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Anchored by the second major airport serving Greater Phoenix, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Mesa Gateway is a 35-square-miles, developing aerotropolis ideal for international companies, aerospace/aviation and defense firms, high-tech manufacturers, large industrial users, research and development, data centers, and educational institutions.
The region offers highly-skilled technology talent, abundant land and building options, substantial infrastructure, and convenient market access.
INDUSTRY CLUSTERS
Aerospace/Aviation & Defense – The Mesa Gateway Area hosts world-class players including Embraer, Cessna, and Able Aerospace Services.
Technology – In the Mesa Gateway Area, you will find ground-breaking technology companies such as the Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation, the Cognitive Engineering Research Institute, Bridgestone Biorubber Process Research Center, Apple's global command center, and EdgeCore's data center campus.
Heavy Industrial and Manufacturing – CMC Steel, FUJIFILM, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, ZF TRW, CRM Rubber, Matheson Tri-Gas, Niagara Bottling, and Alcor Energy all have major manufacturing operations in the Mesa Gateway Area.
Education – The Mesa Gateway Area is home to many institutions of higher learning focused on technology and aerospace including Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, University of North Dakota Aerospace, East Valley Institute of Technology, CAE, Advanced Training Systems International, and ATP Flight School.
PHOENIX-MESA GATEWAY AIRPORT
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (PMGA) is the heart of the Mesa Gateway Area. PMGA, a convenient alternative to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, provides commercial service to nearly 50 destinations throughout the U.S. and Canada.
With three runways measuring 10,400, 10,200, and 9,300 feet, PMGA can accommodate the largest aircraft in the world. The Airport has on-site U.S. and Mexican customs services, an FAA-contract air traffic control tower, and various buildings and hundreds of acres available for development.
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is a cost-effective, global business location for maintenance, repair, and aircraft overhaul companies. Companies such as Cessna, Embraer, and Able Aerospace Services have chosen Gateway Airport because of its proximity to available labor, education facilities, and economic advantages. Businesses at Gateway Airport can take advantage of unique incentives and programs such as the Military Reuse Zone, Foreign Trade Zone, Opportunity Zone, or Private Activity Bonds.
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INCENTIVES & PROGRAMS
City of Mesa Opportunity Zones are part of a federal program designed to spur investment by providing tax benefits to investors who hold their investment between five to ten years. Most of the Mesa Gateway Area sits within an Opportunity Zone.
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Mesa Military Reuse Zone provides a number of tax incentives to businesses that locate at Gateway Airport and provide aviation or aerospace services, or engaged in manufacturing, assembling, or fabricating aviation or aerospace products. The incentives include a significant reduction in property taxes of up to 72.9% for up to five years for capital intensive companies, construction sales tax rebate, and job tax credits.
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Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) #221 includes more than 2,200 acres surrounding the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. FTZ-qualified companies may bring merchandise into the U.S. and into the FTZ for the purpose of storage, repacking, display, assembly, or manufacturing and may be duty exempt (on re-exports), duty deferred (on imports), or have inverted tariffs, meaning imported inputs may have a lower tariff once manufactured into a finished product. Companies may qualify for up to a 72.9% reduction in state real and personal property taxes.
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Arizona's Private Activity Bond program is available to facilitate construction of industrial and manufacturing facilities, and the purchase of equipment. Aviation and aerospace facilities may also qualify for Tax-Exempt Airport Revenue Bonds.
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MAJOR DEVELOPMENT AREAS
SkyBridge Arizona, located at Gateway Airport, is the nation’s first and only joint air cargo hub to house both U.S. and Mexican customs agents. The joint U.S.-Mexico customs inspection facility streamlines shipments to Mexico through the Unified Cargo Processing (UCP) Program by bypassing the international customs center in Mexico City. Shipments sent from SkyBridge Arizona go directly to their final destinations in Mexico, thus shortening delivery times by as much as two weeks.
The $230 million SkyBridge Arizona project is also projected to add 6,400 direct jobs and 8,400 indirect jobs, as well as increase 2,000 cargo flights per year, reaching 10,000 by 2036. A 15-year build out plan includes water, sewer, and power expansions as well as water retention basins at Gateway Airport.
The 363.5-acre, mixed-used development will include 1.35 million square feet of aeronautical development, 2.19 million square feet of non-aeronautical development, and 270,000 square feet of commercial development. Moreover, it is expected to become a premier destination for auto parts and food processing, as well as an e-commerce business center, contributing a projected $3.8 billion to the gross regional product.
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Elliot Road Technology Corridor, located in the northeastern portion of the Mesa Gateway Area, offers more than 1,000 acres of shovel-ready sites with robust infrastructure and a streamlined entitlement process – perfectly suited for technology companies, high-tech campuses, and data center operations. Apple Inc. recently located its $2 billion global command center in the Corridor. Also located in the Corridor are Niagara Bottling, EdgeCore's data center campus, and Dignity Health's Mesa General Hospital.
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Pecos Advanced Manufacturing Zone, located in the southern portion of the Mesa Gateway Area, is within one of Mesa's Opportunity zones and is well suited for large, heavy manufacturing operations. Major manufacturers such as CMC Steel, Bridgestone, FUJIFILM, CRM Rubber, ZF TRW, and Mitsubishi Gas Chemicals have operations in the zone due to the large amounts of available land and extensive infrastructure. The western portion of the zone also has rail access and sits within the EO Floating Zone, which provides an expedited entitlement process.
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Ray Road Industrial Development Area, located in an Opportunity Zone, is a fast-developing industrial area at the north end of Gateway Airport with more than 10 buildings and one million square feet of industrial spec space announced or under construction, and additional land ready for development opportunities.
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ABUNDANT SKILLED WORKFORCE
| Labor Force (age 18+) | ||
| | 20-minute commute | 30-minute commute |
| 2017 | 672,972 | 1,028,171 |
| 2022 | 744,315 | 1,319,274 |
| Source: ESRI Community Analyst, 2018; Center point - Ellsworth and Ray Roads |
| Educational Attainment (age 25+, highest level completed) | ||
| 20-minute commute | 30-minute commute | |
| Associate's Degree | 9.6% | 9.3% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 20.4% | 22.2% |
| Graduate/Professional Degree | 10.6% | 11.7% |
| Source: ESRI Community Analyst, 2018; Center point - Ellsworth and Ray Roads |
CONVENIENT MARKET ACCESS
Freeways – Strategically situated on the southeastern portion of Loop 202 and just south of U.S. 60, the Mesa Gateway Area has quick access to the entire Phoenix-Mesa metro area and is within a 6-hour drive from most Southern California markets.
Airports – Located just a 35-minute drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and a 24-minute drive from Falcon Field Airport, the Mesa Gateway Area has convenient commercial access to locations throughout the world. Below are flight times to major destinations from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
| Flight Time (hours) | ||||
| San Diego | 1:05 | Dallas | 2:25 | |
| Los Angeles | 1:15 | Chicago | 3:40 | |
| San Francisco | 1:55 | Miami | 5:10 | |
| Salt Lake City | 1:30 | New York | 5:15 |
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EXTENSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE
Electric Power – Electrical power is provided by Salt River Project (SRP). SRP is one of the largest and most reliable networks in the nation. The SRP network in the Mesa Gateway Area is built to handle business needs of every capacity.
Water/Wastewater – The City of Mesa provides robust water infrastructure in the Mesa Gateway Area. In addition to existing water capacity in the area, the City of Mesa also enjoys a documented 100-year assured water supply due to its acquisition of a substantial portfolio of water rights.
Natural Gas – Southwest Gas is the natural gas provider for the Mesa Gateway Area.
Fiber Optic Telecommunications Network – Redundant lit and dark telecom fiber is in place throughout many areas in the Mesa Gateway Area.
LEARN MORE>MAJOR EMPLOYERS
More than 6,600 people are employed in Mesa Gateway at organizations such as:
- Arizona State University Polytechnic
- ZF TRW Vehicle Safety Systems
- Able Aerospace Services, a Textron Company
- FUJIFILM
- CMC Steel
- Chandler Gilbert Community College