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FLORENCE, AZ – As the calendar closes on 2016, this will be known as the year Pinal County evolved from a rural, sleepy area into a business juggernaut.
Pinal County Economic Development Program Manager Tim Kanavel has witnessed the transformation first hand. He now oversees $3.3 billion in Pinal County economic development projects with future projects on the horizon for 2017.
Pinal County economic numbers for 2016 show:
· Capital investment over $3 billion
· Jobs created: 8,000
· Companies beginning operations this year: 5
· Companies currently under construction or in planning stages: 9
Pinal County Board of Supervisors Chairman Todd House
“You try to wrap your head around all the projects that have come to Pinal County in 2016 and it seems improbable, if not impossible,” stated Board of Supervisors Chair Todd House.
“When we sat for the first time as a Board of Supervisors in 2013, we knew what we wanted to do. It took strategic planning to help bring that vision of more jobs to Pinal County in focus. We realized this county had the assets that businesses wanted, but we knew it was going to take a serious commitment on our part and dedication by our staff to make it happen, said House.”
The supervisors recognized Pinal County offers many assets that make it an attractive place to do business. Those include available land, two interstate highways, rail service, being centrally located between two major international airports (Phoenix and Tucson) and an available workforce.
Pinal County Supervisor Anthony Smith
“If you don’t have the workforce, then you really aren’t in the game,” said Vice-Chair Anthony Smith. “One of the best moves we ever made was to create our own Workforce Investment Board and concentrate on making sure we are finding the right employees for Pinal County businesses. We also want to identify the right job for those seeking employment. As of November 2016, our unemployment rate was a low 4.9 percent. It is up to us to keep employers coming and furthering our workforce’s education so we can keep getting the jobs of the future.”
Smith pointed to the five job development areas that the Board agreed to pursue:
· Aerospace and Defense
· Health Services
· Manufacturing
· Natural and Renewable Resources
· Transportation Logistics
Under the Supervisors direction, Pinal County’s Public Works, Air Quality, Community Development and Economic Development departments began working together to further expedite the permitting process. They developed Priority Express Permitting for businesses that qualify for the streamlined process.
Pinal County Supervisor Steve Miller
“I’ve always believed that if government gets out of the way, businesses will be able to thrive,” said District Three Supervisor Steve Miller. “Our philosophy is that we are here to facilitate, not just regulate. The express permitting program has caught the eye of many businesses who want to locate to Pinal County. We’re not skipping important steps in the permitting process. We’re just giving those who meet the criteria a chance to move forward faster than those who are beginning from the ground up and need extra help from our staff.”
One of the challenges facing the county is its size. Pinal County encompasses 5,376 square miles and is larger than the states of Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island. As a result, areas of Pinal County have vastly different needs.
Western and central portions of Pinal County are relatively flat with a focus on agriculture. The northern section boasts the scenic Superstition Mountains and being near the East Valley of the Phoenix metro area. The eastern section is mountainous and scenic with a reliance on mining.
Pinal County Supervisor Pete Rios
District One Supervisor Pete Rios who represents the eastern side of Pinal County has seen the area go from the king of copper production to a set of communities struggling to survive.
“You had an area as little as 20 years ago that was known worldwide for the best copper production anywhere,” Rios said. “The downturn in copper prices during the late nineties was disastrous for this region. One of the largest copper mines in America closed its doors in June 1999, putting over 2,500 people out of a job overnight. While that could have been a knock-out blow for many areas, these people persevered. It’s just a matter of finding out the right fit for the region.”
An answer for the right fit was found in January 2016. An enterprising group of local adventure lovers bought a piece of property on the northern end of the Catalina Mountains just outside of the town of Oracle. Arizona Zipline Adventures began its five zipline operation with a handful of employees. Today, the business employs over 40 workers to help people experience the longest zipline in Arizona. Coming later this year, the San Carlos Apache Tribe will be opening the Apache Sky Casino adjacent to Dudleyville.
“This has been a huge win, not only for the zipline people, but for the entire area,” Kanavel said. “They are putting local people to work and using local vendors to provide a small restaurant for the patrons. The casino will also be a huge draw from people north and south of the region.”
“Eco-tourism” has been a financial boon to the eastern side of Pinal County.
Pinal County Supervisor Cheryl Chase
“The area is beautiful,” said District Two Supervisor Cheryl Chase, who used to work as a nurse at one of the mines. “You’re up in the high Sonoran Desert, you are surrounded by 10,000 foot mountains. It’s quiet, scenic and has everything for an outdoor lover.”
Supervisors are determined to help spread the word about the amenities Pinal County has to offer from across the United States and around the world. To help in that effort, Pinal County recently procured the services Moses, Inc., an Arizona marketing and public relations firm to help promote tourism and business opportunities nationally and internationally.
“We weren’t able to produce everything we needed to do in-house,” Kanavel said. “It was decided that to augment the efforts of our Public Information Office, we would enlist the help of an outside firm. We selected one with a national and international reputation for excellence. We really look forward to seeing what Moses, along with our staff, can come up with.”
In the middle of the year, Attesa announced it was going to build a major motorsports complex just south of Interstate 8. While still in the planning stages, Attesa plans to have racing tracks, research and development opportunities, and residential sites along with its own runway.
In November, Lucid Motors formally announced its intention to build an auto production facility north of Interstate 8 on the corner of Selma Highway and Thornton Road.
While those two announcements have garnered national and international media coverage, Pinal County Manager Greg Stanley noted the region has seen other large companies start operations in 2016.
“We’ve had a very good year with companies like Tractor Supply, Sheffield Lubricants, Applegate Insulation, Arizona Zipline Adventures and New Holland Agriculture starting up,” Stanley said. “We can always point to the future and say this is in the planning stages, or that is in development. But we have started to see our efforts in the past few years come to fruition when it comes to these five companies.”
With a track record of success, it would be easy to just sit back and wait for businesses to start coming your way.
“We can’t sit pat,” Kanavel said. “We were told that we don’t want to stop this economic freight train because it is almost impossible to start rolling again. It is our intention to amplify the Pinal County message, what Pinal County has to offer and how businesses can be a part of Pinal County. It’s not that hard because, in reality, the county almost sells itself. We are no longer a best kept secret in Arizona.”
To see where Pinal County is going and learn how to be part of Arizona’s emerging economic engine click here.
There are news or informational items frequently written by staff or submitted to the Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner, Superior Sun, Pinal Nugget or Oracle Towne Crier for inclusion in our print or digital products. These items are not credited with an author.
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