Arizona Economy Hurting

Shapecity · Feb 12, 2009

Not long ago, the drive from Los Angeles to Phoenix across the Mojave Desert would transport you from the lunar to the urban in no time flat. An exit sign for a place like Goodyear or Avondale was a tease, because nothing much was there. About five years ago, I drove out for a few days of Spring Training, pool time, and a hunt for the world's best chile rellenos. The number of homes sprayed across the floor of the West Valley was incredible. The approach into town had that same kaleidoscope effect you get when you descend on Las Vegas northbound on I-15.

These days, Phoenix begins earlier than ever. It's exploded onto the landscape without stopping to catch its breath. Thousands of those tract homes that appeared out of nowhere are now in foreclosure, and Maricopa County continues to be one of the hardest hit spots in the nation. Billboards and radio ads for bankruptcy services are everywhere. I've been tipped off to a couple of charity events that are on the docket, and it will be interesting to see if the economic crisis and the particularly rough time this area is going through will resonate through the general insanity of a weekend like this.

The past two All-Star weekends were all about place -- Las Vegas in 2007, and New Orleans last year. In contrast, Phoenix is one of those sun belt cities that people from the coasts often dismiss as soulless. Its identity resides less with its history or its people, than its vista and distant scenery. Almost everything around here is new: the structures, the residents, the institutions.

I've always had a soft spot for Phoenix -- and not just because I'm a sun worshiper who wears wool when the temperature dips below 65. New cities like Phoenix offer the urban explorer more of a challenge. Anyone can discover quaintness in great cities like Boston or Chicago, but when you find an authentic gem in a newer place like Phoenix, it's more yours.

Home base for All-Star weekend is US Airways Arena downtown, but the press is scattered in hotels all over the area, which will probably give the weekend a less centralized feel. Parties and events are scheduled everywhere from Old Town Scottsdale to the Biltmore off Camelback Road to downtown. When I went to the arena to pick up credentials, NBA Jam Session was underway across the street. Kids worked the pop-a-shot and the funnel cake smelled amazing, but it was relatively quiet. All that will change in the next 24 hours, when central Phoenix will undergo another instant transformation.
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Source: ESPN

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Arizona Economy Hurting

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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Arizona Economy Hurting

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