WELCOME TO PHOENIX – THE VALLEY OF THE SUN
Phoenix and its neighboring communities have always benefited from an influx of relocating families, singles and retirees. In 2018, the Phoenix area welcomed 200 new movers a day, ranking Phoenix as #4 in the nation in the terms of population growth. The U.S. Census Bureau has estimated that by 2030 the population of Phoenix will reach 2.2 million. with the metro area reaching about 6.3 million.
DEDICATION TO A LIVABLE CITY
The city has been praised by organizations including the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a nonprofit public service organization dedicated to recycling rechargeable batteries and cell phones. The city is diverse and surrounded by mountains creating an oasis that appeals to young singles, retirees families and everyone in between. It’s true that there really is something for everyone!
Phoenix is dedicated to maintaining a livable safe area for its residents. For example, the City of Phoenix provides a School Safety program that is funded by a grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and aims to increase the number of School Resource Officers in schools. As a result, the city of Goodyear was awarded the National Civic League-sponsored All-America City Award competition. Given since 1949, this award “recognizes civic excellence honoring communities of all sizes in which citizens government businesses and voluntary organizations work together to explain how they are successfully resolving critical local issues.”
The National Civic League has selected Phoenix as an “All-America City” five times. This award is given to communities across the United States that identify and tackle community-wide challenges. In addition, Businessweek.com also identified Phoenix as a “…magnet for Generation Y residents because of its history of having some of the nation’s best job opportunities.” Readers of TV y Más magazine a Spanish-language television guide has also voted Phoenix as the “Best Place to Raise a Family”.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Valley Metro, an institution formed under the Regional Public Transportation Authority handles public transit in Phoenix and throughout Maricopa County. Its services include public transportation, local area shuttles and Paratransit (for residents with medical challenges in need of transportation). METRO a new 20-mile $1.4 billion light-rail transit system was launched on December 27 2008. Future METRO plans include building 30 more miles of light rail lines by 2025.
PHOENIX’S COLORFUL HISTORY
“Phoenix” is a mythical bird that lived from 600 to 800 years before building a nest of cinnamon twigs that it ignites. Legend has it, this mythical bird burns its nest and itself until both are reduced to ashes. However, from the ashes a new young phoenix arises to live again. That mythical story mirrors the colorful and cultural history of Phoenix. A city that had its beginnings more than 1000 years ago when the Hohokam people lived on the land, eventually becoming the vibrant city it is today.
In 1868 the city was a small colony first named Swilling’s Mill. It was Phillip Darrell Duppa, an early Arizona pioneer who suggested the name Phoenix since the new town would include the rebuilding and updating of the city’s ancient Hohokam canal systems. The city of Phoenix was officially recognized on May 4 1868 when the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors formed an election precinct and eventually incorporated in 1881.
Arizona’s has rich Native American cultural background and Phoenix is no exception. There are 22 federally-recognized Native American tribes in Arizona with a total population of about 300,000. The area’s Pueblo Grande ruins, an ancient city occupied between 700 A.D. and 1400 A.D. embodies the city’s history. Due to its central location, Arizona made it preferential as the state capital rather than Tucson or Prescott. Today, the Phoenix metropolitan are sits in Maricopa County, Pinal County and parts of southern Yavapai County.
PHOENIX’S ARTS SCENE: MUSIC FILM TV AND CULTURE
The arts thrive in Phoenix thanks in part to an active creative and civic community. The City of Phoenix Office of Art and Culture is a great source of information on all things arts and culture. The city’s Office of Arts and Culture offers many programs that nurture and support the arts on a regular basis, including an Arts Grants program and Career Development grant. These grants support a thriving community of Phoenix arts organization websites and partner agencies.
There are more than 130 nonprofit organizations that provide art and cultural centers for the community. A few note worthy events include, the Arizona Renaissance Festival, Arizona Scottish Highland Games, the Dia de los Muertos Festival Matsuri: a Festival of Japan the Native American Fine Art Invitational and the Scottsdale Arts Festival the Scottsdale Culinary Festival.
Museums and galleries celebrate Southwest art and culture as well as classic art genres. The Phoenix Art Museum which opened in 1959 is known for its diverse visual arts collection. Permanent exhibitions and collections include famous artists such as Rembrandt, Norman Rockwell, Annie Leibowitz and Monet. The museum also includes more than 18,000 works of American, Asian, European, Latin American, Western American, modern and contemporary art and fashion design. The Arizona Science Center in Phoenix features hands-on exhibits and a planetarium. The Arizona State Museum is the oldest and largest anthropology museum in the Southwest.
For a list of cultural and creative arts opportunities visit www.visitphoenix.com/events.
PHOENIX’S BUSINESS COMMUNITY
Phoenix is also home to a thriving business community with major private-sector employers calling the city home. Corporate and regional headquarters for well-known Fortune 500 companies include Avnet Freeport-McMoran Republic Services and PetSmart. Fortune 1000 companies based in the Phoenix area include Swift Transportation, Apollo Education Group, Sprouts Farmers Market and Pinnacle West Capital. In addition, many other major corporations have significant operations in the Phoenix metro area including Intel U-Haul International Honeywell and Boeing among several others.
Phoenix is also among the nation’s fastest growing regions. It has been recognized for strong job growth and entrepreneurial environment especially in the aerospace, high-tech and bioscience industries. Not surprisingly, the local job market continues to grow at a steady rate. As of 2010 the Associated Press noted that Phoenix was number four on its list of major cities in the nation that were “the largest generators of net jobs.” The city also sported an unemployment rate below the national average of 9.4 percent.
Arizona State University, University of Phoenix and Grand Canyon University and Thunderbird School of Global Management graduate school provide a talented and educated workforce and entrepreneur community. In fact, Arizona State University is recognized as the number one university in the country for innovation according to the U.S. News.
NATURAL BEAUTY – AND PLENTY OF OUTDOOR FUN
The Phoenix area’s natural beauty is just another reason for the city’s appeal. Phoenix provides an active outdoor lifestyle offering beautiful places to swim, hike, cycle, boat, golf and much more.
The city’s natural surroundings invite residents to take part in a vast range of outdoor and sports activities. Thanks to more than 325 days of sunshine annually, an average high temperature of 85 degrees and an average of 7.66 inches rainfall per year. Phoenicians hardly ever need worry about the weather so long as they wear sunscreen and drink plenty of water during the summer.
Golf in particular is a beloved sport every where in Arizona. With more than 200 golf courses including many municipal courses, private links and country clubs there is no shortage of golfing possibilities. In fact, Arizona is home to the renowned Waste Management Phoenix Open every spring. Many courses throughout the area are world-class courses designed by Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. There are golf greens for every skill level so everyone can enjoy the abundance of golfing that Arizona has to offer.
BOATING, HIKING & SPECTATOR SPORTS
There are also seven lakes within an hour of the greater Phoenix metro area. Residents are treated to boating, water skiing, picnic areas and camping all year long. Three major mountains surround Phoenix and offer ideal terrain for hiking climbing and to simply enjoy nature. Peaks in the Phoenix Mountain range include Lookout Mountain, Camelback Mountain, Stony Mountain and Piestewa Peak among others.
If you prefer spectator sports you’re in luck here. Greater Phoenix is one of ten metropolitan areas that represent most major professional sports. The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Cactus League Spring Training division; Phoenix Suns basketball; the Firebird International and Phoenix International Raceways; Arizona Cardinals football; Phoenix Coyotes hockey; and Phoenix Mercury women’s basketball (WNBA) all call Phoenix home. There is also an abundance of college sports available – be sure to check out the infamous ASU vs. UofA rivalry!
Arizona also hosts many annual sporting events including the Safeway International LPGA Tournament, FBR Open Golf Tournament, Tradition Senior PGA Tour and the Arizona Men’s Tennis Classic. Other popular sporting events include the Senior Pro Rodeo Coors Light World Finals Drag Boat Racing NHRA World
FINE FOOD ENTERTAINMENT
Just like its diverse terrain, Phoenix has an equally diverse offering of restaurants and dining options for every palate. While signature Southwestern and Mexican dishes dominate the city’s culinary landscape, the top restaurants like Vincent’s Market Bistro and Rancho Pinot Grill offer flavors to suit every craving including Asian Italian Mediterranean and of course the classic steakhouse.
Be sure to check out Alice Cooperstown, the namesake restaurant of the famous rock star and Arizona resident Alice Cooper. With its classic American dishes and great barbeque it’s the perfect location for any taste. The Papago Brewing Company has a 30-tap bar with full menu one of many brewery restaurants and tours throughout the area perfect for any beer lover. On a more upscale note, Kai is an elegant and classic American restaurant at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort and was awarded a five-diamond rating by AAA Arizona.
For entertainment Copper Square in the heart of downtown Phoenix is known as the place to be. This 90-square-block revitalized district around the Convention Center offers plenty of popular locations and activities including nightclubs shopping and dining. This area is also home to Chase Field the indoor baseball diamond reserved for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
SHOPPING, SHOPPING, SHOPPING
As for shopping there’s no shortage of places to browse and purchase from. The massive Scottsdale Fashion Square is an upscale shopping and entertainment hub with luxury store brands including Burberry, Hugo Boss, Kate Spade, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co. and several others. Biltmore Fashion Park in Phoenix also offers an affluent shopping experience with stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Hyde Park Jewelers, Escada, Ralph Lauren, Stuart Weitzman and Cole Haan.
There are several other malls in the Phoenix area including the Metrocenter and Paradise Valley Mall, the Desert Ridge Marketplace, Kierland Commons Arrowhead, Towne Center Tempe Marketplace and more. For a more local and individualized experience be sure to check out the charming boutiques and shops on Mill Avenue in Tempe the vintage and antique stores in Glendale or the galleries and boutiques in Scottsdale.
Phoenix is also perfect for outlet shopping with options like the Arizona Mills Mall and Outlet Center off I-10 in Tempe; the Outlets of Anthem just north of the metro Phoenix area; or the Phoenix Premium Outlets just east of Phoenix in the city Chandler.
PHOENIX HEALTHCARE IS TOP-NOTCH
Arizona has long been known as a place to heal because of its warm dry climate. Is no surprise that the Phoenix metropolitan area has its share of highly-regarded healthcare facilities for residents.
Arizona has more than 100 hospitals many of which are ranked on the U.S. News Best Regional Hospitals list. Phoenix in particular is home to many honored hospitals including the renowned Mayo Clinic and is considered a progressive city when it comes to healthcare policies and procedures. Phoenix recently became the second city in Arizona (after Tucson in 2003) to allow hospital-visitation rights to both homosexual and heterosexual unmarried couples that live together.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
There is no doubt that Phoenix is a great city and its variety of neighborhoods only add to the area’s desirability. There is no shortage of diverse housing markets in the Phoenix metroplex. According to the Zillow Group Inc. the average price of a Phoenix home is $204500, a 9.5% rise from previous years. For those that choose not to purchase a home, there are many options for beautiful upscale condos and apartments with stunning views and affordable rental homes throughout the area.
Welcome to a city that residents and visitors adore. We know that you will too! Phoenix will surely become a treasured home in which to live enjoy life and prosper.
