June 8, 2026 Economic Development Committee

OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK             
 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE 
MINUTES 
 
June 8, 2026 
 
 
The Economic Development Committee of the City of Mesa met in the Study Session room at City Hall, 
20 East Main Street, on June 8, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.  
 
 
COMMITTEE PRESENT 
 
COMMITTEE ABSENT 
 
STAFF PRESENT 
 
 
 
Rich Adams, Chairperson 
Alicia Goforth 
Francisco Heredia  
None 
Charlotte McDermott 
Holly Moseley 
Brent Stoddard 
Chairperson Adams conducted a roll call.  
 
1. 
Items from citizens present. 
 
 
There were no items from citizens present. 
 
2-a. 
Hear a presentation, discuss and receive an update on Spring Training 2026. 
 
 
Assistant City Manager Marc Heirshberg reported another successful Spring Training season 
for the City of Mesa (COM) and highlighted the total attendance per game for both the Chicago 
Cubs and the Oakland Athletics. He stated that overall, Cactus League attendance totaled 
1,753,849 fans over 237 games, with an average attendance of 7,400 per game, and noted that 
approximately 20% of overall attendance came through Mesa. 
 
Mr. Heirshberg stated that the highest-attended game of the Cactus League season was the 
Dodgers at Cubs game on March 15, with 15,788 fans. He reported that the Cubs ranked first in 
overall attendance for the 13th consecutive season, while the Athletics ranked ninth in overall 
attendance among Cactus League teams. 
 
Mr. Heirshberg discussed the economic impact of Spring Training. He explained that, when 
comparing March 2026 sales tax revenue to the average of February and April, the COM 
typically sees an increase of approximately $2.5 million. He noted that the number continues to 
grow and that March was one of the highest-performing months the COM has experienced. He 
added that both the Cubs and Athletics reported their highest per-capita stadium spending to 
date.

Economic Development Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Page 2 
 
 
Mr. Heirshberg emphasized that Spring Training brings out strong teamwork and cooperation 
across multiple City departments and stated that planning has already begun for the next Spring 
Training season. 
 
In response to a question from Committeemember Heredia, Mr. Heirshberg explained that the 
COM cannot isolate sales tax revenue to specific facilities due to the way sales tax is collected.  
 
Deputy City Manager/Chief Financial Officer Mike Kennington added that state taxpayer 
confidentiality rules require a minimum of 10 taxpayers in an area before data can be reviewed. 
He confirmed that the COM may evaluate areas around the stadiums, including Riverview and 
the Downtown and Hohokam area.  
 
Responding to a question from Committeemember Goforth, Mr. Heirshberg clarified that the 
reported per-capita spending referred to fan spending inside the stadiums, not overall citywide 
spending.  
 
Mr. Heirshberg pointed out a few challenges this season, including scheduling impacts from the 
World Baseball Classic and Major League Baseball’s Spring Breakout games, which typically 
draw lower attendance. He noted that the COM will continue working with the teams to better 
market those games. He discussed challenges related to the Cubs opening the season on a 
Friday, which created heavier traffic due to workday travel patterns, and noted that the COM 
had to work through operational adjustments early in the season. 
 
Mr. Heirshberg also highlighted the impact of unprecedented heat during the final two weeks of 
Spring Training, which required some games to be shifted to evening start times. He 
commended Mesa Fire and Medical for its response, noting that additional support was called in 
to assist with medical needs and triage.  
 
In response to a question from Chairperson Adams, Mr. Heirshberg stated that parking 
operations continue to work well overall and that the relationship with the Hohokams remains 
strong. He noted that continued development near Riverview and The Union will require 
ongoing review of parking needs and adjustments. He stated that rain events at Hohokam can 
create parking challenges when retention basins fill, which may require parking to shift into 
nearby neighborhoods.  
 
Senior Economic Development Project Manager Jeff Robbins provided an update regarding 
property development next to the Cubs Spring Training complex. He described the property 
location on Rio Salado Parkway near the western edge of Mesa, adjacent to the freeway, that 
was formerly the County-operated animal control center. He recalled that the landowner, Boyd 
Development, had reached an agreement with the Cubs to construct a five-story, 36-unit custom 
housing facility for Cubs players, along with a 103-key, four-story hotel. He added that the 
development will include custom murals and artwork to help identify the area as part of the 
COM’s baseball district. 
 
Mr. Robbins explained that teams prefer to locate players as close as possible to their practice 
facilities and a dedicated housing facility will provide players with a communal space built to 
meet team needs. He emphasized that the COM remains in competition with other cities that 
would like to host Major League Baseball teams, and that facilitating custom development of this 
type helps strengthen Mesa’s relationship with the Cubs, the Athletics, and professional 
baseball.

Economic Development Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Page 3 
 
 
 
In response to comments from Committeemember Heredia, Mr. Heirshberg confirmed that 
activity at the Spring Training facilities continues beyond the Spring Training season. He 
explained that players in various levels of the organization, including Triple-A, Double-A, Single-
A, complex league, rookies, international players, and players on rehabilitation assignments, 
use the facilities throughout the year. He noted that players currently use nearby apartments 
and that the proposed housing facility will help meet an ongoing need. 
 
Mr. Heirshberg clarified that Boyd Development will own the housing facility and will have a 
rental agreement with the Cubs. He further explained that non-spring-training activity at the 
facility still relates to Cubs operations, including player development and rehabilitation 
assignments. 
 
2-b. 
Hear a presentation and discuss recent, current, and anticipated projects in Downtown Mesa 
and an update on development of the Redevelopment Toolkit. 
 
 
Downtown Transformation Manager Jeff McVay displayed a PowerPoint presentation. (See 
Attachment 1) 
 
Mr. McVay provided an update on recent, future, and pipeline projects in Downtown Mesa. He 
explained that a major focus of the Urban Transformation Office is increasing the residential 
population and residential development in Downtown Mesa. He stated that, despite the COM 
being one of the largest cities in the country with a population of more than 500,000 residents, 
the population density within the downtown square mile is under 4,000 people, which is lower 
than expected for a city the size of Mesa. (See Pages 2 through 4 of Attachment 1) 
 
Mr. McVay noted that since 2020, Downtown Mesa has added multiple residential 
developments, representing nearly 1,500 new residential units. He highlighted the residential 
projects currently under construction, including Edge on Main, located at the southeast corner of 
Country Club Drive and Main Street, which is under construction and will be completed in two 
phases. He discussed The Grid, now known as 233 Suites, a four-story, 110-unit project located 
on Pomeroy south of Main Street, which is currently under construction. (See Pages 5 and 6 of 
Attachment 1) 
 
Mr. McVay stated that, in addition to residential development, one of the COM’s major focuses 
has been business activation on Main Street. He explained that Council previously approved 
$4.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for downtown façade improvements 
and that staff had been working with 19 properties on design and construction. He noted that 16 
façade projects are currently funded, with three additional projects identified as alternates 
depending on available funding. He stated that the remaining façade improvements are 
expected to be completed at the end of 2027. He added that façade improvements and 
downtown growth have contributed to new business development. (See Page 7 of Attachment 
1) 
 
 
 
Mr. McVay highlighted the local and unique character of Downtown Mesa’s business community 
and stated that this is one of the qualities that makes downtown attractive to visitors and 
residents, including Espiritu, which has a two-time James Beard semi-finalist chef, and Pedal 
Haus, which was named the 2024 Arizona Brewer of the Year. He added that Downtown Mesa 
has more award-winning businesses and that continued outreach is important to increase 
awareness. He highlighted new and upcoming downtown businesses and stated that recent and

Economic Development Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Page 4 
 
 
planned business activity reflects approximately a 60/40 split between businesses already open 
and those still coming. (See Pages 8 and 9 of Attachment 1) 
 
Mr. McVay provided an update on the restaurant incubator project. He stated that staff are 
working to identify and plan for additional funding for the basement build-out and anticipate 
bringing that information back to Council for input. He estimated construction to be completed in 
October, with Local First Arizona expected to begin operations in January 2027. (See Pages 10 
and 11 of Attachment 1) 
 
In response to a question from Chairperson Adams, Mr. McVay commented that the basement 
was fully designed as part of the first phase of the project, although refinements to the design 
may be needed. He explained that there is a reasonable expectation that the basement could 
still be completed within the same general timeline and confirmed that after further discussion 
with Local First, a February grand opening would be acceptable if additional time is needed to 
complete the work and avoid future disruption to business operations. 
 
Mr. McVay provided an update on the Culdesac development.  He verified that the project had 
been submitted for planning and zoning entitlements in April. He stated that construction on the 
first phase is anticipated to begin in September 2027 and that the current concept for the first 
phase includes 140 for-sale townhomes. (See Page 12 of Attachment 1) 
 
Mr. McVay recalled the Arizona State University (ASU) Creative Technologies project at the 
current U.S. Post Office, noting that staff is continuing to work with ASU on an agreement. He 
said if Council provides direction to move forward, the project can proceed into the next phase 
without a lengthy delay. He discussed the Light Walk project, which will be a part of the 2026 
bond package. He stated that, pending voter approval, the project can move into final design 
and begin the first phase. He provided an update on 51 through 55 East Main Street, adding 
that staff have released a request for qualifications for developer selection, which will remain 
open until July 30, and explained that staff will then review and evaluate responses and return 
to Council with a recommended development partner. (See Pages 13 and 15 of Attachment 1) 
 
Mr. McVay previewed the AC Hotel by Marriott project, noting that staff are finalizing 
negotiations on a development agreement, GPLET agreement, and parking license agreement. 
He stated that the project would bring a 150-room upscale hotel to the northeast corner of 
Centennial Way and Main Street and listed the hotel’s expected amenities. (See Page 16 of 
Attachment 1) 
 
Mr. McVay summarized the downtown development activity and noted that between 2010 and 
2020, approximately 250 residential units were added downtown, most of which were likely low-
income housing tax credit projects. He stated that since that time, the COM’s investments in 
light rail, ASU, and Civic Plaza, have helped support the addition of more than 1,500 residential 
units, with another 500 units under construction and approximately 1,100 units in planning, 
largely related to the Culdesac project. He noted that a 76-room hotel has soft-opened, the 150-
room AC Hotel by Marriott project is expected to come before Council later this summer, and 
approximately 45 new small businesses have opened downtown since 2020, including 
businesses that filled previously vacant or underutilized spaces. (See Page 17 of Attachment 1) 
 
Mr. McVay stated that, following Council’s adoption of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget, which 
allocated $3 million for redevelopment tools, staff have been working to develop the individual 
components identified in the redevelopment toolkit. He explained that each tool will require

Economic Development Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Page 5 
 
 
administrative materials and the goal is to begin rolling out several tools shortly after the new 
budget takes effect on July 1. He added that code compliance revitalization grants are expected 
to be released later in the year and that Reuse Ready and the demolition and remediation 
revolving loan fund are expected to launch in early 2027, if funding can be identified. (See 
Pages 18 through 20 of Attachment 1) 
 
Mr. McVay added that, in addition to preparing administrative documents for the redevelopment 
tools, the budget includes funding for marketing to help ensure that the tools are effectively 
communicated to the development community and other potential users. He noted that the 
program’s success will depend on getting the funds into use and ensuring potential applicants 
are aware of the available programs. (See Page 21 of Attachment 1) 
 
In response to multiple questions from Committeemember Goforth, Mr. McVay confirmed that 
the project formerly known as The Grid, now called the 233 Suites, is a 76-room hotel and no 
longer includes residential units. He explained that the development agreement anticipates two 
additional phases, which may include a residential component. He confirmed that the developer 
owns the rights to the remaining land and that the agreements are structured so the developer 
may purchase Phase 1 after receiving a certificate of occupancy for the hotel and related uses. 
He commented that after purchasing Phase 1, the developer may enter into an option for Phase 
2, followed by a similar process for future phases. He stated that COM’s overall estimated retail 
vacancy rate is approximately 7.7%, noting that a single property owner is responsible for much 
of the current downtown vacancy and that movement from that property owner could help 
address several vacant spaces. 
 
In response to questions from Committeemember Heredia, Mr. McVay advised that creating a 
night-time economy requires balance and that the long-term goal is for Downtown Mesa to be 
active approximately 18 hours a day, seven days a week, rather than becoming a 24-hour 
downtown. He discussed ongoing efforts to position the COM as a live music center in the 
Valley, including the Mesa Music City concept, Mesa Amplified, and Mesa Music Festival. He 
explained that Mesa Amplified included grants to businesses to hire musicians, with the goal of 
helping businesses recognize that live music can drive additional traffic. He stated that indoor 
music venues do not require an additional permit; however, outdoor live music does require a 
special event license. He pointed out that emerging issues involve a venue that would like to 
remain open later than downtown has traditionally allowed, which may require review of live or 
amplified music hours under the COM’s noise ordinances rather than zoning regulations. 
 
In response to a question from Committeemember Goforth, Mr. McVay described the location of 
the Culdesac project and clarified that the townhome configuration shown on the site plan 
reflects a reconfiguration of the units shown in the broader project map. 
 
In response to a question from Committeemember Heredia, Mr. McVay stated that the 
redevelopment toolkit applications are intended to be public-facing and user-friendly. He 
explained that the applications will be housed through the Economic Development webpage, 
and the application process will be managed and administered by the Urban Transformation 
Team. 
  
In response to a question from Chairperson Adams, Mr. McVay said that, overall, the success 
rate of businesses located downtown is well over 90%. He confirmed that downtown has added 
many new businesses since 2020.

Economic Development Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Page 6 
 
 
Chairperson Adams expressed his support for downtown redevelopment efforts and pointed out 
that Downtown Mesa is experiencing a level of development and positive activity that has not 
been seen in many years. He emphasized the importance of maintaining that momentum. 
 
Chairperson Adams thanked staff for the presentation.  
 
2-c. 
Hear a presentation, receive and update and discuss Mesa arts and culture institutions, 
including current visitation, economic impact, downtown activation, and future impact 
measurement efforts. 
 
Director of Arts and Culture Luis Ruiz displayed a PowerPoint presentation. (See Attachment 
2) 
 
Mr. Ruiz reviewed the Arts and Culture Department’s public purpose and key performance 
indicators, which focus on providing enriching cultural experiences, expanding access and 
community reach, and supporting economic vitality. He explained that the department is working 
to better measure participation, program offerings, barriers to access, and the overall 
community impact of arts and culture. He stated that economic vitality is especially relevant to 
downtown economic development because arts and culture support visitation, downtown 
activity, business activity, and local economic indicators. He noted that establishing benchmarks 
will be important over the next several years as the COM prepares for anticipated facility 
closures, maintenance, and potential redevelopment projects. (See Pages 2 and 3 of 
Attachment 2) 
 
 
Mr. Ruiz discussed how arts and culture support business attraction and investment. He stated 
that businesses consider not only land availability, but also the quality of life, workforce, and 
amenities available to employees when deciding where to locate. He added that the Arts and 
Culture Department works closely with Economic Development, the Office of Urban 
Transformation, and the Downtown Mesa Association to enhance visitor experiences and attract 
potential development. (See Page 4 of Attachment 2) 
 
Mr. Ruiz confirmed the number of visitors in 2025 to the Mesa Arts Center (MAC), the Arizona 
Museum of Natural History (AZMNH), and the i.d.e.a. Museum. He added that if the AZMNH 
redevelopment is successful, annual visitation could potentially grow to 300,000 or more. He 
stated that hundreds of thousands of annual cultural visits support downtown activity and 
strengthen the COM’s value as a destination. He commented that the economic impact of 
cultural visitation extends beyond admission or ticket sales and noted that the goal is to 
encourage return visits and help visitors experience downtown more broadly before or after 
attending a cultural event. (See Pages 5 and 6 of Attachment 2)  
 
Mr. Ruiz reviewed information from the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study by 
Americans for the Arts. He mentioned that data specific to the COM from 2022 showed that an 
audience participant spends nearly $40 beyond the cost of admission, including spending on 
dining, retail, parking, and other activities. He noted that many visitors to the COM’s cultural 
institutions come from outside the city and that 77% of visitors indicated that a cultural event 
was the primary reason for their visit. (See Page 7 of Attachment 2) 
 
In response to a question from Committeemember Heredia, Mr. Ruiz explained that Americans 
for the Arts develops the data calculations using national trends, visitation data, and local 
information from partner organizations. He stated that the department also conducts post-event

Economic Development Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Page 7 
 
 
surveys. He advised that past surveys focused primarily on the visitor experience, but now 
include questions about whether visitors dine, shop, or spend money elsewhere before or after 
attending a cultural event. 
 
Mr. Ruiz reviewed Placer AI data showing visitor origin patterns for the MAC, the i.d.e.a. 
Museum, and the AZMNH. He stated that visitors come from beyond Mesa and noted that the 
AZMNH has national reach, with visitors from every state. He described the i.d.e.a. Museum as 
having a more regional audience and noted that the MAC draws visitors from other areas such 
as Southern California. He stated that the redevelopment of the AZMNH is expected to 
strengthen its role as a destination. (See Page 8 of Attachment 2)  
 
Mr. Ruiz stated that the department is working with local partners to create packages that 
connect cultural visitation with downtown dining, retail, and other experiences with the goal of 
better tracking these efforts and ensuring that visitors view downtown as a connected district. 
He added that downtown business hours remain important, particularly when encouraging 
visitors to come early, stay late, eat dinner, have drinks, or shop before and after cultural 
events. (See Page 9 of Attachment 2) 
 
In response to a question from Committeemember Heredia, Mr. Ruiz stated that cross-
membership and shared messaging are important opportunities and explained that promotion 
should begin before a person purchases a ticket, with messaging designed to encourage 
visitors to explore downtown, dine, shop, and extend their stay. He reported that each institution 
has different audiences and visitation patterns, with family-oriented daytime visitors at the 
museums and more evening activity associated with MAC performances.  
 
Mr. Ruiz stated that staff have identified peak participation periods at cultural venues and intend 
to connect those periods with downtown economic drivers, beginning with sales tax data. He 
recalled that staff would work with the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of 
Urban Transformation to establish baseline data and identify correlations between cultural 
activity and sales tax revenue in specific downtown areas. He stressed that this is an initial step 
and that broader citywide economic impact analysis may require outside surveying or additional 
consultant support in the future. (See Page 10 of Attachment 2)  
 
In response to a question from Chairperson Adams, Mr. Ruiz stated that the department has 
historically reported outputs such as attendance, participation, and scholarships, and that the 
current effort represents a shift toward measuring outcomes and understanding what those 
numbers mean for the broader community and economy.  
 
Responding to a comment from Committeemember Goforth, Assistant City Manager Candace 
Cannistraro pointed out that Placer AI is a relatively new tool for the COM and has helped 
support conversations about where visitors come from, where they go after events, and whether 
they are tourists or local residents. She stated that technology allows the COM to go beyond 
surveys and better understand visitor movement patterns. 
 
In response to a question from Chairperson Adams, Ms. Cannistraro stated that staff currently 
have the ability to review downtown sales tax data by geographic area but have difficulty linking 
changes to specific events or facilities. She explained that future analysis will focus on 
identifying relationships between sales tax activity and downtown events to help guide event 
scheduling, coordination, and future arts and economic development decisions.

Economic Development Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Page 8 
 
 
Chairperson Adams thanked staff for providing additional detail and stated that reliable data is 
important when Council considers major investments and expenditures. He noted that specific 
data allows Council to make decisions based on measurable information rather than 
assumptions. He expressed support for staff’s efforts to gather and evaluate data related to arts 
and culture and economic impact. 
 
Mr. Ruiz continued by reporting that total annual revenue is nearly $20 million for the MAC, 
approximately $4.5 million for the AZMNH and approximately $3.5 million for the i.d.e.a. 
Museum. He noted that the institutions generate economic activity in addition to their broader 
cultural and community impact. (See Page 11 of Attachment 2) 
 
2-d. 
Hear a presentation, discuss and receive an update on the Office of Economic Development 
including business development activity and the citywide economic strategic planning process 
update. 
 
 
 
Economic Development Department Director Jaye O’Donnell displayed a PowerPoint 
presentation. (See Attachment 3) 
 
 
Ms. O’Donnell highlighted the Office of Economic Development’s vision and mission, which 
focus on positioning the COM as a premier location for business, supporting a diverse and 
sustainable economy, creating high-wage jobs, promoting direct investment, and increasing 
prosperity for residents. She discussed the department’s primary areas of service, including 
business attraction and expansion, entrepreneurship and small business development, 
redevelopment and revitalization, and workforce development. (See Pages 2 through 4 of 
Attachment 3) 
 
 
Ms. O’Donnell stated that in addition to industries such as healthcare, biotechnology, 
aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing, the COM is also expanding its focus to 
industries that enhance quality of life and strengthen Mesa as a visitor destination, including 
hospitality, entertainment, signature restaurants, and other elevated retail and attraction-based 
uses. She discussed the creative technologies industry as an emerging area of focus, including 
film, music, digital technologies, and e-gaming. She explained that Economic Development will 
hire a project manager dedicated to this sector and will continue working with Arts and Culture, 
Urban Transformation, Public Information and Communications, and other City departments to 
develop an asset inventory and business recruitment strategy. (See Page 5 of Attachment 3)  
 
 
Ms. O’Donnell reviewed the foreign direct investment strategy focused on export-oriented and 
capital-intensive industries that strengthen the advanced manufacturing and global trade 
economy in the COM. She stated that the COM is leveraging core competitive advantages, 
including two airports, global logistics connectivity through SkyBridge Arizona, Mesa’s foreign 
trade zone, industrial building inventory, available industrial land, workforce pipelines through 
educational partners, and a growing base of internationally owned firms that connect the COM 
to global supply chains. She reported that the COM is positioned to compete for companies 
seeking a U.S. manufacturing footprint, research and development, logistics operations, and 
technology investment locations. She noted that Mesa’s foreign direct investment attraction 
efforts focus on sectors where global investment demand aligns with regional strengths. (See 
Pages 6 through 8 of Attachment 3) 
 
 
Ms. O’Donnell identified current target markets and industries and stated that other markets 
may be considered in the future when opportunities align with the COM’s goals. She explained

Economic Development Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Page 9 
 
 
that the COM’s priorities also align with partners such as the Arizona Commerce Authority and 
the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, allowing the COM to leverage existing international 
resources. (See Page 8 of Attachment 3) 
 
 
In response to a question from Chairperson Adams, Ms. O’Donnell stated that the foreign direct 
investment strategy is part of the broader business attraction strategy. She explained that 
international companies may need assistance with visas, cultural transitions, and business 
networks when entering the market. She added that staff are working with Arizona State 
University and the Greater Phoenix Economic Council to develop the Arizona International Soft 
Landing Experience program. She added that staff anticipate bringing the agreement to Council 
in August, with the goal of introducing the program to the international market at SEMICON 
Taiwan. (See Page 9 of Attachment 3) 
 
 
In response to a question from Committeemember Goforth, Ms. O’Donnell estimated that 
internationally owned companies accounted for approximately 10% of recent investment activity 
over the past two years. She noted that the COM has approximately 320 internationally owned 
companies, representing about 3% to 4% of all businesses in the COM, and stated that the 
number is expected to grow. 
 
 
Ms. O’Donnell reviewed the quality retail attraction strategy, focused on attracting high-quality 
hospitality, entertainment, restaurant, and retail brands. She stated that the strategy leverages 
eight distinct retail districts and their different demographic advantages, and recognized that 
West Mesa, Northeast Mesa, and Southeast Mesa have different opportunities and market 
conditions. (See Pages 10 and 11 of Attachment 3) 
 
 
Ms. O’Donnell remarked that the retail attraction program is still in its early stages but has had 
strong accomplishments over the past few years. She verified that the COM attracted or located 
six retail projects totaling 78,000 square feet and $62 million in capital investment last year; year 
to date, the COM has eight retail successes totaling approximately $200 million in capital 
investment. She emphasized that the strategy focuses on quality rather than quantity, including 
elevated brands and elevated development. She highlighted recent retail, hotels and restaurants 
that now have locations in the COM. (See Pages 12 and 13 of Attachment 3) 
 
 
 
Ms. O’Donnell outlined the marketing and business development efforts and stated that the 
retail attraction strategy includes both business-to-business outreach and business-to-consumer 
marketing. She explained that the consumer campaign promotes the current retail, restaurant, 
and entertainment offerings. She commented that the website has been an important tool for 
sharing data and reviewed the results from the business-to-consumer campaign, including 
partnerships with local influencers. She stated that the campaign has exceeded expectations 
and noted that third-party testimonials have been effective in helping tell COM’s story. She 
discussed next steps, reviewed active and pipeline projects. (See Pages 14 through 18 of 
Attachment 3) 
 
 
In response to a question from Committeemember Heredia, Ms. O’Donnell advised that the 
Fiesta District project is still in the early stages but has significant potential due to its unique 
location and prime commercial property. She noted that the project has announced hotel 
components and has a positive overall vision. She recalled that the Riverview area has 
organically developed into a family entertainment and shopping center.

Economic Development Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Page 10 
 
 
 
Ms. O’Donnell reported a strong year for economic development and noted that the COM 
maintains a robust pipeline of business prospects, active projects, and successful locates, with 
retail activity tracked separately. She stated that staff plan to hold an economic development 
summit in September to review fiscal year accomplishments and launch the department’s 
strategic plan. She reviewed the COM’s industrial market, which includes nearly 46 million 
square feet of industrial and flex space and approximately 4.3 million square feet of annual 
absorption. She reported a 21.6% vacancy rate, with approximately 9 million square feet vacant 
and another 2 million square feet under construction. She stated that the COM has an estimated 
two to three years of industrial supply and emphasized that industrial inventory has grown by 
124% over the past seven years, while rents have doubled, reflecting continued demand and 
investor confidence. (See Pages 19 through 21 of Attachment 3) 
 
 
Chairperson Adams thanked staff for the presentation.  
 
2-e. 
Hear a presentation, discuss and receive an update from Visit Mesa regarding how the public 
funds supporting Visit Mesa are being used to advance the City's economic development efforts 
and goals. 
 
Marc Garcia, Visit Mesa President and CEO, displayed a PowerPoint presentation. (See 
Attachment 4) 
 
Mr. Garcia provided a brief history of Visit Mesa and explained that its primary role is to drive 
incremental tax revenue growth for the COM through hotel stays by booking meetings, 
conventions, sports events, and group travel. He mentioned that Visit Mesa currently has 13 
staff members and is expected to grow to 14 in the next fiscal year with the addition of a sales 
and marketing coordinator. He indicated that the Board of Directors currently has 25 members 
and will decrease to 22 members effective July 1. He stated that the organization is primarily 
funded through the transient lodging tax, which generally represents approximately 70% to 75% 
of its annual budget, and receives approximately $700,000 to $1 million annually in Proposition 
302 funds. He reported that for every dollar invested in Visit Mesa, there is an estimated return 
of $24 in visitor spending. (See Page 2 of Attachment 4) 
 
Mr. Garcia reviewed 2024 visitor industry data for the COM and reported that approximately 4.4 
million visitors spent nearly $750 million, noting the total economic impact of approximately $1.2 
billion. He highlighted that the visitor industry supported approximately 8,100 jobs, and that 
lodging represented the largest category of direct visitor spending, while food and beverage 
supported the largest number of jobs within the visitor economy. He discussed the fiscal impact 
of the visitor economy, including total government revenues, state and local tax revenues, 
household savings generated by visitor spending, and nearly $7 million in transient lodging tax 
revenue to the COM. (See Pages 3 and 4 of Attachment 4) 
 
Mr. Garcia discussed visitor trends as reported through Placer AI, noting that December 
experienced a 13.7% year-over-year increase, largely due to Major League Soccer (MLS) NEXT 
activity. He reviewed hotel performance data, noting that many of the hotels entering the market 
are branded properties under Marriott, Hilton, or Hyatt, which should help strengthen rates over 
time. (See Pages 5 and 6 of Attachment 4)  
 
Mr. Garcia reported that Visit Mesa’s sales teams booked over 100 events during the fiscal year 
that generated more than 102,000 hotel room nights, exceeding the organization’s goal. He 
noted that the total is expected to finish at approximately 106,000 room nights, including more

Economic Development Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Page 11 
 
 
than 60,000 sports-related room nights, approximately 16,500 meetings and conventions room 
nights, and approximately 31,000 leisure room nights. (See Page 7 of Attachment 4) 
 
Mr. Garcia highlighted major hosted events, including Fédération Internationale de Football 
Association (FIFA) activity at Arizona Athletic Grounds, MLS NEXT, Triple Crown baseball, 
Men’s Senior Baseball League, National Adult Baseball, Mountain West events, the Western 
Athletic Conference, and NAIA beach volleyball. He reported that Visit Mesa also secured 
several convention sales wins, including National Speech and Debate, which is expected to 
generate approximately 6,000 room nights in June. (See Pages 8 and 9 of Attachment 4) 
 
Mr. Garcia discussed hotel room leakage as one of the most important issues facing the COM’s 
visitor economy due to insufficient hotel inventory and meeting space to fully capture demand. 
He reported that Placer AI estimates that the COM is losing approximately 41,200 visitors per 
month to nearby cities, representing a monthly leakage rate of approximately 17% and nearly 
500,000 visitors annually. (See Page 10 of Attachment 4) 
 
Mr. Garcia provided a brief overview of Visit Mesa’s marketing efforts and stated that while the 
organization tracks impressions, he does not view impressions as the most meaningful measure 
of marketing success. He confirmed that Visit Mesa’s advertising is typically targeted at visitors 
and therefore is not always visible to local residents. (See Pages 11 and 12 of Attachment 4) 
 
Mr. Garcia discussed Visit Mesa’s leadership in artificial intelligence within the destination 
marketing organization industry. He stated that Visit Mesa has developed an AI roadmap and is 
frequently asked to speak at industry meetings and conferences, including U.S. Travel 
Association and Destinations International events. He added that Visit Mesa also provides AI 
webinars, which have attracted participation from both hospitality and non-hospitality 
businesses. He pointed out earned media efforts, visitor guides, in-studio interviews, and on-
location features. (See Pages 13 through 15 of Attachment 4) 
 
Mr. Garcia stated that the organization’s 10-year master plan informs its three-year strategic 
plan, which then informs each annual business development plan. He reported that Visit Mesa 
has completed approximately 87% of the board-ratified tasks identified for the current plan and 
noted that staff used artificial intelligence to help develop scoring metrics. He highlighted awards 
and recognitions received by Visit Mesa and COM tourism assets, noting that many of the 
awards were received without Visit Mesa submitting applications. (See Pages 16 and 17 of 
Attachment 4) 
 
Mr. Garcia discussed priorities for the next fiscal year, including the summer campaign, 
continued focus on water-related messaging, KPI reporting, annual reporting, business 
development planning, and monitoring the hotel pipeline. He stated that Visit Mesa regularly 
tracks approximately 21 branded hotel properties. He noted that approximately 943 rooms are 
under construction and approximately 2,200 rooms are planned, not including potential hotel 
rooms associated with the Fiesta District. He confirmed that Visit Mesa is continuing to expand 
its partnership with the COM and is working with Economic Development and other partners on 
a new initiative to convert visitors into residents, workers, or business investors. He explained 
that the effort would begin with a geotargeted advertising campaign directed at visitors currently 
in the market, encouraging them to consider moving or starting a business in the COM. He 
stated that the long-term goal is to develop a campaign that may be supported by major 
employers seeking to attract workforce talent. (See Page 18 of Attachment 4)

Economic Development Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Page 12 
 
 
Chairperson Adams thanked staff for the presentation 
 
3. 
Adjournment. 
 
Without objection, the Economic Development Committee meeting adjourned at 5:05 p.m. 
 
I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Economic 
Development Committee meeting of the City of Mesa, Arizona, held on the 8th day of June 2026. I 
further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present. 
 
 
 
_______________________________ 
HOLLY MOSELEY, CITY CLERK 
 
sr 
(Attachments – 4)

DOWNTOWN MESA &
REDEVELOPMENT TOOLKIT UPDATE
City Council – Economic Development Committee
June 8, 2026
Jeff McVay
Manager of Urban Transformation
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 1 of 21

DOWNTOWN MESA HISTORY
2
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 2 of 21

DOWNTOWN MESA HISTORY
3
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 3 of 21

DOWNTOWN MESA HISTORY
4
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 4 of 21

RECENT RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS
5
The Grove on Main – 285 Units
Eco Mesa – 102 Units
2 nd Avenue Commons – 144 Units
Melody on Main – 335 Units
Forge Tower – 176 Units
Residences on Main – 198 Units
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 5 of 21

UNDER CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
6
Edge on Main – 400 Units
The 233 Suites – 76 Key Hyatt Autograph
Legacy Square – 110 Units
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 6 of 21

FAÇADE IMPROVEMENT
7
101 W. Main Street
Completed Facades
Upcoming Facades
18 W. Main Street
Project Overview
104 W. Main Street
113-119 W. Main Street
19 properties
2 façade improvements 
complete
4 facades to begin 
construction soon
Remaining façades to be 
constructed through 2027
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 7 of 21

AWARD WINNING UNIQUELY LOCAL BUSINESSES
8
2024 Arizona
 Brewey of the Year
Multiple Gold Medals – San 
Francisco World Spirits 
Competition
James Beard 
Semi- Finalist 2024 & 2025
Best Cidery
& 2026 USA
 Today Best Cidery
Spirits and Brewing
Food & Sweets – Phoenix Magazine Best of The Valley 2026
Best Empanada
Best Ice Cream
2022 – 2024 Best of Valley
Women’s Boutique
Best Taco & Best Quesadilla
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 8 of 21

UNIQUELY LOCAL BUSINESSES
9
RECENT ADDITIONS AND COMING SOON
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 9 of 21

10
LOOKING 
FORWARD
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 10 of 21

RESTAURANT INCUBATOR
11
Next Steps
June 8, 2026: City Council action on Lease
October 2026: Complete construction
January 2027: Commence Incubator programming 
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 11 of 21

CULDESAC
12
Project Timeline
April 2026: Planning and Zoning Submittal
September 2026: Planning and Zoning Board Hearing
Winter 2026: City Council Hearing
September 2027: Commence Phase I Construction
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 12 of 21

ASU CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES @ POST OFFICE
13
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 13 of 21

THE LIGHT WALK
14
Aerial facing South
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 14 of 21

51-55 E. MAIN STREET
May 2026: RFQ for redevelopment partner released
July 30, 2026: RFQ responses due
Summer 2026: Response evaluation
Fall 2026: Present staff recommendation to Council
Fall 2026: Enter negotiations with selected development partner
15
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 15 of 21

AC HOTEL BY MARRIOTT
• Redevelopment of NEC of Centennial 
and Main
• Upscale AC Hotel by Marriott
• 5-stories, 85,000 SF
• 150 Rooms
• 2,000 SF Bistro/Bar
• 1,500 SF Meeting Space
• Outdoor Pool
16
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 16 of 21

DOWNTOWN BY THE NUMBERS
17
254 Residential units added 2010-2020
1,554 Residential units added since 2020
510 Residential units under construction
76 Room hotel delivered
156 Room hotel in planning and negotiation
1,100 Residential units in planning
45+ New businesses added since 2020
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 17 of 21

18
REDEVELOPMENT 
TOOLKIT UPDATE
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 18 of 21

REDEVELOPMENT TOOLKIT
19
Demolition and Remediation Assistance
Code Compliance Revitalization Grant
Reuse Ready
Vacant Property Registration
Revolving Loan Fund
Public Infrastructure
Placemaking
Strategic Acquisition and Analysis
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Melody on Main
Bread and Honey House 
Proof Bread
Espiritu
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 19 of 21

REDEVELOPMENT TOOLKIT
20
Mid 2026
4 programs launch
Late 2026
1 program launches
2027
2 programs launch
Vacant Property 
Registration
Compliance · Tracking
Placemaking
Activation · Public realm
Strategic Acquisition and 
Analysis
Visioning · Feasibility
Public Infrastructure
Public capital investment
Code Compliance 
Revitalization Grant
Collaboration · Code rehab
Reuse Ready
Adaptive reuse · Life safety
Demolition and 
Remediation
Site prep · Hazard removal
Revolving Loan Fund
Access to capital
Future Date
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 20 of 21

DRAFT TOOLKIT MARKETING COLLATERAL
21
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026  
Attachment 1 
Page 21 of 21

City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
Arts, Culture and Mesa's Economic Future
01
City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
ARTS, CULTURE AND MESA'S
ECONOMIC FUTURE
Downtown Activity. Visitor Impact. Business Attraction.
Arts and culture helps make Mesa a place where people want to 
live, visit, work, and invest.
Luis Ruiz, Director
1
Economic Development Committee
June 6, 2026
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 2 
Page 1 of 12

City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
Arts, Culture and Mesa's Economic Future
02
City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
PUBLIC PURPOSE
Arts and culture serves Mesa residents while strengthening Mesa's economic vitality.
Public purpose and economic vitality are connected.
2
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 2 
Page 2 of 12

City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
Arts, Culture and Mesa's Economic Future
03
City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
SHARED KPIs
A quick view of how we are measuring impact.
KPI 1
Participation & Experience
Who is participating, when they come, 
and what experiences bring them 
downtown.
KPI 2
Access & Community Reach
Who is being reached, where barriers 
are reduced, and how access 
expands.
KPI 3
Economic Vitality
How arts and culture connects to 
visitation, downtown activity, business 
activity, and local economic 
indicators.
For this economic development conversation, KPI 3 becomes especially important.
3
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 2 
Page 3 of 12

City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
Arts, Culture and Mesa's Economic Future
04
City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
ARTS AND CULTURE
ATTRACT BUSINESS.
Companies choose cities where people want to be.
•
Businesses choose places, not just parcels
•
Active downtowns help attract employees, clients, 
visitors, and investment
•
Arts and culture brings foot traffic, identity, and repeat 
visitation
•
Cultural destinations support nearby restaurants, hotels, 
retail, events, and public spaces
•
Mesa’s cultural assets make the city more distinctive, 
memorable, and competitive
BUSINESSES 
INVEST WHERE 
PEOPLE 
WANT TO BE.
4
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 2 
Page 4 of 12

City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
Arts, Culture and Mesa's Economic Future
05
City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
DOWNTOWN CULTURAL ANCHORS AND LOCAL VISITATION
Mesa already has a cultural district in practice.
337,403
Mesa Arts Center
Visitors in 2025
175,000
AZMNH
visitors in 2025
150,000
idea Museum
visitors in 2025
Mesa Arts Center: performances, festivals, exhibitions, studios, classes, and community 
events
AZMNH: science, natural history, school groups, family visitation, tourism, and future 
redevelopment momentum
idea Museum: family visitation, hands-on learning, camps, access programs, and peak 
seasonal activity
Together, these institutions create repeated reasons to visit Downtown Mesa
Hundreds of thousands of annual cultural visits support downtown activity and strengthen Mesa’s destination value.
5
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 2 
Page 5 of 12

City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
Arts, Culture and Mesa's Economic Future
06
City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
WHY VISITATION MATTERS TO BUSINESS
The value is not only the ticket or admission.
• Cultural visits often extend into restaurants, parking, retail, hotels, 
events, and nearby businesses
• Families, school groups, performance audiences, festival attendees, 
and museum visitors create different downtown activity patterns
• Evening and weekend events support restaurants, hospitality, and 
nightlife
• Daytime and family visits support retail, parking, public spaces, and 
downtown visibility
• The stronger the connection between cultural institutions and 
businesses, the greater the downtown economic opportunity
A CULTURAL VISIT
IS OFTEN A
DOWNTOWN TRIP.
Meals • Parking • Shopping
Events • Return visits
6
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 2 
Page 6 of 12

City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
Arts, Culture and Mesa's Economic Future
07
City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
AEP6: NATIONAL CONTEXT, MESA LENS
Arts and culture creates measurable economic activity.
NATIONAL AEP6
$151.7B
national nonprofit arts and culture economic 
activity
2.6M
jobs supported nationally
$29.1B
tax revenue generated nationally
MESA AEP6
$38.46
average audience spending beyond admission, per 
person
30.1%
attendees who travel from outside the county
77%
nonlocal attendees who say the cultural event was the 
primary reason for their visit
QUESTIONS TO 
ASK
Where are visitors 
coming from?
What else are they 
spending on?
Did arts and culture 
bring them here?
• Audiences spend beyond admission on restaurants, parking, retail, transportation, hotels, and other local services
• For Mesa, the opportunity is to better connect cultural attendance with downtown business activity, tourism, and visitor spending
• Economic value grows when cultural destinations are linked to nearby businesses, hospitality partners, wayfinding, and shared promotion
Source: 2022 Americans for the Arts, Arts & Economic Prosperity 6.
7
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 2 
Page 7 of 12

City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
Arts, Culture and Mesa's Economic Future
08
City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
VISITOR ORIGINATION
Visitor origin helps show how arts and culture brings people into Downtown Mesa from across the region and beyond.
8
Mesa Arts Center
AZMNH
idea Museum
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 2 
Page 8 of 12

City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
Arts, Culture and Mesa's Economic Future
09
City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
DOWNTOWN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES
Connect cultural activity more intentionally to downtown businesses.
• Shared promotion with downtown restaurants, shops, 
hotels, and events
• Visitor referrals from cultural institutions to nearby 
businesses
• Dining and event packages tied to performances, 
exhibitions, festivals, and museum visits
• Better wayfinding between Mesa Arts Center, 
AZMNH, idea Museum, Main Street, light rail, parking, 
ASU, and downtown businesses
• Stronger coordination with Visit Mesa and downtown 
business partners
• More visible connections between cultural 
destinations and the broader downtown experience
PACKAGE THE VISIT
CONNECT THE DISTRICT
9
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 2 
Page 9 of 12

City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
Arts, Culture and Mesa's Economic Future
10
City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
MEASURING DOWNTOWN ECONOMIC VITALITY – KPI 3
KPI 3 helps us understand how cultural activity connects to downtown economic impact.
Are arts and culture offerings contributing to increased participation and economic activity during key downtown activation 
periods?
What we hope the data will tell us
• Whether local sales tax revenue increases during defined arts and 
culture peak periods
• Which peak periods show the strongest relationship between 
cultural activity and economic activity
• Whether visitors are eating, shopping, parking, attending events, or 
visiting nearby businesses
• Where better promotion, wayfinding, partnerships, or packages 
could increase benefit
Measurement approach
• Year 1: all downtown arts and culture offerings during 
defined peak periods
• Target: established using baseline sales tax data for 
those 
periods
• Measure: associated economic activity, not direct 
causation from one event
BETTER DATA CONNECTS CULTURE TO DOWNTOWN SALES, BUSINESS 
ACTIVITY, AND FUTURE INVESTMENT.
10
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 2 
Page 10 of 12

City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
Arts, Culture and Mesa's Economic Future
11
City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
2025 REVENUE MIX BY INSTITUTION
Public investment, earned revenue, and contributed revenue work together.
Mesa Arts Center
$19.27M
total revenue
Earned: $9.59M / 49.75%
Contributed: $1.29M / 6.71%
General Fund: $8.39M / 43.54%
AZMNH
$4.45M
total revenue
Earned: $1.28M / 28.86%
Contributed: $0.69M / 15.51%
General Fund: $2.47M / 55.64%
idea Museum
$3.55M
total revenue
Earned: $0.60M / 16.78%
Contributed: $0.21M / 5.82%
General Fund: $2.75M / 77.39%
Public investment provides the foundation, earned revenue shows audience demand, and contributed revenue expands programs and access.
11
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 2 
Page 11 of 12

City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
Arts, Culture and Mesa's Economic Future
12
City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department
THANK YOU
Mesa’s cultural institutions help bring people downtown, strengthen the visitor experience, 
and support the conditions that make Mesa attractive for business and investment.
Connect what we already have into a stronger downtown economic development strategy.
12
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 2 
Page 12 of 12

Mesa Economic 
Development.
Council Economic Development Committee.
June 8, 2026
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 1 of 31

01
02
03
SelectMesa.com
Our vision.
Mesa, Arizona will be regarded 
as a premier location for 
companies and investors seeking 
an innovative, dynamic city to 
enhance their competitiveness.
A diverse and 
sustainable economy.
A leadership team 
who supports a 
regional, national, 
and global approach 
to economic 
development.
A partnership 
between industry and 
government.
Advancing business. 
Growing quality jobs.
2
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 2 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Our mission.
Mesa’s Office of 
Economic Development 
(OED) works to 
enhance Mesa’s 
economy.
Promoting a culture 
of quality.
Supporting the 
creation of higher 
wage jobs.
Promoting direct 
investment.
Increasing prosperity 
of our residents.
3
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 3 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Our lines of service.
Business attraction, 
retention and 
expansion.
Entrepreneurship and 
small business 
development.
Redevelopment 
and revitalization.
Workforce development 
and talent attraction.
4
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 4 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Industries of 
opportunity.
5
Healthcare
Biotechnology
Medical Devices
Aerospace
Aviation
Defense
Technology
Semiconductors
Electric Vehicles
Advanced
Manufacturing 
Sector-Wide
Retail
Hospitality
Entertainment
Education
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 5 of 31

Attraction: 
Foreign Direct Investment.
01
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 6 of 31

→Focuses on attracting export-oriented, capital-
intensive industries 
→Leverages Mesa’s core competitive advantages
→Positions Mesa to compete for international firms 
seeking U.S. manufacturing, research and 
development, logistics, and technology 
investment locations
Foreign Direct Investment – Strategy.
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 7 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Foreign Direct 
Investment - 
Top Industry 
Clusters.
Bio / Pharma / Life 
Sciences
Medical Devices
Aerospace
Defense
Clean Energy 
Technologies
Advanced
Manufacturing 
Sector-Wide
Semiconductor 
Supply Chain
VTOL
Mobility
Autonomous 
Vehicles
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 8 of 31

Foreign Direct Investment – Top Markets for Mesa.
Country and Key Sector Alignment
Japan – aerospace, semiconductors
Taiwan – semiconductor supply chain
Germany – automation, advanced manufacturing
Canada – aerospace, mining technologies
South Korea – battery technology, electronics
B2C Campaigns
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 9 of 31

Quality Retail 
Attraction.
02
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 10 of 31

→Focuses on attracting high-quality, 
elevated hospitality, entertainment, 
restaurant and retail brands
→Leverages Mesa’s eight distinct retail 
districts and demographic advantages
→Positions Mesa as a location of choice 
with retail brokers, developers and 
concepts
Retail Attraction – Strategy.
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 11 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Retail Attraction Performance Metrics.
Initiative
FY25 Actuals
FY26 To Date
FY26 Goal
Retail Capital Investment
$62M
$201M
$30M
Retail Prospects Generated
32
30
30
Retail Locates
6
8
8
Retail Jobs Created
100
195
160
Retail Square Footage 
Absorbed
78,000 SF
260,000 SF
30,000 SF
Retail Newsletter Subscribers
-
251
275
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 12 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Milestones: FY25 and FY26 YTD Successes. 
13
Companies / Brands / Developments
Gateway Auto Mall
Gallery Park / Tempo by Hilton, Homewood Suites
Aldi
Brick Road Coffee
Fiesta Palms Redevelopment / Angry Chickz
Medina Statios / OHSO, Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers
Cambria Hotel
Eastmarket / Sprouts, First Watch
Mekong 88 – Dragon Lounge
SpringHill Suites
C2 Tactical
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 13 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Milestones.
14
Marketing and Business Development
Quarterly Newsletter
Broker/Developer Meetings
Direct Outreach
International Council of Shopping 
Centers (ICSC)
ICSC Western - 12 meetings
ICSC New York - 8 meetings
ICSC Las Vegas - 10 meetings
Marketing material update and refresh 
B2C Campaigns
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 14 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Milestones: Website and Collateral. 
15
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 15 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Milestones: B2C Paid Advertising.
16
• 25+ Posts across Meta, Instagram, and TikTok
• Resulting in growing followers from 92 → 2,500 Instagram followers
Influencer Impact
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 16 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Social Media Ads.
17
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 17 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Active Projects
Longbow Area
Hotel
Sunshine Acres
Recker and Longbow SWC
12 West Parcel
Dana Park Improvement/Expansion
Gateway Crossing
Rush Fun Plex
Gallery Park
A.T. Still Retail 
Cannon Beach Hotel
Next Steps.
18
Continued Attraction Efforts
Quarterly Newsletter
Broker/Developer Meetings
Quarterly updates with local brokers
International Council of Shopping 
Centers (ICSC)
ICSC Western
ICSC Retail Forward
ICSC Las Vegas
Direct Outreach 
B2C Campaigns
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 18 of 31

FY26 by the 
Numbers.
Year to Date.
03
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 19 of 31

SelectMesa.com
FY26 Business Attraction by the Numbers.
20
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 20 of 31

SelectMesa.com
FY26 by the Numbers.
21
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 21 of 31

City of Mesa
Economic Development 
Strategic Plan.
04
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 22 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Strategic Plan.
Define Mesa’s long-term 
vision and economic  
priorities, providing a 
clear roadmap to align 
resources, guide decision-
making, and achieve 
measurable results.
23
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 23 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Scope of Work (FY27-29 Strategic Plan).
Economic & Market Analysis
Business District & Redevelopment 
Area Positioning
Business Attraction
Entrepreneurship
Workforce Development
Strategy & Implementation Plan
Metrics & Performance
Funding & Resource Strategy
Marketing & Communications Alignment
24
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 24 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Request for Proposal Process.
OCTOBER 2025
Solicited for RFPS.
DECEMBER 2025
12 responses.
DECEMBER 2025
Three interviews.
JANUARY 2025
Selected Hickey Global.
25
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 25 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Hickey Global.
Full-service economic development 
consulting firm supporting private, 
public, and non-profit economic 
development organizations around the 
world
Services: Research & Analytics, Strategy 
& Business Development, Insights & 
Incentives, Organizational Development, 
Workforce Development
Sister company to Hickey & Associates – 
global leader in site selection, location 
strategy, credits & incentives advisory, 
and labor analytics
26
SelectMesa.com
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 26 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Schedule.
Phase 1 (Kick off and Discovery) | Jan 30 – Feb 27
Phase 2 (Stakeholder Engagement) | Mar 6 – Apr 24
Phase 3 (Economic & Market Analysis) | Feb 13 – May 1
Phase 4 (Business Development & Workforce) | Mar 13 – May 29
Phase 5 (Strategy Development & Implementation) May 1 – Jul 3
Phase 6 (Final Document) | Jun 20 – Jul 31
Council Presentation – August / September 2026
27
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 27 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Stakeholder Engagement.
28
Roundtables
70 Participants
Interviews
~20 Participants
Mayor & Council
Employers
Utility Providers
State & Local Partners
City and Infrastructure
Talent Pipeline
Development Partners
Membership Partners
Business & Industry
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 28 of 31

SelectMesa.com
Next Steps.
29
Draft Complete June 30
→Staff & City Manager Review of Draft (July)
→City Council 1:1s – Review of Draft (July/Aug)
ft Complete June 30
→City Council Presentation August / September 2026
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 29 of 31

Questions/Comments?
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 30 of 31

Stay connected.
Jaye O’Donnell
Director
City of Mesa, Arizona
Office of Economic Development
480.644.3457
Jaye.O’Donnell@mesaaz.gov
Mesa-Economic-Development 
Mesa Business Builder 
BetterLifeMesa
SelectMesa.com
MesaBusinessBuilder.com
Economic Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 3 
Page 31 of 31

M E S A C I T Y C O U N C I L · E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T C O M M I T T E E
FY25-26 Update
(Including overall visitor economy performance)
Economicc Development 
Committee 
June 8, 2026 
Attachment 4 
Page 1 of 18

V I S IT M E S A
Visit Mesa — FY25-26
WHO WE ARE
Visit Mesa is the official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for the 
City of Mesa, charged with branding, selling and marketing the 
destination; generating overnight visitation; supporting the hospitality 
industry that employs thousands of residents; and elevating the quality of 
life of Mesa residents.
Current # of staff members: 13*
Current # of board members: 25*
FY 25-26 Budget: $4,705,079 (includes Mesa TLT, Prop 302 and private 
sector investment)
FUNDI NG M OD EL
Visit Mesa is funded primarily through hotel (bed) tax revenue paid by 
overnight visitors — not by Mesa residents or general fund dollars. For 
every $1 of public funding invested in Visit Mesa, an estimated $24 in 
direct visitor spending is generated in Mesa.
Economic Development 
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June 8, 2026 
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T H E 2 0 2 4 V IS I T OR E C ON OM Y : A K E Y E C O N O M I C D E V E L OP M E N T D R IV E R
Independent analysis: Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company
4.4M
V I S I T O R S T O M E S A
+0.3% YoY
$749.0M
D I R E C T V I S I T O R S P E N D I N G
$2.1M per day, on average
$1.2B
T O T A L E C O N O M I C I M P A C T
Direct + indirect + induced
8,121
J O B S S U P P O R T E D
~1 in 14 Mesa jobs
W HER E T HE $ 74 9M I S D I R EC T LY SPE NT
$253.7M
$205.1M
$119.4M
$104.0M
$66.8M
Lodging
Food & Beverage
Retail
Transportation
Recreation
Source: Tourism Economics — Economic Impact of Visitors to Mesa, 2024 (Client Preliminary, July 2025). Total impact includes direct, indirect, and induced effects.
J O B S S U PP O R TE D B Y TH E VI S I TO R EC O N O M Y I N 20 24
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June 8, 2026 
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V I S IT O R E C O N O M Y F I S C A L IM P A C T S - C Y 2 024
$159.5M
T O T A L G O V T R E V E N U E
Generated by visitor activity
$84.7M
S T A T E & L O C A L T A X E S
Direct to Arizona & Mesa
$432
P E R H O U S E H O L D O F F S E T
What each Mesa household saves
$6.9M
M E S A H O T E L B E D T A X 
R E V E N U E
Funds Visit Mesa & tourism
ST AT E & L O C A L T A X B R EA K DO WN ( $M , 20 24 )
$48.1M
$19.4M
$6.9M
$5.0M
$4.7M
$0.6M
Sales Tax
Property Tax
Bed Tax
Excise & Fees
Personal Income
Corporate
W H Y T H I S M A T T E R S
Without the visitor economy, each Mesa household 
would need to be taxed an additional $432 to 
replace the state and local taxes visitors generate.
Tourism is a low-cost, high-return tool for funding city 
services without burdening residents.
Source: Tourism Economics — Economic Impact of Visitors to Mesa, 2024. Household tax offset assumes redistribution of $84.7M in state/local taxes across Mesa households.
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June 8, 2026 
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V I S IT O R TR E N D S — C A LE N D A R Y E A R 2 0 2 5
Growing overnight visitation drives hotel occupancy, restaurant sales, retail spending, and tax revenues. 
1.67M
O V E R N I G H T T R I P S
+2.7% vs. 2024
+13.7%
D E C E M B E R Y o Y
Strongest month of the year
Q4 2025
M O M E N T U M P H A S E
Three consecutive +8% months
M ES A O V ERN I G H T T R I P S B Y M O NT H — 2 02 5 V S 2 02 4 ( t h ou sa nd s)
0
50
100
150
200
250
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
2024
2025
Source: Placer.ai — Mesa overnight trips, Jan-Dec 2025 vs. Jan-Dec 2024. 
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June 8, 2026 
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G R O WI N G D E M A N D S U P P O R T S H OT E L I N V E S T M E N T
( R u n n i n g 1 2 M o n t h s a n d F Y 2 5 - 2 6 T o D a t e )
Demand and revenue holding steady as supply expands; peak season shows strong compression
65.2%
1 2 - M O O C C U P A N C Y
Through April 2026
$118
1 2 - M O A D R
Mesa overall, all classes
+4.7%
S U P P L Y G R O W T H
New rooms outpacing demand
+3.4%
D E M A N D G R O W T H
Room nights consumed
M ES A M O N T H L Y O C C U PA N C Y — F Y25 - 2 6 ( J ul 20 25 – A p r 20 26 )
K E Y T A K E A W A Y
Demand is up +3.4% on a trailing 12-month basis, but supply 
growth of +4.7% is compressing year-over-year RevPAR.
Peak winter months (Feb-Mar 2026) cleared 75% occupancy 
with ADR above $160 — confirming the destination's 
pricing power when demand is present.
Source: CoStar — Mesa Hospitality Submarket Report, April 2026. Trailing 12-month metrics through April 2026.
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June 8, 2026 
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S A L E S & E V E N T S
F Y 2 0 2 5 – 2 6 y e a r t o d a t e t h r o u g h M a y 3 1 , 2 0 2 6
Publicly funded sales efforts generated
102
D E F I N I T E E V E N T S
Booked in FY25-26
98,540
C O N T R A C T E D R O O M N I G H T S
Total definite business
121,263
A T T E N D A N C E B O O K E D
Across all definite events
$123M
E S T . D I R E C T S P E N D
$73.4M actualized to date
D E FI NI TE BO O K E D B U S I N ES S BY SEG M ENT — F Y25 - 2 6
SEGMENT
CONTRACTED RN
ATTENDANCE
EST. VISITOR SPEND
Sports
57,974
94,215
$78.3M
Meetings & Conventions
12,520
15,046
$34.7M
Leisure — OTA & Attribution Campaigns
28,046
12,002
$10.0M
TOTAL DEFINITE
98,540
121,263
$123M
T H E B O O K E D - B U S I N E S S S T O R Y
Sports is the volume engine — 57,974 contracted room 
nights and $78.3M in estimated spend.
Conventions, meetings & group business delivered $34.7M
in estimated spend, including wholesale travel-trade 
production.
Leisure OTA campaigns (Adara, Expedia) added 28,046 
contracted room nights to date.
Source: Visit Mesa Sales Report Executive Summary, 7/1/2025 - 4/30/2026 (turned definite). Segments reflect booking sales team; Conventions/Meetings/Group includes wholesale travel-trade production. EI = total direct economic impact (estimated; actualized as 
events occur).
OTA: Online Travel Agency (Expedia.com, hotels.com, VRBO.com, etc).
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June 8, 2026 
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F Y 2 5 - 2 6 W I N S - S P O R T S E V E N TS
Publicly funded sales efforts generated
FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 TEAM BASE CAMP
GL OBA L ST AGE · S U M ME R 2 0 26 · 4 ,6 0 0+ ROO M NI GH TS
Mesa selected as a team base camp for the FIFA World Cup 2026 —
international exposure and team room-night impact.
MOUNTAIN WEST & WAC BASEBALL 
CHAMPIONSHIPS
1 ,8 8 5 ROO M NI GH TS · 2 ,4 50 ATT END EES
Simultaneous NCAA conference championships hosted in Mesa —
demonstrating venue depth and capacity.
NAIA WOMEN'S BEACH VOLLEYBALL 
CHAMPIONSHIP
2 50 ROOM NI GHT S · 70 0 A TTE N DE E S · 2-YR DEA L
Multi-year championship secured. Establishes Mesa as home of an emerging 
NCAA-feeder event.
MLS NEXT FEST
6 ,0 0 0 ROO M NI GH TS · 1 4, 00 0 A TTE N DE E S
Premier youth soccer event drawing teams from across North America; 
multi-year agreement secured.
TRIPLE CROWN SPRING SHOWCASE
5 ,5 0 0 ROO M NI GH TS · 2 1, 00 0 + A TH LETES
Major multi-session spring tournament series — among the largest sports 
room-night generators of the year.
MSBL & NABA WORLD SERIES
1 ,5 2 2 ROO M NI GH TS · 1 ,2 50 ATT END EES
Adult amateur baseball championships — long-duration events with strong 
shoulder-season value.
Source: Visit Mesa Sales Activity Report, FY25-26 (7/1/2025 - 6/30/2026). Room-night and attendance figures reflect Mesa-
contracted business. MSBL = Men’s Senior Baseball League ,NABA = National Adult Baseball Association
Western Athletic Conference
MLS Next
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June 8, 2026 
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F Y 2 5 - 2 6 W I N S - M E E T IN GS / C O N V E N TI O N S / E V E N T S
Publicly funded sales efforts generated
PENTEC HEALTH SUMMIT 2026
82 0 ROOM NI GHTS IN THE ME DICAL M ARKET S EGME NT 
Medical market segment has been an elusive one for the lack of resort 
product, but the Pentec Summit hosted at the Sheraton Mesa Hotel was a 
welcome exception.
VEX DIAMOND IN THE DESERT
INTE RNATIONAL ROBOTICS COMPE TITION · 3 50 ROOM 
NIGHTS
600+ high school and 400+ middle school students participated at the 
inaugural Diamond in the Desert  robotics competition that took place at the 
Mesa Convention Center. 
Source: Visit Mesa Sales Activity Report, FY25-26 (7/1/2025 - 6/30/2026). Room-night and attendance figures reflect Mesa-contracted business
MASTER TECH EXPO 2026
TRADE-SHOW · 90 0+ ROOM NIGHTS & 1,0 00 ATTENDEES
2026 was the 5th consecutive year that the Mesa Convention Center has 
hosted this international trade-show and annual meeting. Major brands like 
Sony, Kenwood, JBL are among the exhibitors.
ARIZONA ASSOCIATION FOR THE GIFTED AND 
TALENTED
AAGT 20 26 ANNUAL CONFERENCE · 9 5 ROOM NIGHTS
Over 1,000 educators, students and advocates gathered at the Mesa 
Convention Center for this annual conference  for the 5th consecutive year. 
COPPER STATE BEER FESTIVAL
SIG NA TUR E F ES T · 5,000 ATTENDEE S
Mesa festival drawing regional visitation and showcasing the local beer, 
craft & culture scene.
ALT FEST
A WAR D-WI NN IN G F EST IVAL · 4,600+ ATTENDE ES
Award-winning arts and music festival extending Mesa's creative-
destination brand and downtown activation.
MEXICAN BASEBALL FIESTA & SLOAN PARK
C UB S PAR TN ER SHI P · EXPA ND IN G
Continued partnership with the Cubs and Hispanic community engagement; 
expanding to six teams.
W HY T HI S M AT TE RS F O R E D:  Sports and group business alone generate more than 70,000 contracted room nights and over $113 million in estimated visitor 
expenditures, driving demand for hotels, restaurants, retail, and attractions. Signature events like Copper State Beer Fest and ALT Fest further activate downtown, strengthen 
Mesa’s destination brand, and create economic impact across the community.
Master Tech Expo 2026
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June 8, 2026 
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T H E LE A K A G E OP P O R T U N IT Y
Mesa attracts major demand it cannot fully capture — room nights and high-value group business leak to neighboring cities
41.2K
A V G . L E A K E D M O N T H L Y 
V I S I T O R S
In Mesa during the day, booking elsewhere
17%
M O N T H L Y L E A K A G E R A T E
Overnight visitors lost to other Valley cities
~494K
A N N U A L L E A K E D V I S I T O R S
Overnight demand not captured at Mesa hotels
69.2%
M E S A C A P T U R E R A T E
Overnight Stays held in Mesa
•
Mesa hosted MLS Next Fest but, with limited hotel inventory, held only ~18% of the room nights — the remaining 
33,000+ booked in Scottsdale, Tempe, and Phoenix. This does not include the estimated room nights for families and 
guests, which would make the leakage even greater.
LEAKAGE IS A PATTERN, NOT A ONE-OFF
• Requested sports room nights exceeded current contracted capacity 
by more than 75,000 room nights.
• The issue is not lack of demand. The issue is in-market capacity and 
capture.
• This supports a broader economic-development case around 
lodging product, event-support infrastructure, and visitor-serving 
growth.
LOST GROUP BUSINESS:  limited hotel inventory and insufficient 
meeting, ballroom, and exhibit space cost Mesa convertible business 
from Nestlé Health Sciences, Blank Rome, and Madrigal 
Pharmaceuticals, among others.
The demand is already here — Mesa needs the product to capture it.
Sources: Visit Mesa CRM & Destinations International Event Impact Calculator 
EVENT 
TOTAL EVENT RN
MESA RN
GAP
MLS Next
39,000+
<6,000
33,000+
SC Del Sol
3,500+
877
2,600+
Triple Crown Spring Showcase
21,000+
~5,000
16,000+
SPORTS ROOM-NIGHT LEAKAGE EXAMPLES
Placer.ai Leakage Report, Last 12 Months
•
Estimated leakage impact: approximately $177.8M in lost hotel revenue, equal to roughly $12.4M in 
combined TLT/TPT,based on a 3-night average stay and $120 ADR.
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June 8, 2026 
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M A R K E T IN G & D E M A N D G E N E R A TI O N — F Y TD T h r u M a y 
Paid media, search, and social channels driving measurable room nights and outperforming targets
25.9M
P A I D M E D I A I M P R E S S I O N S
+70.4% YoY FYTD
892K+
W E B S I T E S E S S I O N S
+12.3% FYTD
43:1
A V E R A G E R O A S
Peaked at 62.6:1 in February
+12.8%
W E B E N G A G E M E N T R A T E Y O Y
Engaged site users from Paid Traffic
86.7K
S O CI AL F O L LO W ER S
+19.5% vs. prior FY (72.5K)
28K+
AT T RI BUT E D RO O M N IG H TS
93% of annual goal
8.8%
V IS IT RAT E
Foot traffic driven by website visits (attribution 
per Tourism Economics)
5.9 Days
L EN G TH O F ST AY
+26% YoY (Adara)
Marketing is pacing to deliver est. 30K attributed and OTA room nights this fiscal year — up from 
20.6K in the prior full fiscal year, a projected 36% year-over-year gain. 
Year-over-year comparisons reference the last complete fiscal year (FY24-25). Current-year figures are FYTD and pacing to meet or exceed prior-year totals.
Source: Visit Mesa Marketing Dashboard, Google Analytics, Adara attribution, FYTD May2026. Prior-year figures reflect the full FY24-25. ROAS = revenue-attributed room-night value divided by paid media investment.
Economic Development 
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June 8, 2026 
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Marketing Creative Examples
M A R K E T IN G C R E A T IV E E X A M P L E S
These campaigns helped drive 28,000+ attributed room nights.
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June 8, 2026 
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A I & S E A R C H LE A D E R S H IP
AI is changing how destinations compete, operate, and connect with visitors. Visit Mesa is applying it strategically, using practical tools with 
clear purpose and human oversight. AI tools help Visit Mesa extend marketing reach and improve productivity without proportional increases in 
staffing costs.
W HAT W E' RE D O I N G
AI Optimization Strategic Plan
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to surface Mesa in AI answers, not just search results.
Scrunch AI brand monitoring
Real-time tracking of how and when Mesa is cited across AI platforms.
Custom GPTs + org-wide adoption
Internal AI tools across marketing, communications, and destination experience (Partnership sales).
AI webinar series
Open to all Mesa businesses, sharing practical AI insights from Visit Mesa’s roadmap to support 
innovation across our community.
W H Y T H I S M A T T E R S
Search is being rebuilt around AI Across travel, organic clicks are down 20–30% 
YoY as AI answers replace blue links.
Mesa is bucking the trend: Search site impressions are up 38% YoY because we 
optimize to be the source  that AI engines cite.
We are leading this shift, not reacting to it — protecting Mesa's visibility as 
visitor behavior changes.
Sources: Visit Mesa CEO Annual Performance Report FY25-26; Visit Mesa / Madden Media SEO performance review. Organic-decline figure reflects observed industry-wide travel search trend.
AI Roadmap Implementation
First DMO in the nation to implement a formal procedural roadmap which includes both execution 
by individual staffer and department lead, while adhering to organization-wide usage policies.
Economic Development 
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June 8, 2026 
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P . R . & E A R N E D M E D IA — F Y TD ( T h r u M a y )
National media exposure strengthens Mesa's reputation among visitors, event planners, investors, and future residents.
248
M E D I A M E N T I O N S
198% of annual goal
$5.1M
P U B L I C I T Y V A L U E
Earned media equivalent
335M+
A U D I E N C E R E A C H
Estimated impressions
11M
M A Y A U D I E N C E
Single-month peak
W HAT TH E N A T I O N A L P R ESS I S SAYI NG ABO UT M E SA
AC CE SS IB IL I TY L E ADE RS HI P
Mesa is consistently profiled as a national leader in 
accessible and inclusive tourism — covered by national 
outlets following the Dani Bowman / Love on the 
Spectrum FAM tour.
AR TS & CUL T URE W EE K
Mesa Arts & Culture Week earned significant earned-
media coverage in regional and national lifestyle 
publications, helping establish Mesa as a creative 
destination beyond Spring Training. This partner 
collaboration has earned recognition by the 2026 AZ 
Travel Awards as the Destination Marketing Campaign of 
the Year.
CI T Y L IM I TL E SS ® PO D CAS T
Our podcast expanded Mesa's storytelling reach through 
compelling conversations with influential guests, 
introducing new audiences to the destination and 
elevating brand awareness. These efforts earned a Telly 
Award and contributed to the podcast's recognition by 
the 2026 AZ Travel Awards as Destination Social Media 
Account of the Year.
Source: Visit Mesa Communications, Critical Mention, FYTD May 2026.
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E A R N E D M E D I A
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S T R A T E G IC P L A N E X E C U T IO N ( C Y 2 0 2 4 – 20 26)
A calendar-year view of Visit Mesa’s strategic priorities, showing progress from planning to measurable execution.
89
T O T A L T A S K S
Strategic priorities
77
C O M P L E T E D
As of April 2026
12
I N P R O G R E S S
Active workstreams
87%
O V E R A L L C O M P L E T I O N
8+ months remaining
C O M P LE TED TH I S YE A R
✓
AI Roadmap, GuideGeek, & operational AI integration
✓
New VisitMesa.com website launch
✓
Adventure Guide & Brand Book refresh
✓✓
Campaign attribution via Adara pixel
✓
Accessible tourism resources & adaptive sports development
✓
Partnership automation & CRM
✓
Event Investment & Marketing Framework
C O MM U N I T Y I M P A C T I N I T I AT I V ES
M E S A A R T S & C U L T U R E W E E K
Established as a destination-defining signature initiative — drove measurable visitation and earned media.
S P R I N G T R A I N I N G G U I D E
Premium destination content paired with sports tourism — drives early-year overnight visitation.
A L L E G I A N T A I R C O - O P
Expanded reach in direct-flight markets through influencer marketing and strategic air service alignment.
E V E N T D E V E L O P M E N T & S I G N A T U R E E V E N T S T R A T E G Y
Advanced signature event alignment while supporting new and emerging events including ALT Fest, Flavors on Main, Dia de los
Muertos, Copper State Beer Festival and Mesa International Film Festival. Aligned event producers, venues and stakeholders 
around opportunities that drive visitation and economic impact.
C I T Y L I M I T L E S S ® P O D C A S T & C O N T E N T
Award-winning storytelling platform extending Mesa's brand reach across audiences.
Source: Visit Mesa Strategic Plan Tracker as of April 2026. The strategic plan is developed and measured on a calendar-year cycle; 87% complete with 8+ months remaining.
✓
Hotel development business case & universal design addendum
✓
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June 8, 2026 
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A W A R D S & R E C O G N I TI O N — F Y 2 5 - 2 6
W I N S B Y C A TE G O R Y
AMERICAN ADVERTISING AWARDS
"AI Can't" Campaign
Gold ADDY
DESTINATION SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT
City Limitless® Podcast
AZ Travel Award
DESTINATION MARKETING CAMPAIGN
Mesa Arts & Culture Week
AZ Travel Award
EVENT MARKETING
ALT Fest
AZ Travel Award
PARTNERSHIP MARKETI NG
Las Sendas
AZ Travel Award
OUTDOOR / RECREATION
Hawes Trail System
AZ Travel Award
ATTRACTION MARKETING
Arizona Baseball Museum
AZ Travel Award
TELLY AWARD (BRANDED CONTENT)
Jesse Cole / Savannah Bananas Episode
City Limitless® Podcast
Source: American Advertising Awards (ADDY) 2026; Arizona Office of Tourism — AZ Travel Awards 2026; Telly Awards 2026.
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L OO K I N G FO R W A R D — Q 4 FY 2 5 - 26 A N D B E Y O N D
Priorities, pipeline, and momentum carrying Mesa into FY26-27
N E A R - T E R M
Q4 FY25-26 PRIORITIES
• Spring/summer sports actualization 
(NAIA, WAC/MWC conference 
championships)
• IPW international buyer marketplace
• Summer Adventure campaign launch
• Year-end KPI reporting
P I P E L I N E
HOTEL DEVELOPMENT 
PIPELINE
21 properties / 3,146 rooms tracked:
• 943 rooms under construction (2026–27)
• 2,203 in planning/proposed 
(incl. AC Marriott Hotel, Residence Inn, 
two stadium hotels, 600-room Legacy Park, 
Longbow select service)
S T R A T E G I C
TIA — TOURISM 
IMPROVEMENT AREA
Continued advocacy for a TIA 
mechanism to provide stable, 
sustainable funding for destination 
marketing — a tool used successfully by 
25 states and, as of now, 215+ U.S. 
cities.
N E W F Y
FY26-27 PLANNING
2027–2029 strategic plan session, AOT 
Prop 302 execution, and a brand 
campaign with MOED connecting 
destination awareness to resident and 
business attraction.
O P P O R T U N I T I E S T O A L I G N
Continued collaboration on visitor economy infrastructure, full-service hotel and event space development, and sustainable destination funding tools such as 
TIA/TID exploration.
Sources: CoStar Mesa Hospitality pipeline (Apr 2026); Visit Mesa Strategic Plan & FY26-27 Planning. TIA = Tourism Improvement Area; TID = Tourism Improvement District.
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