Office of Economic Development EDAB Approved Meeting Minutes 12-02-2025
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES December 2, 2025 The Economic Development Advisory Board of the City of Mesa met in the boardroom at 120 North Center Street, on December 2, 2025, at 7:30 a.m. BOARDMEMBERS PRESENT BOARDMEMBERS ABSENT STAFF PRESENT J. Steven Beck Kurt D. Ferstl Michelle Genereux Charles Gregory* Anthony Ruiz Frank Sanders Andrew Schreiner Susan Stephensen (excused) Jaye O’Donnell Maribeth Smith Benjamin Snow Rob Stirling Brent Stoddard EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS PRESENT EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS ABSENT GUESTS Sally Harrison Richard Blake* Sonny Cave Mark Drayna Natascha Ovando-Karadsheh Mark Freeman, Mayor (excused) Scott Butler, City Manager (excused) Vice Mayor Scott Somers Meg Stevens Ryan Ash (*Participated in the meeting via video conference equipment) 1. Call meeting to order. Chair Michelle Genereux called the meeting to order at 7:31 a.m. Chair Genereux excused Board member Steven Beck from the beginning of the meeting. He arrived at 7:33 a.m. 2. Items from Citizens Present. There were no items from citizens present. 3. Approval of minutes from the November 4, 2025, Economic Development Advisory Board meeting. It was moved by Vice Chair Kurt Ferstl, seconded by Board member Frank Sanders, that the November 4, 2025, Economic Development Advisory Board meeting minutes be approved. Upon tabulation of votes, it showed: AYES – Ferstl-Genereux-Gregory-Ruiz-Sanders-Schreiner NAYS – None ABSENT – Beck-Stephensen Chair Genereux declared the motion carried unanimously. Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Page 2 4. Hear from Vice Mayor Scott Somers regarding economic development in District 6, followed by a discussion. Vice Mayor Scott Somers provided a historical and forward-looking overview of development in District 6, particularly the Gateway Area. He noted that in 2006 the area consisted largely of open space, and over the past 20 years, Mesa had undergone sustained, intentional development. He described the Gateway Area as a blank slate—approximately two-thirds the size of Paris or San Francisco—with a major airport serving as a catalyst for growth. He emphasized the City’s strategic development plan to transition Mesa from a “bedroom community to a boardroom community,” with a long-term vision of creating 100,000 high-value jobs supported by high-quality neighborhoods. Significant investments by the City in roads, sewer, and water infrastructure were highlighted as a foundation for economic growth. Mesa Gateway Airport is a key economic driver, with continued expansion supporting advanced engineering and manufacturing. Notable employers included Able Engineering, Gulfstream, XNRGY, and FUJIFILM Electronic Materials supply chain connection to Intel. The Vice Mayor also noted Mesa’s focus on quality-of-life improvements, including Legacy Park, and emphasized the importance of ASU Polytechnic as a critical partner, particularly through the development of its Technology Innovation Zone. Chair Genereux thanked Vice Mayor Somers for speaking with the Board. 5. Hear an update on Arizona Athletic Grounds, followed by a discussion. Meg Stevens, President of Arizona Athletic Grounds (AAG), shared her background as a college coach with 22 years in higher education and collegiate athletics. She has officially led AAG, the largest sports complex in the United States, for two years. AAG focused first on rebranding and rebuilding trust and while the AAG brand was well-known internationally, Mesa residents were often unaware of the facility’s scope and impact. (AAG’s website was displayed, https://azgrounds.com/) Ms. Stevens reported that AAG would host the largest soccer tournament in the country in two days, bringing 1,400 teams to the area and generating a regional economic impact similar to the Super Bowl, filling hotels from Mesa to Scottsdale and Gilbert. AAG worked closely with Visit Mesa, law enforcement, and traffic officials to mitigate impacts. She noted that AAG hosted 2.4 million visitors on site in the prior year, generating significant “heads in beds” activity and restaurant traffic while introducing Mesa to visitors from across the country and internationally. AAG is operating as a community facility during weekdays, with local youth usage from Monday through Thursday evenings, and shifts to regional and national tournaments on weekends. Ms. Stevens highlighted multi-year contracts, including a three-year cornhole league agreement, and noted that youth sports has become a major growth sector, with Disney’s Wide World of Sports as a primary competitor. She emphasized AAG’s proximity to Mesa Gateway Airport as a major competitive advantage and discussed ongoing efforts to attract professional women’s soccer (NWSL), FIFA-related activities, and MLS scouting events. She noted that securing these events required additional four-star hotel capacity. Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Page 3 Ms. Stevens highlighted recent on-site improvements, including a fitness center, a recovery center, the opening of Bristol’s Restaurant, an arcade, and Wetzel’s Pretzels, resulting in full occupancy of the covered parkway. She stressed that AAG was now focused on partnerships with local businesses and branding opportunities, including Revel Surf and corporate partners such as Gulfstream. Additionally, Mesa is officially in the FIFA brochure, making it a potential host site for practices during FIFA ‘26, with all four grass fields certified. (See pages 1-5 in Attachment 1) Vice Mayor Somers emphasized the economic impact of FIFA-related events and noted significant visitor spending leakage due to insufficient hotel inventory. Ms. Stevens addressed parking and ingress/egress challenges at AAG, identifying them as the number one complaint. AAG has launched a mobile app enabling easy parking payment as well as rewards. Wi-Fi issues had been resolved, but access points were limited. She noted average Saturday attendance levels can reach approximately 22,000 visitors. Mitigation efforts included the use of buses, police support on Pecos Road, and the hiring of a professional parking firm. She acknowledged that long-term solutions would require significant capital investment and coordination with surrounding developments. Chair Genereux thanked Ms. Stevens for the update. 6. Hear a presentation regarding Legacy Park, a proposed development at Williams Field Road and State Route 24, followed by a discussion. Ryan Ash, Vice President of Development, representing the landowner Pacific Proving Grounds and development partner Vestar, provided an update on Legacy Park. He noted Vestar’s 35-year history in Arizona, including Desert Ridge and Tempe Marketplace, and explained that the team had partnered with Pacific Proving Grounds for over 20 years. The Mesa Gateway Airport and Legacy Park were described as major economic drivers, and market conditions were now aligned to support further development. (See pages 1-5 in Attachment 2) The proposed development north of Williams Field Road includes apartments, retail, hotel, office, and a luxury resort and conference center. Hotel commitments increased from 450 rooms to 600 rooms following a market analysis, including identified gaps in wedding and convention facilities in Mesa. Entitlements were expected in the first quarter, with construction anticipated to begin in 2027. Phase 1 includes approximately 700 apartments over ground-floor retail, boutique office space, a community green, and a public lake and park maintained by the development. Mr. Ash stated that Phase 1 construction would span approximately 24 months, with the fitness center, hotel, lake, park, and apartments constructed concurrently. The project is projected to generate approximately $400 million in Transaction Privilege Tax over 20 years, create 176 construction jobs, and support an estimated 15,000–20,000 on-site jobs at full buildout. (See pages 6-14 in Attachment 2) Mr. Ash addressed board member concerns regarding office space absorption, noting that the zoning allowed flexibility to adapt to market conditions. Their strategy prioritized lifestyle and experiential development first, followed by build-to-suit office rather than speculative office construction. Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Page 4 Traffic improvements were discussed, including the widening of Williams Field Road to its ultimate configuration and the funding of Crimson Road to provide additional access. Gateway Crossing mixed-use development was also highlighted, with two hotels and supporting retail planned on the south side of Williams Field Road. Construction is anticipated to begin in summer 2026. Chair Genereux thanked Mr. Ash for the presentation. 7. Hear an update on economic development attraction projects, followed by a discussion. Deputy Economic Development Director Benjamin Snow presented Mesa's Economic Development Business Attraction Performance Report, highlighting strong results for the first five months of the fiscal year. He noted 27 project successes, exceeding the year-to-date goal, with significant job creation, average wage, and capital investment. The pipeline consists of 64 active projects and 128 prospects, indicating strong interest in Mesa for high-wage, capital-intensive operations. Mr. Snow emphasized Mesa's ability to be selective in pursuing projects, focusing on those that align with the City’s economic vision. (See pages 1-4 in Attachment 3) Deputy Director Snow discussed the careful selection process for submitting sites and noted that although job distribution across the city is heavily biased towards District 6 we are seeing activity in other areas. He mentioned the importance of attracting regional supply chain companies and praised the collaboration among different industries in Arizona to identify those. Deputy Director Snow reported that the department is performing well across most metrics compared to last year and highlighted the diversity of sectors in the pipeline. Board members shared interest in seeing a breakdown by District in the next report or a map of locates. Questions were raised regarding housing affordability based on average wage. Staff explained that Mesa benefited from a 30-minute labor shed of approximately one million workers and continued to monitor housing affordability and workforce alignment. Director Jaye O’Donnell shared that we aim to attract high wage, high value jobs, and generally 1 in 3 employees are Mesa residents at local companies. 8. Hear an update on the Partnership for Economic Innovation Summit 2025, followed by a discussion. Board members Sonny Cave and Natascha Ovando-Karadsheh provided an update on the Phoenix East Valley Partnership (PEI) Innovation Summit held on November 14 at the ASU MIX and The Studios in Downtown Mesa. The summit focused on medical technology, aerospace, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and infrastructure, with panels featuring industry experts and state leaders. The event included innovation awards, workforce development discussions, and a networking reception attended by several hundred participants. The event showcased the importance of infrastructure and workforce development in supporting these industries. The board members expressed pride in Mesa’s role in promoting collaboration and economic diversification. Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Page 5 9. Economic Development Director’s current events summary including conferences attended. Director O’Donnell discussed recent events and expansions in Mesa, including ribbon-cuttings for Prudential Clean Room and Mekong Plaza. She attended Boeing’s 50th anniversary celebration of the first flight of the Apache helicopter, highlighting Boeing’s strong history in Mesa. January’s advisory board meeting will include a tour of Mesa Gateway Airport. 10. Introduction of new business to be discussed at a future meeting. No new business. 11. Schedule of meetings. The next Economic Development Advisory Board meeting is scheduled for January 6, 2026. 12. Adjournment. Without objection, the Economic Development Advisory Board meeting adjourned at 9:09 a.m. I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Economic Development Advisory Board meeting of the City of Mesa, Arizona, held on the 2nd day of December 2025. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present. Submitted by: _____________________________________ Jaye O’Donnell Economic Development Director ms (Attachments – 3) Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 1 Page 1 of 5 Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 1 Page 2 of 5 Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 1 Page 3 of 5 Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 1 Page 4 of 5 Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 1 Page 5 of 5 LEGACY PARK The East Valley’s Urban Oasis Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 2 Page 1 of 14 THE EAST VALLEY’S URBAN OASIS Perfectly positioned with direct access from two SR-24 freeway interchanges, Legacy Park will serve as a magnetic hub for nearly 1,000,000 residents across Gilbert, Queen Creek, Mesa, and San Tan Valley. It will stand as the East Valley’s epicenter of style, culture, and connection - where lifestyle fashion, elevated dining, and luxury living converge in one remarkable destination. 2 | Legacy Park TRADE AREA DEMOGRAPHICS Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 2 Page 2 of 14 Trade Area: • Population - 773,158 • Households – 292,100 • Average Age – 36.9 • Avg. Income $151,397 • 280-acre facility • One of the largest youth-oriented sports and entertainment complexes in North America attracting over 4M visitors per year • 2M+ annual passengers • $1.4B long-term expansion plan • 8,000+ students Nearby Notable Employers 3 | Legacy Park Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 2 Page 3 of 14 REGIONAL HOUSEHOLD INCOMES 4 | Legacy Park 2024 Median Household Income by Block Groups $128,805 to $168,056 $93,396 to $128,804 $61,305 to $93,395 $168, 057 to $200,001 Non-developed land 5 MILES 3 MILES 1 MILE Paradise Valley Carefree Queen Creek Litchfield Park Gilbert Scottsdale Fountain Hills Chandler Cave Creek Goodyear $240,000 $145,000 $138,000 $130,000 $125,000 $110,000 $108,000 $107,000 $105,000 $95,000 $2,100,000 $820,000 $600,000 $480,000 $530,000 $720,000 $510,000 $480,000 $800,000 $360,000 Average Income Average Housing Price Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 2 Page 4 of 14 SHOPPING CENTER COMPARISON Center Name LEGACY PARK Mesa, AZ FENTON Cary, NC MARKET Woodlands, TX THE SUMMIT AT BIRMINGHAM Birmingham, AL THE DISTRICT AT GREEN VALLEY Henderson, NV BIRKDALE VILLAGE Huntersville, NC STATION PARK Farmington, UT AVALON Alpharetta, GA LA ENCANTADA Tucson, AZ 2025 Total Population 773,158 743,990 524,900 390,221 990,296 324,545 419,156 440,875 321,424 2025 Daytime Population 667,160 920,270 545,011 534,813 1,211,608 351,098 401,273 422,230 367,306 2030 Est. Population 820,962 800,609 563,078 395,828 1,042,598 347,967 436,300 447,739 324,438 Households $100,000+ 20.9% 18.8% 19.1% 15.2% 17.5% 19.9% 23.6% 18.6 15.6% Households $150,000+ 13.8% 12.4% 11.3% 9.4% 9.3% 11.7% 16.5% 14.6% 7.8% Median Age of Residents 39.2 36.0 36.0 38.0 39.9 37.4 32.5 39.1 42.2 Median Household Income $104,682 $107,603 $95,151 $77,525 $77,301 $102,863 $105,490 $136,408 $66,949 Median Home Value $482,111 $539,269 $358,63 $383,407 $461,223 $452,594 $574,959 $596,034 $390,238 5 | Legacy Park Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 2 Page 5 of 14 WHERE IT ALL COMES TOGETHER Legacy Park will redefine the way East Valley residents shop, live, work, dine, and play with: The spirit of Legacy Park is defined by its commitment to community, connection, and design excellence. Here, people will shop, live, work, and gather amid world-class experiences — from inspired restaurants and boutique retail to vibrant plazas and resort-style amenities that bring energy and warmth to every corner. A Destination on the Rise With its distinctive architecture, premier location, and harmonious balance of urban vibrancy and natural tranquility, Legacy Park embodies the future of the East Valley — a place where sophistication meets serenity, and innovation thrives within an oasis of life and possibility. 6 | Legacy Park LEGACY PARK ANIMATION Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 2 Page 6 of 14 DATA CENTER #2 CONST. START: 8/2026 CONST. START: 7/2029 CONST. START: 1/2027 CONST. START: 7/2031 CONST. START: 7/2032 CONST. START: 7/2033 CONST. START: 7/2034 CONST. START: 7/2035 CONST. START: 7/2036 CONST. START: 7/2037 CONST. START: 7/2038 CONST. START: 7/2039 CONST. START: 8/2026 CONST. START: 1/2027 CONST. START: 1/2027 CONST. START: 1/2027 CONST. START: 7/2030 CONST. START: 7/2030 CONST. START: 7/2033 CONST. START: 7/2035 CONST. START: 7/2037 Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 2 Page 7 of 14 MASTER PLAN 7 | Legacy Park Legacy Park is a bold and visionary development redefining life in Phoenix’s East Valley. Envisioned as a thriving new urban district, this next-generation mixed- use destination seamlessly blends 300,000 square feet of curated lifestyle retail and chef-driven dining, 2,500 luxury multifamily residences, a 600-room resort hotel, and 3.4 million square feet of modern office and corporate campus space - all woven together by lushly landscaped public spaces surrounding an 11-acre shimmering lake. Phase 1 Retail Office Hotel/Branded Residences Residential Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 2 Page 8 of 14 LEGACY PARK SITE PLAN Willi ams Fie ld R d. 9 | Legacy Park Legacy Parkway. Main Street Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 2 Page 9 of 14 Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 2 Page 10 of 14 Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 2 Page 11 of 14 Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 2 Page 12 of 14 Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 2 Page 13 of 14 LEGACY PARK CONTACT: Taylor Alvey 602.553.2635 talvey@vestar.com vestar.com DEVELOPERS Pacific Proving Grounds, LLC Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 2 Page 14 of 14 City of Mesa Economic Development Business Attraction Performance Report Prepared by the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development FY26 YTD Disclaimer: This report doesn’t include retail successes, projects, or prospects for FY26. July 1, 2025 through November 20, 2025 Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 3 Page 1 of 4 FISCAL YEAR 2026 • YTD Project Success Overview Development Type Summary Prospects Generated in FY26 YTD 77 Office 10 (13%) Industrial 64 (83%) Mixed-Use/Residential/Redev 3 (4%) All Currently Active Projects 64 Office 5 (8%) Industrial 52 (81%) Mixed-Use/Residential/Redev 7 (11%) 41 46 63 47 27 0 20 40 60 80 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26 YTD 5-year Success Progression Successes FY26 YTD Project Successes $68,723 $1.2B Average Wage Capital Investment 27 1,592 3.11M Total Jobs Square Footage Success Count YTD GOAL: 15 (180%) YTD GOAL: 1,058 (150%) YTD GOAL: $392M (306%) YTD GOAL: 1.18M (263%) YTD GOAL: $65,560 (105%) FY25 – FY26 YTD Project Success Comparison & Highlights • Mesa’s Office of Economic Development supported 1,592 new jobs in FY26 YTD, compared to 1,513 the prior year, reflecting a 5% increase, while the average wage for new jobs increased by $2,330 (+3.5%) year-over- year. • Capital investment rose by $270 million (+29%) over the same period, totaling $1.2 billion. • Mesa’s Office of Economic Development recorded 27 project wins in FY26 YTD, compared to 22 for the same period in FY25. Project announcements include companies from advanced manufacturing, medical technology, and pharmaceutical industries. FY25 YTD FY26 YTD YoY Δ New Jobs 1,513 1,592 ↑ 5% Average Wage $66,393 $68,723 ↑ 4% Capital Investment $930M $1.2B ↑ 29% Square Footage 2.44M 3.11M ↑ 28% FY25 YTD – FY26 YTD Project Success Comparison Note: The data presented was retrieved on November 20, 2025. Please refer to original sources for the most current information. Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 3 Page 2 of 4 Active Project Overview FISCAL YEAR 2026 • YTD Currently Active Project Activity Total Currently Active 64 Job Potential 10,459 Annual Average Wage $64,685 Capital Investment Potential $12.2B Square Footage Potential 17,367,189 Active Projects by Industry 33 12 5 8 8 3 13 31-33 Manufacturing 23 Construction & Real Estate 71 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 51 Information 44-45 Retail Trade 54 Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services Other Industries 0 10 20 30 40 FY26 Active Project Highlights & Major Indicators • Active direct/company-sourced projects account for 52% of current activity • 52% of active projects are manufacturing • Advanced/High tech manufacturing makes up 34% of the currently active projects Active Projects by Operation Type 22 8 6 7 8 2 11 Advanced/High Tech Manufacturing Speculative Development Standard Manufacturing Warehousing/Distribution Data Centers Educational Facility Other Operation Types 0 5 10 15 20 25 Other Operation Types include mixed-use (4), admin/back office (2), corporate headquarters (3), R&D (1), & hotel (1) Active Projects by Lead Source 33 10 8 5 5 2 1 Direct/Company Broker/Developer/Site Selector ACA GPEC Other City Department OED Website BRE 0 10 20 30 40 Note: The data presented was retrieved on November 20, 2025. Please refer to original sources for the most current information. Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 3 Page 3 of 4 Prospects by Operation Type 29 16 7 7 4 10 4 Advanced/High Tech Manufacturing Standard Manufacturing Administrative/Back Office Warehousing/Distribution Corporate Headquarters Other Operations Mixed-Use 0 10 20 30 40 Prospects by Industry 47 2 5 6 1 16 0 10 20 30 40 50 31-33 Manufacturing 23 Construction & Real Estate 48-49 Transportation & Warehousing 54 Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services 51 Information Other Industries FISCAL YEAR 2026 • YTD Prospect Overview 5 9 5 5 12 4 6 4 3 8 0 5 10 15 July August September October November FY26 YTD eTrack Requests by Month Received Responded 36 26 Current Prospect Activity Total Currently Active 128 Job Potential 28,939 Annual Average Wage $62,853 Capital Investment Potential $14.0B Square Footage Potential 21,662,070 E-Track Prospects by Region of Origination Domestic 22 International 8 Prospect KPI Comparison FY25 YTD v. FY26 YTD FY25 YTD FY26 YTD YoY Δ Prospects Added 64 77 ↑ 20% New Jobs 13,676 11,175 ↓ 18% Average Wage $68,055 $66,852 ↓ 2% Square Footage 13.3M 9.5M ↓ 29% Capital Investment 12.0B 5.9B ↓ 51% Prospect Sources ACA & GPEC 34 36 ↑ 6% Direct/Company 16 22 ↑ 38% Brokers/Site Selectors 10 12 ↑ 20% Other City Depts 2 5 ↑ 150% OED Website 1 2 ↑ 100% Note: The data presented was retrieved on November 20, 2025. Please refer to original sources for the most current information. Other Industries include wholesale trade (3), retail trade (3), educational services (2), healthcare (2), & other services (6) Other Operation Types include data centers (2), educational facilities (2), research & development (1), retail (4), and spec development (1) Note: As prospecting is an early stage of business attraction, region of origination is often unknown or withheld. 6/36 E-Tracks are unknown. Economic Development Advisory Board December 2, 2025 Attachment 3 Page 4 of 4