Arizona’s Sun Corridor
Arizona’s Sun Corridor
Legislative and Leadership ACE Annual Conference
La Posada at Park Centre Thursday, September 24, 2013 Emerging Megaregions
According to America 2050/Regional Planning Association/Lincoln Institute of Land Policy there are 11 designated megaregions: Arizona Sun Corridor, Cascadia, Florida, Front Range, Great Lakes, Gulf Coast, Northeast, Northern California, Southern California, Piedmont and Texas Triangle
70% of all US population and jobs are located in these regions
Characterized by the increase in movement of goods, people and capital
Sometimes called megapolitan or megaopolis areas
Emerging Megaregions
Worldwide:
- 191 nations: 40 megaregions
- These 40 megaregions: - produce 66% of all global economic output
- 1/5 the entire world’s population
- 85% of all global innovation
Emerging Megaregions
Areas within these regions share:
- Environmental systems and topography
- Infrastructure systems/Economic linkages
- Settlement and land use patterns
- Culture and history
Megaregion designation provides cities and metropolitan areas with incentive to cooperate across jurisdictional lines, coordination of policies, ideas and regional economic strategies
Emerging Megaregions in the United States Arizona’s Sun Corridor
Prescott MSA
Phoenix MSA
Casa Grande
Tucson MSA
Sierra Vista
Nogales Arizona’s Sun Corridor
6 counties:
- All of Maricopa, Pinal & Pima counties, parts of Cochise, Yavapai and Santa Cruz counties
- 43,803 sq. miles - an area the size and population of Indiana
- Extends from Prescott south thru to Nogales, Mexico
Arizona’s Sun Corridor
- 86% of Arizona’s population lives in the Corridor
- Estimated 2012 population in the Corridor of near 5.85 million (AZ total of 6.4 million)
- 90% of all jobs in the state are located in this corridor
- 90-95% of all state commerce occurs in this area
- Transportation enhanced area: state’s major airports, rail, interstate system, etc..
Arizona’s Sun Corridor
Arizona’s Sun Corridor
- Interstates 10, 8, 17, 19, 40 and 11(proposed)
- Major railroads: Union Pacific, BNSF
- Major airports: Sky Harbor, Tucson International, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Pinal Airpark Arizona’s Sun Corridor
- Enhanced electrical power infrastructure
- Enhanced natural gas infrastructure
- Improved telecom infrastructure
- Available workforce estimated at 1.9 million
Arizona’s Sun Corridor
- Major universities: University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University
- Cultural and commercial relationship with our largest trading partner: Mexico
Arizona’s Sun Corridor
Mexico: Arizona’s largest trading partner
- Bilateral trade with Mexico is nearly $10 billion per year in goods and services - AZ exports to Mexico = $4.7 B - Mexico exports to AZ = $5.3 B
- Mexican tourists spend nearly $2 billion+ each year in Arizona
Arizona’s Sun Corridor
- American companies in Mexico and Mexican companies in Arizona had a total of $16 billion in global sales in 2011
- Nearly 88,000 jobs are created in Arizona due to Mexican exports and tourism
- We must develop and implement political and economic policies that enhance this relationship for the Corridor to survive
Arizona’s Sun Corridor
Rules for megaregion success
1. The Corridor must be committed to international trade
2. Stop transferring wealth from most productive areas to lagging places
3. Must work towards supporting density – innovation and productivity thrive in density
Arizona’s Sun Corridor
4. Urban policy should be aimed at improving education, affordable housing, fast commuter rail, modernizing our airports, promote more international commerce at all levels
5. Promote political agendas that promote success for the mega-regions
6. Promote relationship building: “nothing is accomplished by an individual area” - we must work together Arizona’s Sun Corridor Partners
- ACA - Yavapai County - GPEC - Maricopa County - CAREDF - Pinal County - TREO - Pima County - MAG - Santa Cruz County - PAG - Cochise County - CAG - UofA - ASU Arizona’s Sun Corridor
Discussion points:
- funding? - infrastructure - planning
- Who is running the show? - who are the decision makers?
- Who gets included/excluded?
- How do we work with Mexico?
- How do we get everyone to work together?
Arizona’s Sun Corridor
Sources:
- America 2050
- “Planning for Megaregions in the United States,” Margaret Dewar & David Epstein – 2006
- “Megapolitan: Arizona’s Sun Corridor,” Morrison Institute for Public Policy - 2008
- “Rise of the Megaregion,” Richard Florida 2008
Arizona’s Sun Corridor
Thank you!
Tim Kanavel Pinal County Economic Development Manager
520-866-6664 [email protected]
“Pinal County, the heart of the Sun Corridor”