City of Tucson Office of Economic Initiatives joins REDI Sites program, earns
Silver Designation for Tucson H2K site
The City of Tucson Economic Initiatives Office and the Arizona State Land Department, in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority, announced participation in the REDI Sites program, a first-ever national standard for site readiness assessments.
Administered by the Site Selectors Guild, REDI Sites provides a rigorous, standardized evaluation process for site readiness across the United States. The site, H2K, located on the east side of I-10 between Houghton and Colossal Cave Rd, received a silver designation by REDI Sites.
The H2K Planned Area Development (PAD) is 2,462 contiguous acres fronting Interstate 10. City entitlements, drafted in close coordination with the Arizona State Land Department, will accommodate large-scale facilities and are intended to support industrial and advanced manufacturing users in Tucson’s key industry clusters.
Served by Tucson Water and Tucson Electric Power, H2K is located 15 minutes from Tucson International Airport and features direct access to Interstate 10 via the recently constructed Houghton Road interchange. The Union Pacific main line parallels the site, and the City has secured approval for a new rail spur to serve H2K. No further discretionary approvals will be required for development that meets the intent of the approved PAD.
Pima County makes permitting
more user-friendly
Pima County Public Works launched a new, more user-friendly interface July 21 for its online permitting portal.
Dubbed the Pima County Permit Gateway, the site was created to simplify the permitting process for first-time users and improve data collection from experienced applicants. Permits are needed for projects ranging from new home construction to solar installations to right-of-way permits.
“With a step-by-step decision tree, users are guided to the correct permit type without needing to navigate the system on their own,” said Jennifer Gauglitz, project manager, Pima County Development Services.
The new system will allow Pima County to continuously improve the application process for various permits based on the data they collect.
“By gathering more detailed information upfront, the review process becomes faster and more streamlined,” said Gauglitz.
The Permit Gateway will allow established users to continue using their same log-in information and maintain access to all their previous records while creating a new interface that will simplify the process for new users.
“Applicants will still be able to schedule inspections, submit revisions, search records, and pay fees all in one place,” said Gauglitz. “Now it just has a fresh new look and is easier to navigate.”
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Tucson Airport Authority generates $10.9B
in Southern Arizona
The Tucson Airport Authority recently released a report outlining its $10.9 billion economic output in the region.
Direct operations of the airports, including capital improvement projects, generated 18,804 in Southern Arizona in 2024, with wages of $1.8 billion and a direct economic output of $7.5 billion.
Spending by visitors generated an additional 9,674 direct jobs, with $349.8 million in wages and $936.9 million in direct economic activity.
Using accepted economic multipliers, the indirect and induced impact generated 13,535 jobs, $802.2 million in wages and economic output of $2.5 billion. In total, the operations of Tucson Airport Authority, onsite businesses, military operations and visitor spending generated 42,012 jobs, $2.9 billion in wages and $10.9 billion in economic output.
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Business feedback can help build better Career Technical Education programs
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Arizona business leaders form Arizona Small Business Growth Coalition
The Arizona Commerce Authority and Arizona business leaders announced the launch of the Arizona Small Business Growth Coalition (SBGC), a statewide alliance of trusted small business providers committed to advancing Arizona’s economic vitality through entrepreneurship, on July 23.
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Tech Parks Arizona CEO appointed to two global boards
Tech Parks Arizona leader Carol Stewart has been appointed to two prestigious organizations that have global impact: the inaugural University Industry Innovation Network (UIIN) Advisory Board and the newly awarded Fulbright initiative to strengthen academic and research collaboration between Brazil and the United States.
University Industry Innovation Network
The appointment to UIIN recognizes Stewart’s leadership in fostering university-industry engagement and driving innovation across higher education and economic development sectors.
For more than a decade, UIIN has empowered a global community of forward-thinking institutions to enhance innovation, strengthen external engagement, and drive meaningful social impact. Grounded in evidence-based research and real-world application, its initiatives are informed by the needs of stakeholders across academia, industry, and government.
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Follow us on LinkedIn
Keep up on the latest economic development news in the region by following the Pima County Economic Development Department on LinkedIn.
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