has served Maricopa County communities since it founding in 1989, but it’s taken more recent steps to establish itself in surrounding areas as metro Phoenix grows and companies flock to Arizona. It currently represents several cities in Pinal County, including Apache Junction, Maricopa, Queen Creek and Casa Grande.

Council President and CEO Chris Camacho said adding Pinal County to that list is a natural expansion because its interests align with other group members. He presented the deal as a step toward a more integrated economic region.

“I do believe this market is developing into a megaregion,” he said. “There’s attributes of Pinal County that are very distinctive and that are very complementary to Maricopa County.”

Officials hope to grow tourism, health care and more

The agreement between the council and Pinal County lays out a variety of industries that officials hope to target.

Many on the list take advantage of the county’s geographic location and recent population surge. Advanced manufacturing, for instance, plays off economic development in neighboring Maricopa County. Health care is a target area that speaks to a growing region.

County leaders have been eager to grow their tourism industry for years. They hope their county’s natural beauty and its proximity to major cities could blossom into a booming hospitality business.

Florence, the county seat, already hosts Country Thunder annually. The four-day music festival attracts tens of thousands of country music fans. The Arizona Renaissance Festival is held every spring in Gold Canyon and generally draws a little under 300,000 people during its six-week run, according to the Arizona Office of Tourism and Arizona Department of Transportation.

County leaders also see transportation, distribution and logistics as a promising field. Interstates 10 and 8 merge near Casa Grande, which makes it a ripe hub for distributors coming to and from Southern California.

“There used to be this dividing line, but we are really becoming part of the lifeblood of the metro Phoenix area,” said James Smith, the county’s economic and workforce development director. “You see that particularly with electric vehicles, with the semiconductor supply chain, which will serve companies in Maricopa County.”

Others nod to the county’s historical strengths. One industry the region hopes to target is natural and renewable resources, which includes the mines dotting the eastern half of the county.

That area, known as the copper corridor, has long struggled with a dwindling population and a lack of economic opportunities. Officials have sought to revitalize it and recently announced an internet service company will bring broadband internet to the region.

Similarly, electric vehicle manufacturing companies such as Nikola and Lucid have already set up shop in the county. Officials will aim to grow that sector in coming years.

A focus on aerospace and defense belies the Pinal Airpark near Marana. The airport largely serves as a boneyard for aircraft. It once was used as a training base for the military, and still houses a heliport for the Arizona National Guard.