Wheatley: An exciting time for Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority

The town of Queen Creek is proud to be one of the five Member Communities of Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority, owner and operator of Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. As mayor of Queen Creek for the past two years, I’ve been honored to serve as the town’s representative on the PMGAA board of directors. In June, the other members of the PMGAA Board gave me the privilege of serving as chairwoman for fiscal year 2025.

Gateway Airport is much more than a thriving commercial service airport in the greater Phoenix area with three, 10,000-foot runways and approximately 2 million total passengers each year. It’s also a major economic catalyst, job creator and portal to the global marketplace. The airport provides convenient and affordable nonstop jet service to 45 designations across the U.S. and the growing number of sun-seeking visitors using Gateway Airport each year contributes tens of millions of dollars to the regional economy for transportation, lodging, restaurants, retail purchases, entertainment and outdoor activities. Ever wonder what’s truly unique about the airport? Unlike most other regional airports, Gateway Airport has almost 1,000 acres of land and an ownership group that shares a united vision for its continued development.

Currently, Gateway Airport has two large master development opportunities underway and more than 1-million-square feet of aeronautical and non-aeronautical private development in various phases of construction. These projects represent thousands of new high-wage jobs both during development and after the mixed-use buildings and hangars are completed.

This fall, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, a global leader in the executive jet industry, will open a new 225,000 square foot west coast service center at Gateway Airport. The impressive world-class facility is large enough to simultaneously service more than a dozen Gulfstream jets inside the hangar. The $100 million-plus project will create 300-500 jobs and is the first development on the 700-plus acres strategically located adjacent to two major highways on the eastside of the airport.

During the first quarter of 2025, Virgin Galactic, a space tourism pioneer, will begin assembling up to six Delta spaceships each year in their new 150,000 square foot manufacturing facility/hangar complex located at the north end of Gateway Airport next to Embraer, Cessna and Boeing. The completed spaceships will be attached to the “mothership” and transported to Spaceport America in New Mexico for launch.

SkyBridge Arizona, a 360-acre aviation logistics, manufacturing, and air cargo development area located at the south end of Gateway Airport, is investing tens of millions of dollars in horizontal infrastructure and has several exciting projects currently underway. They have just completed two 250,000 square foot industrial buildings and are now constructing two 18,000 square foot office buildings as part of Northern Arizona University’s hotel and restaurant management degree and certificate program expansion in Mesa. SkyBridge also previously announced a 129-room dual brand hotel.

Gateway East is a 273-acre airport business park being developed on the east side of the airport by the Boyer Company of Salt Lake City. Their expansive PMGAA Board-approved master plan includes a mix of office, manufacturing, industrial and commercial retail development opportunities. The Boyer Company is currently constructing a 275,000 square foot manufacturing facility/U.S. headquarters for XNRGY Climate Systems, a fabricator of high-end HVAC systems for data centers, hospitals and other industrial and institutional buildings. The $300 million investment will create up to 700 jobs.

Three decades ago, PMGAA was created by a group of visionary leaders from across the Phoenix East Valley. Their mission was to redevelop a 3,000-acre shuttered Air Force base and replace the more than 3,000 military and civilian jobs lost when the base closed. Queen Creek, Mesa, Gilbert, the Gila River Indian Community and Apache Junction, as stewards of Gateway Airport, take great pride in fulfilling the mission created over 30 years ago and today Gateway Airport is home to over 3,500 jobs with over 1,000 more coming in the next year.

As the fiscal year 2025 chairwoman, I am energized and excited by the numerous groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting events planned during the next 12 months. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is the envy of airports across the country, and I am confident that the best is yet to come.

Julia Wheatley is mayor of Queen Creek and chairwoman of the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority.