City provides upbeat economic development forecast

The Maricopa Holiday Inn project is not dead and should break ground by March or April of next year, according to city of Maricopa Economic Development Director Danielle Casey.

Casey made the announcement before 50 business leaders, developers, architects and others attending the city’s fourth annual economic development summit on Friday, Dec. 10.

 

Casey said in the past few weeks the developer of the project had submitted transportation plans to the city and was preparing to file those documents with the Arizona Department of Transportation for approval.

 

The Holiday Inn’s initial expected completion date was November 2010, but getting transportation plans completed and approved by ADOT has taken longer than expected.

 

“We are excited to see this project moving forward,” Casey said.

 

The Holiday Inn is not the only reason for optimism.

 

Casey said that due to a combination of the city restructuring its development impact fees and a moratorium placed on increasing these fees by the state, the cost of fees in the city has fallen 45 percent.

 

“These breaks will last about 18 months, so if developers get moving today they can save some money,” she said.

 

Casey also said that even though the construction of new homes in the city has slowed almost to a standstill, the sales of existing homes was above state average and the city had grown by about 700 people the past year.

 

“There is still growth in Maricopa,” she said.

 

In addition to the information delivered by Casey, Maricopa Economic Development Alliance Director Jim Rives and Adam Brill of Abacus, a project management firm hired by the city in September, gave the group insight into two major projects they are completing for the city.

 

Abacus is in the process of formulating plans that will lead to the construction of a city hall complex, a regional park and an aquatics/multigenerational center, while MEDA is developing a plan that will identify economic development strategies and targets for the city of Maricopa.

 

“This plan will focus our efforts,” said Maricopa Mayor Anthony Smith of MEDA’s efforts.

 

In addition to the plan, MEDA also works with the city to attract businesses, providing information and incentives to companies considering coming to Maricopa.

 

“The goal of MEDA is to attract employers to Maricopa,” Rives said.

 

“It is easy to hunker down and just focus on surviving during a recession,” Smith said. “However, Maricopa has instead decided the past few years to prepare itself for recovery and economic development.”