Phoenix #9 America's Best Cities

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by MikeL78

Phoenix shouldn’t chase high profile tech companies because other cities will win out.

Phoenix loses out primarily because we don't attract the types of people which large, reputable companies are looking for. Even though it's slowly changing for the better, we as a city have allowed this to happen for too long, and we still have a reputation of mostly being a second or third tier region as a result.

Originally Posted by MikeL78

Our best bet is a regional business office. Companies like Tesla, Google, Apple, Facebook and so on. We’re mostly a data center hub for them. Instead the city should focus on other lower profile high tech companies and industries.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with having some data centers & regional offices, but if the Phoenix area hopes to be taken seriously as a competitive business market, we need to dump this small thinking and setting our goals so low. As long as we continue down the same path, opportunity will continue to pass us and head elsewhere.

Originally Posted by MikeL78

We’re at a disadvantage because we don’t have a prestigious university and the people are laid back. Some see that as a pro as it keeps the Phoenix from becoming another high paced rat race city. It doesn’t mean no one has ambition. Just that they’re not going to waste their lives away for work. People don’t just move to Phoenix for jobs. There are usually other factors too. Change of scenery, love the outdoors, family, lower cost of living, etc.

Waste their lives away for work??? A person's job should be #1 on the priority list when seeking a city to relocate. If somebody is moving specifically for a change of scenery, outdoorsy stuff, and to be laid back, there are plenty of small places outside of metro Phoenix to check out.

Regarding the lack of a prestigious university: this is a good point, but the definition of "prestigious" can be different depending on who you talk to. ASU is one of the top colleges in the nation in terms of enrollment, but it's a far cry from Ivy League status. Aiming for a university on the lines of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, or Stanford should be our goal.

[MikeL78]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with having some data centers & regional offices, but if the Phoenix area hopes to be taken seriously as a competitive business market, we need to dump this small thinking and setting our goals so low. As long as we continue down the same path, opportunity will continue to pass us and head elsewhere.

I don’t think people mean to set the goals low. We also deal with the older retired population that wants no change or tax increases that could help bring more amenities and so on. Things are getting better but there is still is resistance towards making Phoenix more fast paced to compete with similar sized cities. There are midsized cities like Columbus and Charlotte that have the same or more Fortune 500 HQs. It’s one of the reasons I’ve seen many people move from here. I think heat and water resources plays into outside perception too.

Not to beat a dead horse but a slower pace is what attracts some people here. Yes, jobs is one of their considerations but people want a balance with their lives. I do believe that plays a factor in why Phoenix gets picked.