West Valley's ready access attracts projects

When executives with Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc. were scouting the Phoenix metro area last fall, they found their target site in Glendale's Westgate City Center. It had a lot going for it. The 38-acre site bumped against Loop 101. Nearby sports stadiums would draw in potential shoppers. Best of all was the speed with which the deal could be done. "We felt the city was going to be cooperative," said Tom McDonough, Tanger's executive vice president and chief operating officer. "In general, this went quicker than most." Those are all factors that have helped West Valley cities rebound from the economic recession. Local economists said that the West Valley has key advantages. Major projects set for Surprise, Peoria, Glendale and the Southwest Valley could take off as the state continues to improve Loop 303 and make large pieces of the West Valley more accessible. Barry Broome, president and chief executive of GPEC, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, noted in a recent talk that the West Valley consistently delivers large sites.

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