What would you change about Arizona?

[azroadrunner]

Originally Posted by pokuku

A more clear and planned vision for the future.

Not letting the housing market dictate what the cities will look like.

Self-sustainability, not dependency on Federal medicaid to fund hospitals, and military bases/contractors/etc to create jobs.

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Good post, as so many others are. I also liked the Sea of Cortez and Baja comments...a major goof of the Gadsden Purchase that those pieces eere not included...can you imagine?!!

I'd add a much more robust state tourism bureau, shockingly absent (at an appropriate level of substance) for a state so heavily dependent on tourism,... you'd think, for instance, we would not have virtually ceded the Grand Canyon to Las Vegas (so much so many think the GC is in Nevada). In an ideal scheme, there'd be a huge, state-of-the art Northern Arizona tourism center in Flagstaff -- right off I-40 in the median (thus serving both directions) orienting folks to all the incredible sites in the region.

Similarly, tourism or image-wise, the approach to Phoenix especially is an embarassment. As the world (from L.A. etc) enters the area, the mindless morass of mediocrity, over built housing sprawl is the welcome mat. At least care enough to install about a thousand tall palms lining I-10 for some kind of special welcome to an area that does have a lot to offer--despite it all! The I-10 southern approach from Tucson is not much better but for some reason the western approach bugs more...perhaps because you see the Phoenix skyline better-longer, otherwise creating a sense of anticipation after a long, tiring drive through the largely featureless Mohave Desert from L.A....and are then met with that sea of mediocrity.

Still on the tourism kick, a "Six Flags" scale entertainment center - maybe a "Westworld" (though the name was formerly taken bt a lesser venue)...located strategically in the triangle created by the intersection of I-8 and I-10 south of Phoenix. Gas prices and internet entertainment taking over the national conciousness aside, folks still like the good ol' family vacation/road trip to Wallyworld. Such an entertainment venue would also be served by the high-speed train Phoenix-Tucson train mentioned already. In sum, Arizona has little in the way of major venue "infrastructure" to take advantage of that. Texas has Six Flags and a mega water park, and California has Disneyland and a myriad other mega-parks. Sandwiched in-between, Arizona has the Grand Canyon but as mentioned doesn't capitslize on it or its other naturally-given gifts or storied "old west" lore.

[11222blue]

I would secure the boarders.

[johnp292]

Originally Posted by Canyon Cat

Jail time for failing to use turn signals. It's a disease around this state.

[RcHydro]

Move it way down to the south east. Call if Florida. Maybe then it wouldn't be so fkn humid here.

[chaparrito]

Originally Posted by 11222blue

I would secure the boarders.

At all the boarding houses.