Situated in the southwestern part of the United States, Phoenix is Arizona’s capitol and the fifth largest city in the United States, with almost 1.5 million residents and growing. The city takes up more than 500 square miles, geographically exceeding Los Angeles. Phoenix has more than 300 sunny days a year and an average temperature of 74 degrees – an unbeatable combination that has made the city a prime destination for tourists, business and industry. The city enjoys a Standard & Poor’s bond rating of AA+ and is the center of a $50 billion regional marketplace. Motorola, Intel, Honeywell and Boeing are among the companies that have major operations here.
The Phoenix area offers a wide variety of new and existing homes. Housing costs in the Phoenix area are well below many other major metropolitan areas. In 2004, more than 48,136 new single-family homes were authorized in the greater Phoenix area. More than 50 percent of new single family homes are constructed in master-planned communities that offer a host of amenities, such as lakes, golf courses, bike trails, etc.
Climate and physical amenities
Warm weather is certainly a factor in the Valley's popularity. The sun shines more than 80 percent of the time on an annual average. The area receives about seven inches of precipitation yearly, and the average annual daytime temperature is about 82 degrees. Phoenix's climate is terrific, especially to those used to having to deal with snow, sludge and gray skies. And, yes, it is possible to relax by the pool on Saturday and spend Sunday on the ski slopes.
The Phoenix climate allows for a wide range of recreational activities. More than 184 golf courses offer year-round opportunities on the links, and the Phoenix Open and the LPGA Turquoise Classic are among the five professional golf tournaments played in the area.
With more than 1,130 tennis courts, 100 plus miles of hiking trails, numerous parks including the largest municipal park in the United States, short driving distance to lakes, it's easy and convenient to enjoy favorite recreational activities.
Sports
An incredible variety of sports action can be found in the Valley. Professional sports include the NBA Phoenix Suns, the NFL Arizona Cardinals, the NHL Phoenix Coyotes, the MLB Arizona Diamondbacks, and the WNBA Phoenix Mercury.
Twelve major league baseball teams play spring training in Arizona, nine in the Greater Phoenix area. Known as the Cactus League, the Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, Anaheim Angels, and San Diego Padres train in Phoenix, while the Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox, and the Arizona Diamondbacks train in Tucson. Spring exhibition games are played almost daily from March through early April.
Greater Phoenix offers every type of motor sports in the country, including Indy and NASCAR. Other spectator sports available in greater Phoenix include polo matches, horse races, dog races, and a variety of collegiate sports from Arizona State University. Of special note among the important national college football events is the Fiesta Bowl played in ASU's Sun Devil Stadium.
Arts and culture
Arts and cultural activities abound in Phoenix, with more than 20 museums in the metro area and numerous performing arts groups. A sampling of museums include the newly renovated and expanded Phoenix Art Museum, with more than 13,000 works of art including an impressive collection of Western art, a Chinese art selection and an extensive collection of contemporary work; the internationally renown Heard Museum of Anthropology and Primitive Arts, which houses more than 75,000 artifacts of Southwestern Indian culture; and the Arizona Science Center, with 350 hands-on exhibits, giant-screen theater and state-of-the-art planetarium.
On any given night one may find small-scale productions to larger well-known performances such as the Arizona Theatre Company, Arizona Opera, and the Phoenix Symphony. If one's tastes lean toward the performing arts they will find Phoenix a perfect fit.
Interesting Facts
- Phoenix covers more than 515 square miles and has a population of 1.4 million, ranking it the fifth largest city in the country.
- Phoenix is a premier destination, with more than 300 sun-filled days a year and average temperature of 72.6 degrees.
- More than 50 percent of the population is between 18 and 54 years of age, which is younger than the national average.
- In January 2000, after a yearlong, in-depth study of management efficiency by the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, Phoenix was the only city among the nation’s 35 largest urban centers to earn an overall grade of “A.” Phoenix also was named the “Best Run City in the World” in 1993 by the Carl Bertelsmann Foundation and has earned numerous other awards for efficient government operations.
- The greater Phoenix area is a $50 billion marketplace driven by technology. World-leading companies such as Intel, Avnet, Motorola, AlliedSignal, Honeywell and Boeing Company have chosen Phoenix for their corporate and regional headquarters.
- Industry giants such as STMicroelectronics, American Express, Phelps Dodge, Sumitomo Sitix, Prudential, Charles Schwab and Mayo Clinic have major operations in Phoenix.
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is the fifth busiest in the U.S. and the world for passenger traffic for takeoffs and landings, handling more than 36 million travelers in 2000.
- The airport serves more than 100 cities with non-stop flights, and British Airways, Air Canada and Lufthansa are among carriers providing international flights to destinations such as London, Toronto, Mexico and Frankfurt, Germany.
- Located in the heart of downtown’s Copper Square, the Phoenix Convention Center is a 24-acre facility that has hosted national and regional conventions, trade shows, consumer events and theatrical productions since 1972. It has accommodated more than 35 million people, playing host to an average of 540 events annually.
- The center is surrounded by more than 95 restaurants, top hotels, retail shops, a 24-screen movie theatre complex, history, science and cultural museums, US Airways Center and Chase Field Ballpark – all within walking distance. Sports teams that play in Copper Square include the Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB), Phoenix Suns (NBA), Phoenix Mercury (WNBA) and Arizona Rattlers (AFL).
- The $600 million expansion of the Phoenix Civic Plaza will triple the amount of rentable space, positioning Phoenix as a top destination for 80 percent of all conventions in the country. New buildings open in 2006 and 2008, followed by interior renovations of the existing South building. When expansion is completed, the Phoenix Convention Center will provide a spacious, high-tech and client-friendly facility with approximately 900,000 square feet.
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