Staff Memo to Council for GPEC Contract
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∙ Voice (480) 982-8002 ∙ Fax (480) 982-7018 ∙ TDD (480) 983-0095 www.ajcity.net 300 E. Superstition Boulevard, Apache Junction, AZ 85119 DATE: June 15, 2026 MEMORANDUM TO: The Honorable Mayor & City Councilmembers MEMORANDUM THRU: Bryant Powell, City Manager Matt Busby, Assistant City Manager MEMORANDUM FROM: Ryan Kaup, Economic Development Director SUBJECT: Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) Contract Renewal FY 26/27 The City of Apache Junction, along with 21 other communities, contracts annually with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) for regional economic development services. The City of Apache Junction has partnered with GPEC for the past 18 years. Key benefits of this partnership include prospect generation, marketing, and research analysis. As part of the City’s partnership with GPEC, Economic Development staff participates in regional economic development activities, including responding to GPEC-originated business attraction prospects and assisting with the formulation of an Action Plan (Exhibit A). Staff also participates on the Economic Development Directors Team (EDDT) and attends strategic sales missions with GPEC staff. The annual contract amount for GPEC is based on the State of Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity’s 2025 population estimate for Apache Junction (44,934) multiplied by a fixed per capita rate ($.4897). The City’s contracted rate for FY2026-27 is thus $22,004. During the previous fiscal year, Economic Development staff responded to 13 Requests for Proposals (RFPs) generated by GPEC for companies considering relocation or expansion within the Greater Phoenix region. These RFPs provided Apache Junction with the opportunity to compete for projects with the potential to: Add up to 9,000 jobs Build/absorb up to 4.5 million square feet of industrial space; and Invest more than $12 billion in capital expenditures Economic Development staff remains focused on attracting more speculative industrial space to Apache Junction, which will improve the City’s ability to land GPEC-originated projects. As a reminder, most industrial companies relocating to the region prefer facilities that are already completed or under construction. City of Apache Junction 300 East Superstition Boulevard Apache Junction, Arizona 85119 ∙ Voice (480) 982-8002 ∙ Fax (480) 982-7018 ∙ TDD (480) 983-0095 www.ajcity.net 300 E. Superstition Boulevard, Apache Junction, AZ 85119 Apache Junction has achieved industrial momentum over the previous year with the completion of WW Clyde’s regional headquarters and Sundt breaking ground on their offsite manufacturing facility. Additionally, a 25,000 square foot speculative industrial building is currently under construction near Meridian & Apache Trail. Economic Development staff is confident that these projects will encourage additional industrial developers to explore land sites in Apache Junction. Councilmember Bambi Johnson is currently serving on the GPEC Board of Directors as Apache Junction’s elected representative. Exhibits in the contract include an action plan, performance measures, target industries, reporting mechanism for contract fulfillment, insurance requirements, and a regional cooperation protocol policy. This item will be discussed during the June 15, 2026 Work Session and is anticipated to be on the consent agenda for the July 7, 2026 Regular Meeting.