Last week, the Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry office was a hub of policy exchange as we hosted a delegation of lawmakers and business leaders from Missouri. The “Show Me State” representatives came west to see how our deliberate policy choices in areas like regulation, taxes, and emerging technologies have turned Arizona into a global leader in advanced manufacturing and semiconductors.

Arizona has much to teach other states about economic growth, and we are proud to showcase the work of our lawmakers and successive governors.

But during those conversations, one lesson ran in the other direction: Missouri is showing us a better way to help small businesses afford health care.

In Missouri, the state chamber of commerce , or MEWA. It’s model that allows small businesses to pool their risk and gain a level of buying power typically reserved for larger corporations. The result is greater rate stability, more plan choices, and lower costs. 

It’s not just Missouri that offers MEWAs. Nearly 30 other states have already implemented similar programs. Yet in Arizona, many small businesses and sole proprietors remain on the sidelines. , sponsored by Rep. David Livingston, is our opportunity to catch up.

HB 2693 expands the definition of entities that can operate these self-funded health plans to include statewide chambers of commerce and business leagues. By allowing small employers to join a larger pool, the bill helps stabilize premiums and expand access to quality coverage for the job creators who are the backbone of our economy.

Despite no group coming forward to oppose the bill publicly, some legislators have expressed criticisms, but they miss the mark.

First, HB 2693 is fully compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Opponents often confuse this state-level expansion with a 2018 federal rule that was struck down in court. This bill is different. It operates within the explicit authority granted to states under ERISA, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, to regulate MEWAs. 

This bill also doesn’t weaken coverage protections. Arizona law continues to require coverage for preexisting conditions, maternity care, mental health coverage, and prescription drugs. In practice, large group plans—which MEWAs emulate—often provide more comprehensive benefits than what many smaller employers can access today, including superior dental and vision coverage. 

This bill creates affordability through scale. By pooling together, small employers create a larger risk pool that puts natural downward pressure on costs and reduces volatility. By purchasing as a coalition, small businesses gain the leverage to negotiate for the high-quality, robust coverage usually only available to the state’s largest employers. This isn’t about cutting corners; it’s about using collective strength to make comprehensive care more attainable. 

The bill also recognizes the modern workforce by including sole proprietors and working owners. If an individual works at least 20 hours a week or earns enough to cover their premiums, they deserve access to the same stable, high-quality coverage as a corporate executive.

For years, Arizona has led by embracing innovation and market-based solutions. It’s time we apply that same mindset to health care. By passing HB 2693, we are giving Arizona’s small businesses another tool to grow, compete, and thrive.

Danny Seiden is the president and CEO of the Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry.

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Arizona has spent years positioning itself as a state that punches above its weight — a place where innovation and talent translate directly into economic competitiveness. Few leaders have had a bigger hand in shaping that trajectory than Dr. Michael Crow.

When Crow arrived at Arizona State University in 2002, he didn’t just take over a university, he took on a challenge: how to build an institution that matched the needs and ambitions of a fast-growing state. Today, it’s hard to look at Arizona’s economic progress without seeing his fingerprints.

Crow’s idea of a “New American University” wasn’t an academic slogan; it was a bet on Arizona’s future. While other states narrowed access or pulled back, he pushed ASU to expand — in scale, in research, and in reach — and to align itself with the industries and workforce demands defining the modern economy.

That strategy paid off at exactly the right time. As Arizona shifted toward advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, bioscience, defense, and other future-focused sectors, ASU became one of the country’s strongest pipelines of engineers, scientists, problem-solvers, and innovators. It also became a magnet for research partnerships and private investment that helped accelerate entire industries.

And unlike many universities, ASU didn’t grow at the expense of access. Access was the strategy. Crow insisted on opening doors wider, not smaller, giving Arizona something many states are now scrambling to recreate: a workforce that reflects the size and diversity of its population. In a state growing as quickly as ours, that has been a competitive advantage.

It’s also why ASU consistently ranks at the top nationally for innovation and social mobility, indicators of whether graduates can move directly into the jobs employers are creating right now.

Today, when national outlets talk about Arizona as a hub for semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, defense, and other next-generation industries, they’re describing a story ASU helped write. And when companies tell us why they invest here, ASU’s talent, research, and problem-solving capacity are almost always near the top of the list.

Crow also pushed both policymakers and the business community to think bigger: to compete nationally and globally, to treat education as a core economic asset, and to build a workforce ready for a new economy.

That mindset has shaped nearly every major economic win Arizona has landed over the past two decades. And as ASU continues to evolve, so does our state — with the connection between the two clearer than ever.

Arizona’s next decade will demand even more: more skilled workers, more research capacity, more industry-university partnerships, and more leaders willing to think as boldly as Crow did when he arrived on the scene.

This month, the Arizona ˿����Ƶ will honor Dr. Michael Crow with the 2025 , recognizing leaders whose vision has helped define our state’s success story. It’s a well-earned moment for someone who helped shape not just a university, but Arizona’s economic future.

We hope you’ll join us in celebrating his contributions.

The Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry Dinner is tonight, December 11, 2025 at the Arizona Biltmore. Event .

The post Why Michael Crow’s leadership deserves recognition appeared first on ˿����Ƶ Business News.

This column by Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden originally appeared in .

More than a decade ago, the small town of Edgerton, Kansas, faced a choice: maintain the status quo or plan for the future.

When another community turned down a proposal for a major infrastructure project, Edgerton saw the opportunity others didn’t. Local leaders made a strategic decision to invest in growth through the BNSF Logistics Park and intermodal facility — a project dismissed by many as too ambitious for a rural town. That decision delivered modern infrastructure, attracted private investment, and created a long-term economic engine for the region.

The payoff was undeniable.

Jobs and housing construction surged. Infrastructure improved. The tax base expanded, allowing the city to deliver more services at lower cost to residents. What was once a quiet agricultural community became a thriving rail logistics and employment hub that now anchors economic activity across the region.

Now, Maricopa County stands at a similar crossroads.

Edgerton’s story is a clear example of what strong leadership and effective public-private partnership can accomplish. The project brought commercial investments the town once didn’t think possible, new housing development for the first time in 20 years, new infrastructure, and a broader, more stable tax base that lowered costs for residents.

Edgerton didn’t lose its character — it strengthened its community. Families found opportunity without leaving town. People moved back and saw reasons to build their lives locally. The region is more competitive, resilient and prosperous.

Arizona now has the same opportunity on an even larger scale.

The proposed BNSF Logistics Park in the Phoenix region offers a transformational opportunity to strengthen our state’s supply chain, attract future investment, and support growing industries from semiconductors and agriculture to energy and retail distribution.

This project is bigger than a railroad. It’s about fueling Arizona’s economy and planning for the future. It’s about positioning our state as the leading logistics center for the entire Southwest, strengthening U.S. supply chain security and onshoring domestic manufacturing.

And most important, it’s about opportunity for Arizona families — opportunity to work, to own a home, to build a career close to where you live and raise your children.

The world is reorganizing supply chains. America is reshoring manufacturing. Companies are seeking reliable, connected, and forward-thinking places to invest. Residents want affordable access to everyday goods quickly and efficiently.

Arizona doesn’t have to guess if this model will work; the story has already been written. A small town in Kansas proved that when communities lean into smart, responsible development, the benefits flow directly to residents.

Arizona has the talent, the geography, the infrastructure and the momentum. What we need now is the will — and the kind of leadership and foresight that propelled Edgerton’s economic transformation more than a decade ago.

Arizona’s path forward comes down to one simple choice: keep growing or fall behind.

We don’t have to take a leap of faith; we know what works. Edgerton proved what happens when communities invest in growth. Now it’s Arizona’s turn.

Danny Seiden is president and CEO of the Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry.

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A recent headline in Politico asks, “” It’s a good question. The article charts the march of labor union Unite Here Local 11 through the city’s policymaking apparatus and the bruising fights the union has picked with the city’s job creators, especially those in the hospitality industry.

Meanwhile, some members of the city council express occasional concern about the damage that’s been done to the city’s reputation and whether it will be able to host a Super Bowl, World Cup, and Summer Olympic Games in successive years, but not enough, apparently, to do anything to broker a lasting truce between the union and the private businesses that are now looking for more welcoming environments.

Instead of disputes being settled at the negotiating table with the help of elected officials, the voting booth is increasingly where Big Labor and job creators square off.

We’re fortunate that in Arizona we don’t have city governments that are as openly hostile to job creation and a competitive business environment as L.A.

Not yet, anyway. We can’t get too comfortable.

That’s because Unite Here Local 11’s territory not only includes Southern California, but Arizona, too. The union is growing its presence here, organizing job-killing ballot measures, targeting specific businesses, throwing up roadblocks to development, and backing candidates for city council positions.

In Glendale, the union was the driving force behind Proposition 499 in 2024, a measure that would have burdened the city’s hospitality sector and taxpayers with costly new mandates. A year later, the union was back at it again, organizing Propositions 401 and 402, which attempted to block the development of a critical phase of what is slated to be the state’s largest resort, employing more than 2,000 Arizonans. In each case, the business community rallied to stop the union.

The pattern has been clear: if you’re a business that dares to succeed, you’re a target. Take Scottsdale, where Unite Here operatives helped circulate the petitions aimed at freezing the new Axon corporate headquarters development, an investment promising thousands of high-paying jobs. Stopping job creators in their tracks seems to be part of the union’s playbook. Like it did in Glendale, the business community came together to stand up for Scottsdale jobs. So did a bipartisan coalition of state lawmakers and Gov. Katie Hobbs.

The union isn’t content to restrict its influence to ballot measures and development fights. Unite Here is increasingly active in Arizona municipal politics, lining up behind city council candidates in , , and who share their agenda. Their candidates may speak in platitudes about fairness and equity, but what they really offer is a city government more hostile to employers, less friendly to entrepreneurs, and far more willing to use public policy as a cudgel against job creation.

We’re also seeing a similar playbook from other California-based unions. The Service Employees International Union a ballot initiative to cap the salaries of Arizona hospital executives, regardless of the size or complexity of the health system they lead, never mind that the proposal tramples any semblance of the right to contract.

Supporters may say the measure is about fairness, but it would just make it harder to recruit and retain the kind of medical leadership our state needs to ensure access to lifesaving care. It’s obvious that this isn’t about strengthening health care in Arizona; it’s about importing California’s labor fights to our ballot.

Arizona can’t afford to import Los Angeles-style dysfunction. We’ve built a reputation as a state where job creators are welcomed, where investment is encouraged, and where opportunity is still available for those willing to work hard and take risks. That reputation is one of our greatest competitive advantages, but it won’t endure if we ignore the encroachment of those who would rather grind our economy to a halt in service of their narrow political agenda.

Arizona’s job creators are resilient, but they need policymakers at all levels of government to stand firm and defend our pro-jobs environment, and call out efforts, no matter how cleverly disguised, that would weaken it.

Danny Seiden is the president and CEO of the Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry.

 
This column may be reproduced. courtesy ������license.

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This column by Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden originally appeared in the .

More than 3,000 companies in Arizona have created over 40,000 jobs in the bioscience fields, which has led to a��. These are the types of good-paying jobs — many paying����— that attract the highly educated, productive workers that states clamor for. Arizona’s contribution to the bioscience sector has changed patients’ lives for the better and made our economy stronger.��

A new proposal from Washington, though, takes a page from Europe and could reverse the progress scientists and researchers here have achieved, leaving our medical treatments, therapies and the economy worse off.

Consider the example of one of Arizona’s shining stars, TGen, the Translational Genomics Research Institute. Created in 2002, TGen’s work in identifying rare diseases and advancing technologies for early cancer detection has laid the foundation for scientific discoveries that are directly affecting patients and creating positive health outcomes for all Americans. ����

It’s an Arizona success story, made possible by heavy recruitment by state and federal government leaders, funding by the state, nonprofits, and private industry, and a pro-business, pro-innovation environment that fosters and encourages life-changing research. Over the past decade, dozens of smaller biotech startups in the state have made groundbreaking discoveries in oncology, diagnostics, respiratory health and regenerative medicines. ��

All that success is at risk, though, because of a policy proposal called “Most Favored Nation (MFN),” which would introduce foreign price controls for prescription drugs.

It’s true that many medicines in foreign countries cost less than they do here in the United States. But that’s because foreign governments impose strict price controls — think 1970s gasoline markets for pharmaceuticals, complete with shortages and reduced access.��

Because of price controls, European countries and Canada typically do not have access to many of the specialty drugs that treat diseases like cancer or arthritis until many years after they are introduced in the U.S. In fact, Canadians have access only to roughly 11% of cancer medications while the U.S. has access to about 90% of those medications. ��

The prescription drug ecosystem is a complicated one, to be sure, but imposing a policy like MFN would ultimately lead to less innovation, shortages in prescription medication supply, and much less investment in the science to create new cures and treatment options for patients. It’s a bad tradeoff.

Instead of imposing European-style policies like MFN here in the U.S., we should strongly encourage European countries to liberalize their markets so that the full spectrum of innovative medicines can be made more widely available and so that the research and development that is needed to bring groundbreaking medicines to the public does not fall squarely on the shoulders of the U.S. Through trade agreements, we can do for prescription drugs what we’ve done for the defense sector.��

The Arizona congressional delegation — House and Senate — should stand up for our bioscience sector and oppose any policy like MFN and instead support efforts that aim to address costs while preserving investment in the biotech industry.��

Arizona has come so far this century and seen advancements that were once unthinkable. ��For our biotech industry to continue to grow in the future, we need our representatives in Washington to fight for it. ��

Danny Seiden is president and CEO of the Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry.

The post Arizona leaders need to defend growing bioscience industry appeared first on ˿����Ƶ Business News.

This column by Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden originally .

Arizona has an important choice to make when it comes to growth: We can try to stop it, or we can plan wisely for it and ensure that it positions the state for a prosperous future.

BNSF Railway is choosing the smarter path: preparing thoughtfully for growth and helping position Arizona for a brighter tomorrow. Building on the legacy of its predecessor, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe — whose tracks helped transform Arizona in the late 1800s — BNSF is looking ahead to help ensure the state’s continued economic strength.

BNSF is working to develop a state-of-the-art freight rail facility in northwest Maricopa County near Phoenix. When complete, Logistics Park Phoenix (LPP) will add critical rail capacity, supporting Arizona’s growth and prosperity by efficiently processing and delivering the goods families and businesses use every day.

The new $3.2 billion, 4,320-acre facility will feature a rail-served intermodal terminal, logistics center and logistics park. It will facilitate the transportation, storage and distribution of goods throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area and the broader Southwest region. Integrating with BNSF’s extensive 32,500-mile freight rail network, this facility will connect the region to the global marketplace and strengthen the supply chain, while maximizing use of rail, the most environmentally efficient way to move goods.

The benefits are significant: LPP is expected to create 76,000 direct and indirect jobs, generate nearly $4 billion in labor income, and contribute $258 million annually in tax revenue to support Maricopa County schools, community colleges, flood control management and other local initiatives.

This is undeniably good news. Unfortunately, not everyone sees it that way.

Somehow even economic development and job creation have become controversial.

But no economy has ever gotten stronger by rejecting growth.

If we slam the brakes on new capital and future-focused investment, we’ll lose jobs. People will stop coming. Our population will shrink. Our economy will stagnate. Achieving the president’s goal of building a resilient domestic manufacturing supply chain will become more difficult.

The Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry believes that strong and modern infrastructure is essential to a healthy economy. Equally critical is Arizona’s ability to attract and develop businesses in diverse industry sectors. We support policies that improve Arizona’s economic vitality, retain existing businesses, and spur new business growth and job creation.

The ˿����Ƶ strongly supports planning efforts that will enhance the efficiency and convenience with which goods and people are moved through the state. This includes supporting rail projects such as Logistics Park Phoenix.

Arizona’s success stems from its embrace of opportunity, innovation and responsible growth.

We can’t let critics divert attention from what’s working. Arizona’s progress isn’t a problem to solve — it’s a model of how pro-growth policies drive broad-based success. Shutting out new jobs and residents won’t protect what makes Arizona unique; it will weaken it.

Choosing stagnation over progress risks undoing the vibrant state we’ve created and turning it into the kind of place people and investment flee. Let’s make the right choice and plan for Arizona’s future.

Danny Seiden is the president and CEO of the Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry.

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Arizona has experienced a bonanza of population and job growth over the last five years, and it’s transforming our economy in exciting ways. 

Since 2020, roughly 100,000 people have moved to our great state every year, according to the Common Sense Institute. The momentum shows no signs of slowing. From major manufacturing to high-tech and corporate relocations, job growth has been off the charts. 

We all know about the mega-projects, like the massive Taiwanese Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) facility in north Phoenix—one of the largest foreign investments in U.S. history. 

But it doesn’t stop there. Arizona-based companies are also expanding at lightning speed. 

Just look at Scottsdale’s own Axon, which continues to lead the world in public safety technology. And we’re not just attracting factories. We’re drawing boardrooms. 

Just last week, Dutch Bros Coffee, a nationally recognized brand, announced it’s moving its corporate headquarters from Oregon to Arizona. That’s a big win—and just one example of many. 

Good news, right? 

Well, not according to everyone. 

In today’s hyperpartisan environment, even economic development has become political. Oddly enough, some voices on both the far left and the far right seem united in sounding the alarm over Arizona’s success. 

On the far left, critics wrongly claim that Arizona can’t—and shouldn’t—support this level of growth. They argue it strains infrastructure, housing, and water supply. But these concerns ignore the facts. Arizona has led the way in water conservation for decades and is innovating in areas like reuse and infrastructure investment. Growth doesn’t hinder our ability to plan for the future; it enables it. A stronger tax base means more revenue to improve roads, schools, and other critical infrastructure. 

Meanwhile, some on the far right fret about a different kind of threat: cultural change. They worry that people moving from states like California or Illinois will bring with them left-leaning politics. But here’s the thing—there’s no evidence of that happening. In fact, the opposite may be true. Since 2020, Arizona Republicans have outpaced Democrats in voter registration, gaining tens of thousands of new voters while Democrats have seen a net decline. Today, Republicans maintain a sizable registration advantage—a signal that many newcomers may actually lean center-right. 

Arizona remains a competitive, balanced state. When both parties run mainstream candidates, they can—and do—win. 

Among the most extreme voices on both ends of the spectrum, you’ll hear arguments that sound a lot like “Build the Wall”—not on our southern border, but along the Colorado River. Their solution to Arizona’s success? Stop people from coming. Stop businesses from expanding. Slow it all down. 

But no economy has ever gotten stronger by rejecting growth. Look at states like New York, Illinois, and California—all of which have seen population declines in recent years. These are places where high taxes, burdensome regulations, and anti-business politics have driven people and employers away. That’s not a model for Arizona—that’s a warning. 

Ironically, if we follow the advice of these economic isolationists and slam the brakes on growth, we’ll get the very outcome they claim to fear. We’ll lose jobs. People will stop coming. Our population will shrink. And we’ll start to resemble the places so many of our new neighbors are leaving behind. 

Arizona is thriving because we’ve chosen a different path. We’ve said yes to opportunity, yes to innovation, and yes to responsible growth. 

Bottom line: Don’t listen to the naysayers. Arizona’s momentum is not a threat; it’s a testament to what’s possible when a state embraces a pro-growth mindset. If we slam the door on new jobs and new residents, we won’t preserve Arizona—we’ll lose it. We’ll look less like the state we’ve built, and a lot more like the ones people are fleeing.

Danny Seiden is the president and CEO of the Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry.

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This opinion column by Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden originally appeared in The Phoenix Business Journal. 

We’ve seen a lot in the news lately about “data centers.” But what exactly are they, and why should Arizonans care?

Think of a data center as a digital warehouse—a secure, high-powered facility where the information that drives our modern lives is stored and managed. From the apps on your smartphone to streaming services, rideshare platforms, cloud-based work tools, banking systems, and national defense network—it all runs on data, and that data needs a home.

That home is increasingly being built right here in Arizona.

Data centers are the backbone of the digital economy. They ensure we stay connected, productive, and competitive. As artificial intelligence grows at an exponential pace and more industries digitize their operations, the demand for secure, high-capacity data storage has never been greater. Without data centers, our way of life—both economically and in terms of national security—simply doesn’t function.

Arizona is leading the way. Why here? Two reasons: first, our geography. Arizona experiences very few natural disasters, which means data centers here are less likely to be disrupted by hurricanes, earthquakes, or floods. Second, our energy grid is among the most affordable and reliable in the nation. That’s a huge draw for companies looking to build infrastructure that requires massive and continuous power.

Some skeptics have asked: Do we really need these? They argue that data centers consume space and energy and don’t create as many jobs as traditional industries. And some cities are even putting out “not welcome” signs.

They could not be more wrongheaded.

While data centers may not employ thousands of people onsite, their impact ripples far beyond their walls. Each center supports a network of electricians, engineers, construction workers, IT professionals, security teams, and more. Cities that reject these projects or demonize them do so at their own peril – capital projects like this help bring needed tax dollars for schools, police, and fire. And importantly, data centers enable every other job in a digital economy—from fintech startups and defense contractors to e-commerce platforms and healthcare providers.

Moreover, they strengthen our national security. In an age where cyber warfare is a real and growing threat, having domestic infrastructure that is secure is a national imperative. Arizona’s stable climate and location away from coastal vulnerabilities make it an ideal place to house the critical data that keeps our defense, intelligence, and communications systems running.

The presence of these centers also signals something else: Arizona is a player in the global technology race. Just as we’ve led on semiconductors, biosciences, and advanced manufacturing, our investment in digital infrastructure shows that we are ready for the future — and helping to shape it.

This is not just about big tech. It’s about ensuring Arizona families have access to high-paying careers, our small businesses have the tools to compete, and our nation has the digital capacity to protect and project its values around the world.

The ripple effects of this investment—in jobs, innovation, and national security—are just beginning to be felt.

But one thing is clear: Arizona isn’t just participating in the digital revolution. We’re leading it.

Danny Seiden is president and CEO of the Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry.

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This column by the Arizona ˿����Ƶ’s Danny Seiden and AzLTA’s Kim Grace Sabow originally��.

An out-of-state labor-affiliated group has cast a shadow over the Valley’s economic development future. Voters and elected officials can help clear things up.

An example is Glendale City Council’s recent approval of zoning for a 39-acre site on the west side of Loop 101 across from State Farm Stadium, which is set to feature a mix of multifamily housing, retail and hotels. It’s the type of development cities typically welcome. They create jobs, generate tax revenues and generally improve a community’s quality of life thanks to new amenities.

Worker Power, the Los Angeles-based political arm of the hospitality union UniteHere, opposes the zoning approval and is poised to thwart development at the site. A representative was at the April 22 Council meeting to express the group’s opposition, specifically calling out the inclusion of a hotel in the development.

If the name sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the group attempting to throttle development across the Valley. Worker Power was a significant player in forcing a referendum on the Axon corporate campus in Scottsdale, a development also anticipated to include a hotel. A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers and Gov. Katie Hobbs stepped in to ensure the project could proceed.

The group testified at the state Legislature earlier this session in opposition to legislation that would keep the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix. It opposed the Tempe development that would have been home to the Arizona Coyotes and, perhaps not surprisingly, a hotel.

It was also behind last year’s Proposition 499, a measure that would have devastated Glendale’s tourism industry with new wage mandates, caps on hotel and event venue employees’ productivity, and the threat of stiff penalties. The motivation behind the proposal was made clear by a provision that would have exempted employers from the ordinance if the employer unionized their workplace. Voters wisely rejected the proposition by a wide margin.

Worker Power apparently hasn’t gotten the message that its narrow political agenda isn’t welcome in Glendale, hence its opposition to the 39-acre site approved in April, and its campaign against the VAI Resort near the 101 and Cardinals Way.

As it did in Scottsdale, the group forced a referendum on the zoning for a parcel of land adjacent to the new resort. The 10-acre dirt lot will feature an employee office building and parking lot. Before unanimously approving the parcel’s zoning and its inclusion in the resort’s overall plan, the City Council conducted regular public reviews and sought feedback from neighbors.

Despite support from citizens and the council’s unanimous approval, Glendale must hold a special election for voters to affirm or reject the council decision. Regardless of the election’s outcome, Worker Power’s actions threaten our cities’ economic development strategy. Must every routine hotel zoning decision first be validated by a California labor union?

We have two recommendations:

• In the near-term, voters should vote “yes” on Props 401 and 402 to uphold the council’s unanimous approval of the VAI Resort parcel’s zoning. Not only will it allow the project and the more than 2,000 jobs it will create to move forward, but it will once again send a clear message that Worker Power should pack its bags and head back to California.
  
• In the long term, we would urge state lawmakers and city leaders to work together to put a stop to the hijacking of the zoning process and the chilling of economic development. Developers won’t risk their capital if an expensive and drawn-out election campaign is going to be required even after a council gives the OK.

There’s too much doubt hanging over future development in Glendale and other Valley cities. It will be up to voters and elected officials to decide whether out-of-state labor unions will hold a veto over our ability to attract new jobs.

Danny Seiden is president and CEO of the Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry. Kim Grace Sabow is president and CEO of the Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association.

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ESPN hot take veteran Mat Ishbia is on the verge of being the “worst owner in NBA history.” 

Here in Arizona, we see something different: an owner who’s invested more in his teams, his players, and his city in two years than most do in a lifetime. 

Let’s be clear: the Suns didn’t fall apart overnight, and no one’s above criticism — not even Mat. But to call him an “atrocity” of an owner? That’s a bad take even by Stephen A.’s standards. And it completely ignores the reality. 

Since purchasing the Suns and Mercury for a record $4 billion, Ishbia has: 

· Poured $100 million into a new, state-of-the-art practice facility for the Mercury — finally giving a championship-caliber WNBA team the dedicated resources and recognition it deserves

· Paid record-setting luxury taxes to field a competitive roster — not exactly the move of someone pinching pennies

· Rolled out fan-first perks like a $2 value menu to improve the game-day experience and keep outings accessible for Arizona families

· Launched the “Rise Together” campaign, pledging $10 million in community benefits for Phoenix nonprofits and youth programs

And then there’s the broadcast deal — a move that speaks volumes about Ishbia’s priorities. Last year, he tore up the old cable-based model and struck a new partnership with Gray Television, allowing every Suns and Mercury game to be broadcast for free, over the air, across Arizona. In an era when most franchises are making it harder and more expensive for fans to watch their teams, Ishbia made it easier. 

That’s not someone running a vanity project. That’s someone building something to last. 

Is the team exactly where fans want it to be today? No. But great organizations — in business or in sports — aren’t defined by how quickly they win, but by how sustainably they grow. Ishbia is playing the long game. 

Any business leader will tell you: transforming culture, modernizing operations, and laying the foundation for sustained success isn’t a one-season fix. It takes bold decisions, real investment, and the willingness to take some hits along the way. 

And let’s be honest — if Stephen A. Smith ever dipped his toes into actual leadership, political or otherwise, he might quickly find that standing on the sidelines is a lot easier than being in the arena. 

This isn’t just about basketball. It’s about the kind of leadership Arizona needs: people who show up, invest locally, empower talent, and build up the institutions that anchor our communities. 

Mat Ishbia isn’t just cutting checks — he’s creating infrastructure, opportunity, and culture that extends far beyond the court. He’s elevating teams, backing local nonprofits, and finding new ways to make Phoenix a city where fans, families, and future talent want to be. 

We support Mat because he supports Arizona. He’s making the kind of long-term, community-rooted investments that reflect the kind of leadership we should want more of – on the court and off. 

That’s not just good ownership. That’s good business. 

Someone should tell Stephen A: It’s a lot harder to build a team than to dunk on one from a TV studio.

Danny Seiden is the president and CEO of the Arizona ˿����Ƶ of Commerce & Industry

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