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GPEC CEO tells Apache Junction council the regional economic council can stretch each city dollar
Summary
At a June 15 work session, GPEC CEO Chris Mackey outlined the Greater Phoenix Economic Councils services and said Apache Junction pays about $0.49 per resident (roughly $22,000 annually) for membership; she said GPECs five-year average return on investment for member cities is about $28 per $1 spent and recommended workforce training and infrastructure readiness to attract jobs.
Chris Mackey, chief executive officer of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, told the Apache Junction City Council on June 15 that GPEC helps cities attract companies through site selection, market analysis and international outreach.
Mackey said Apache Junctions contract is charged on a per-capita basis at roughly $0.49 per resident — about $22,000 per year — and that the organization has not raised rates since 2017. "For every dollar that Apache Junction is spending for the GPEC contract over the last five running year average, you've received $28 in return for every dollar you've spent," she said.
Ryan Calp, the citys economic development director, told the council Apache Junction has just over 500,000 square feet of industrial space compared with millions in neighboring communities but has substantial developable land and recent industrial activity that could support future locates. Calp said the proposed contract renewal is expected to appear on the citys consent agenda on July 7.
Council members asked whether GPEC focuses only on industrial projects. Mackey said GPECs mission is job generation across sectors, including industrial, tech, office and health care, and that much of the regions near-term growth comes from supply-chain and smaller-scale facilities even when larger campuses are not appropriate.
Mackey recommended that the city prioritize workforce training and infrastructure readiness as the most effective steps to attract jobs. She and staff highlighted GPECs capacity to run comparative analyses, model economic impacts and market Apache Junction to global site selectors.
The council did not take action on the item during the work session; staff signaled the contract renewal will be placed on a future consent agenda.
