El Mirage is part of a multi-city collaborative in the West Valley known as the Greater Maricopa Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ). The zone is a government-designated, 400-acre site at the City’s southern end where foreign and domestic goods may be stored, assembled, or exhibited for sale without being subjected to U.S. Customs duties and excise taxes. The FTZ is an integral part of future business development.
Retail expansion in El Mirage is also a significant economic driver due to its potential for generating tax revenues, creating jobs, and drawing new visitors and residents. In recent years, several new retailers – most representing national chains – have located to El Mirage including Valero, Auto Zone, and Aaron’s Rents. Family Dollar and Goodwill have also constructed new locations in the City. They will be completed in the fall of 2015.
Home construction has been a cornerstone of the City’s economic sustainability for many years, and this remains so today. Lennar Homes, a national home builder for more than 55 years, has built or is constructing 176 single-family homes in El Mirage. At an average sale price of $159,000 and 2,100 square feet in size, the homes are expected to add an estimated $20 million in property value to the City.
Public Safety and Recreation have been the focus of voter-approved bonds in recent years. As a result, a new fire station, a new police station, and a state-of-the art YMCA are among the City’s most ambitious projects completed to address the significant community needs spurred by the influx of new residents. In fact, the City’s population has more than quadrupled in the last decade, and leaders are committed to keep pace with such growth through fiscal stewardship and sound financial management.
