Community Overviews
Pima County
about pima county
Why Pima County? We believe companies want to grow in communities that have excellent quality of life and that make investments in critical infrastructure that are the foundation for commerce. We believe businesses appreciate efficient governments that maintain an appropriate tax rate, pay off debt rapidly, provide certainty in regulations and deliver high quality service.
The Sonoran Corridor – A Regional Economic Development Catalyst
The Sonoran Corridor is a multilevel, multistep, multiyear economic development initiative for Pima County and Southern Arizona. Once completed it will significantly transform the regional economy, adding billions of dollars and tens of thousands of jobs to the Tucson valley.
Business Retention and Attraction
The Pima County Board of Supervisors enthusiastically supports new businesses and business expansion in Pima County. The Board has an approved a business attraction and expansion plan and has directed staff to assist business development and expansion in any way possible.
Tucson
Aerospace & Defense Hub
With Davis Monthan Air Force Base as one of the region’s top employers, world-class aerospace and defense companies like Raytheon, Bombardier, Honeywell Aerospace, and World View Enterprises benefit greatly in Tucson’s economy.
Strategic Location
Located entirely in a Foreign Trade Zone, 60 miles from the Mexico border, Tucson’s high-capacity border and transportation infrastructure provide an ideal choice for companies doing business in the United States and Mexico.
City of Gastronomy
Tucson is the first city in the United States with the prestigious UNESCO City of Gastronomy designation, making it a destination for some of the world’s top culinary researchers and enthusiasts.
Tucson by the Numbers
- Tucson ranks top 25 next market for tech talent (CBRE 2023)
- Tucson ranked no. 6 best U.S. city for Gen Z (CommercialCafe)
- Tucson made the NY Times list of 52 places to go in 2023
Marana
Marana is known for being the most business-supportive community in Southern Arizona. It is ideally positioned to capitalize on the growth of both the Tucson and Phoenix metropolitan areas, with access to multimodal transportation and leadership that values responsible growth and the development of career-oriented commerce. The Marana Economic Development Strategic Plan identifies several main targeted sectors that will lead the way to the development of quality, career-oriented jobs and pave the way for the Town’s continued growth in the future: advanced manufacturing, information technology, professional and business services, tourism and hospitality, as well as transportation, distribution and logistics.
Advanced Manufacturing, Professional, and Business Services
A cluster of advanced manufacturing operations in the aerospace and defense, biotechnology, mining, and laser optics industries has developed over the past decades in Marana. These industries provide high-paying, career-oriented jobs, with opportunities for advancement, and support continued innovation. Additionally, Marana’s geographic position relatively close to the rapidly-growing electric vehicle manufacturing and semiconductor industries in the Phoenix area and Pinal County set it up to be an attractive location for suppliers and customers of these industries.
Transportation, Logistics, and Distribution
Marana’s position straddling approximately 20 miles of Interstate 10, just northwest of Tucson and only 90 minutes south of Phoenix, makes it strategically optimal for manufacturing, transportation, and logistics operations. The Town of Marana has also made significant investments into the infrastructure at the Marana Regional Airport over the past several years, making it a popular facility for business jet travel and general aviation.
Tourism and Hospitality
Marana’s beautiful scenery, hiking trails, world-class golf courses, and highly-lauded resorts bring in visitors from all around the world. The efforts undertaken by Discover Marana, the Town’s Destination Marketing Organization, seek to promote Marana as an attractive tourism destination to local, statewide, national, and international markets alike. The Town is also in the process of designing and developing its downtown in northwest Marana. The mixed-use area will be a hub for business, entertainment, retail, and culture.
Quality of Life
Marana’s parks, amenities, quality public schools, and reputation as one of the safest communities in Arizona make the town an attractive place to live and work. When you combine all of these items with a robust economy it forms a community that is attractive to businesses and residents alike.
Oro Valley
Upscale Tech Mecca
The Town of Oro Valley is named the “Upscale Tech Mecca” of Southern Arizona by the Arizona Daily Star. With key industry clusters of in bio and life sciences, emerging technology, and aerospace and defense, Oro Valley is home to Roche Tissue Diagnostics, Honeywell, Simpleview, Meggitt Securaplane and Sigma Technologies/Polycharge.
The Town is also focused on entrepreneurs and start-up companies. The University of Arizona opened its Center for Innovation in Oro Valley a few years ago. This bio and life science incubator is helping to grow more primary employers and related tech talent.
Business Support
Oro Valley has a flourishing business ecosystem. The Mayor and Town staff visit every primary employer and over 200 local small businesses every year. This develops relationships and helps create an understanding that the Town is invested in seeing businesses of all sizes thrive and expand.
Quality of Life
Oro Valley takes great care developing the Town to ensure that businesses thrive while preserving the natural environment and ensuring necessary services are available for residents. Oro Valley residents experience a quality of life that is unmatched in the region, allowing residents to enjoy outdoor activities year-round in the numerous local and state parks. The Town is also situated perfectly in the region as a hub for a variety of great recreational opportunities. While Catalina State Park, Honeybee Canyon, and Tohono Chul Park are located in Oro Valley, it’s less than a two-hour drive to lakes for boating, water skiing, and fishing in the summer and snow skiing on Mount Lemmon in the winter.
Pinal County
about pinal county
Major new employers have expanded to Pinal County, including Lucid Motors and Nikola. Located in the heart of the Sun Corridor, Pinal County has a very diverse economy. Since the county’s inception 135 years ago, copper mining has and remains a county economic mainstay, over the many years creating thousands of great paying jobs and billions of dollars in tax revenue to the state, county and local economies. Another major economic engine is agriculture. The central to western area of the county is home to hundreds of family, corporate and university based farms supporting various types of agricultural products including Pima cotton, hay, sorghum, millet, corn, sheep, dairy & feeder cattle and several varieties of fruits and vegetables.
Cochise County
about Cochise County
Major new employers have expanded to Pinal County, including Lucid Motors and Nikola. Located in the heart of the Sun Corridor, Pinal County has a very diverse economy. Since the county’s inception 135 years ago, copper mining has and remains a county economic mainstay, over the many years creating thousands of great paying jobs and billions of dollars in tax revenue to the state, county and local economies. Another major economic engine is agriculture. The central to western area of the county is home to hundreds of family, corporate and university based farms supporting various types of agricultural products including Pima cotton, hay, sorghum, millet, corn, sheep, dairy & feeder cattle and several varieties of fruits and vegetables.
santa cruz county
about santa cruz county
Santa Cruz County is located the southernmost central part of Arizona, bordering Mexico and serving as the gateway to North America’s most important port of entry, Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. While one of the state’s smallest counties, Santa Cruz County is also one of Arizona’s most diverse and interesting destinations, offering an eclectic blend of history, culture, art, recreation, shopping, cuisine and entertainment in a beautiful and relaxing setting.
From the artist colony of Tubac, to the historic national monuments at Tumacacori, to the twin border towns of Nogales, Arizona and Mexico, to the mountain and birding town of Patagonia, to Arizona’s wine country in Sonoita and Elgin, a journey though Santa Cruz County will intrigue, stimulate and satisfy the senses!
Connect With Us
Want to learn more? A member of The Chamber’s Business Development team will respond to any written inquiry within one business day.
Daniela Gallagher
Vice President, Economic Development
Email or Call 520.243.1938