Glendale’s Community Newspaper
www.glendalestar.com
Vol. 78 No. 19
Inside This Week
Applied Economics offers growth report BY JORDAN ROGERS
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Glendale Star Staff Writer
BUSINESS ......... 14 Pokitrition bringing sushi burritos to Westgate
SPORTS ............. 16 ‘Stars on Ice’ coming to Gila River Arena
s the sixth largest city in Arizona, with more than 250,000 residents, Glendale has experienced sizeable growth in commercial development and job creation. Glendale commissioned Applied Economics, a local economics firm, to report on its growth. “With our successful formula of focusing on commercial development and luxury workforce housing, Glendale has become a major job center,” City Manager Kevin Phelps said. “Based on our city council’s forward-thinking policy direction, we’re strategically growing our city
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Glendale Star Executive Editor
RE/MAX welcomes rocking Realtor Luke Van Wyhe
OPINION.......................... 10 BUSINESS.......................14 SPORTS ...........................16 CALENDAR .....................18 FEATURES.......................20 RELIGION ........................22 CLASSIFIEDS ..................24
with the types of projects we can all be proud of. “We want to be a community with the types of businesses that provide great jobs and good benefits, which will continue to raise the standard of living for our residents.” Applied Economics is also the firm that reported Gila River Arena would be more profitable asset to the city without the Arizona Coyotes. It showed that it would take just 20 events — such as concerts or professional bull riding — to replace the funds brought in by the Coyotes. This report, done to culminate the city’s recent growth, highlighted financial sus-
tainability, as well as growth in jobs, residents and annexations. The city’s general fund revenue increased from $174 million in 2010 to $241 million in 2020, a near 40% increase. Annual general fund revenues were $62 million higher in 2020 than in 2015. One-time revenues in the city are on track to increase to $44 million in 2022 due to additional investments from major global corporations. One-time revenues were $37 million one year ago and just $4.5 million in 2018. Glendale leads all West Valley cities in jobs-to-resident ratio at 0.40 jobs per resident, and due to development activity, the
ghanistan three times. Risking his life to save others, Daniel was awarded the Bronze Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement during aerial flight. He died in 2016 from complications of post-traumatic stress disorder at age 37. During a lunch with Eloy and Eileen, the Hagues learned the couple had fallen on hard times. “They told us about their son,” Greg said. “He was buried in Colorado Springs, but they hadn’t been up there in years. I asked them what their dream vacation would be. They said to go to Colorado Springs and celebrate his life.” They paid for Eloy and Eileen to travel
there, in addition to their house payments. “How lucky are we that we have the resources to be able to do things like that,” he said. “We realized how blessed we are.” Greg encourages his 450 agents and employees in Arizona to give back, too. The company 72Sold operates in 38 states and offers homesellers a program to sell in 72 hours, avoid daily showings, choose their closing date, then stay in their home for up to six months after closing. A one-year study of 90,000-plus home sales found that sellers who used the 72Sold program had an average 8.4% higher sale price. The contest comes on the heels of
SEE ECONOMICS PAGE 6
72Sold helps family with dream vacation, home BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI
FEATURES ......... 20
May 12, 2022
nimated businessman Greg Hague is known for his optimistic real estate commercials. That trait carries over into his off-screen life as well. He and his company, 72Sold, sponsored a contest for Arizona homeowners, choosing one to cover their house payments for six years. The winners were Eloy and Eileen Cruz of Glendale. The generosity of Greg and his wife, Teresa, didn’t stop there. The couple’s son, Daniel, graduated from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs from 2001, and then served in Af-
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