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2024 Phoenix Program

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Your Transit Pass for the Land Economics Gathering

Downtown Phoenix Inc., Lambda Alpha International and Valley Metro are making it easy for you to use light rail October 15-19 by providing a pass in the Valley Metro app.

Here’s how it works:

This pass is valid October 15-19, 2024, for one person per pass.

For questions or app support, please email csr@valleymetro.org or call 602.253.5000

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2024

8:00am – 4:00pm

LAI and LEF Business Meetings

  

GATHERING BEGINS

TENTATIVE AGENDA:  Presentations and tour sites may change due to availability of locations and/or speakers.


 

AICP members can earn up to 9.25 Certification Maintenance (CM) credits for this activity.  When CM credits are available, they are noted at the end  of an activity description. More information about AICP’s CM program can be found at planning.org/cm.

 

Continuous Professional Learning (CPL) credits for members of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP).  CIP Members may self-report for CPL credits, per provincial organization guidelines (e.g. OPPI, PIBC). 

Opening Reception & Awards Dinner
2 AICP Credits

6:00pm - 10:00pm
 

 

Opening Reception & Awards Dinner at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel - The Gold Room (Home to the second largest gold gilded ceiling in the world.)

6:00 pm: Opening Reception including light appetizers and wine/sparkling bar
7:00 pm: Opening Blessing by Robert Stone, Former Lt. Governor, Gila River Indian Community
7:05pm:  Welcome from City of Phoenix Mayor, Kate Gallego and Dinner
8:00 pm: Awards Ceremony

Awards Ceremony, presented by LAI President Kathline King and LAI Awards Committee Chairperson, Dr. Jim Fawcett
- Richard T. Ely Distinguished Educator Award - Hazel Ruth Edwards, Ph.D., FAICP, Professor and past-Chair of the Department of Architecture, College of Engineering and Architecture at Howard University
- Journalism/Author Award - Jason Barr, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, Rutger University-Newark, LEF Treasurer, Boston Chapter
- LAI Member of the Year Award - Susannah Bergmann, LAI International Regional Vice President, East, Baltimore Chapter
- Skyline Award - Central Arizona Project (CAP)
Keynote Speaker – Terry Goddard, Central Arizona Project CAWCD Board President, former Phoenix Mayor, 1984-1990, former
Attorney General of Arizona, 2003-2011

Complimentary bus transportation will be provided from our official hotel, FoundRE
For those interested, the evening will conclude with a no-host cocktail at the Bar at the FoundRE.

By 1924, the McArthur brothers wanted to make Arizona a tourist destination – but they needed proper accommodations. Albert Chase McArthur – Warren and Charles’ brother – designs the Arizona Biltmore with a strong Frank Lloyd Wright influence.

FUN FACTS
McArthur paid Frank Lloyd Wright $10,000 to use his patented block design, but it turned out Wright didn't actually own the patent. This permanently soured their relationship.  In August, 1928, construction begins on the Arizona Biltmore and was completed in nine short months.  February 23, 1929, the Arizona Biltmore has three days of grand opening celebrations.  The Arizona Biltmore had over 250,000 blocks, 33,000 pounds of copper in the roof and the second largest gold leaf ceiling in the world (only behind the Taj Mahal)!

In 1929, the stock market crashes and the Biltmore is sold to William Wrigley Jr., an original investor from Chicago.

  

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2024
The Booming West Valley
3.75 AICP Credits

7:30am - 9:00am Breakfast and Orientation Presentations at FoundRE Hotel - The New Valley of the Sun
- Developer/Architect FoundRE and Hance Park
- Devney Majerle, CEO Downtown Phoenix, Inc.
- Tim Sprague, Owner/Partner, Habitat Metro, LLC & South Oval, L.L.C.		  
9:00am Load buses:  Today’s Travel via Luxury Bus
10:00am - 12:30pm

2 AICP Credits

Tour Estrella A Masterplan celebrates its roots while changing with the times https://estrella.com/.
The largest active master planned community in Arizona, Estrella was started by Charles Keating in 1988. An unprecedented model in its time, today’s owners, Harvard Investments, are addressing the community challenges and opportunities in real time. What is the best land use for 19,000 acres? How is water use being addressed? Are the outer-circle suburbs ready to move beyond single-family detached homes? Filled with complexities, Estrella is a prime case study of the need for change to meet the times, while still honoring the community and its 22,000 residents.

Join us for this candid discussion and lunch at Estrella’s Presidio Clubhouse outdoor plaza. 

The West Valley — Boomtown!
Estrella tour, lunch and discussion, Presidio Clubhouse
Opening Comments:  Wendy Bridges, Economic Development Director, City of Goodyear

How to take a thirty-year master-planned community and refresh for the needs of today, including over 14,000 additional homes.
- Tim Brislin, President of Harvard Investments, Developers of Estrella
- Jeff Zimmerman, Vice President of Development, Estrella
- Greg Vogel, Chief Executive Officer, Land Advisors Organization
12:30pm

Load buses
1:45pm

1.75 AICP Credits

Westgate Tour – Light Refreshments and Cocktails at Chicken N Pickle

The Ups and Downs of an Entertainment Zone
Visit Westgate Entertainment District, the valley's entertainment center including the State Farm Stadium, Desert Diamond Arena, VAI Resort, Popstroke, hotels, restaurants, shopping and more!

Coyotes Stadium
A distinguished panel will speak about the ups and downs of creating an entertainment zone in the Valley of the Sun. What worked? What didn't? What plays scored and what plays earned penalties?

Hosted Reception at Chicken N Pickle provided by Westmarc, City of Peoria, and City of Glendale

  
3:45pm Load Buses back to FoundRE  
  Dinner on your own or with local chapter hosts.  

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2024
Housing Affordability Day
3.5 AICP Credits

8:00am - 9:00am
 

 

Breakfast and Presentation at FoundRE Hotel - 18 Hour City in fewer than 18 Years! https://dtphx.org/
Housing Affordability Day!  

The day will focus on housing developments that have affordable rents – meaning housing that is affordable to persons earning 60 percent of area median income and pay no more than 30 percent of their income for rent.  At least one of the developments will incorporate a variety of rents including market rate units.

In order to provide a tour that will be of interest to all of our attendees, there will be discussions with the developers of the apartments, including financing, unit mix, challenges to the site as well as services provided at the sites for residents.

- Sheila D. Harris, PhD, Founding Director of the Arizona Housing Finance Authority and former Deputy Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Moderator
- Patrica Garcia Durate, Senior VIce President, Chicanos Por la Causa
-Eva Olivas, Director, Phoenix Revitalization Corporation

  
9:00am Load Buses
9:15am - 11:15am Aeroterra https://www.aeroterra-apts.com/
This former public housing site now provides three housing complexes, providing residences for seniors, rental homes for families (up to 5 bedrooms) and apartments.
Tour and Panel Discussion
- Cindy Stotler, Housing Director, Phoenix IDA, former City of Phoenix Housing Director
- Titus Mathew, Director City of Phoenix Housing Department
- Dan Richards, Co-Founder and Partner, Greenlight Communities
- Sheila D. Harris, PhD, Founding Director of the Arizona Housing Finance Authority and former Deputy Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Moderator
11:30am - 1:15pm Lunch and Keynote Speaker
Dr. Kil Huh, SVP Government Performance, PEW Charitable Trust.
1:15pm Depart for Devine Legacy Via Light Rail to Devin Legacy
1:45pm - 3:00pm

https://www.nativeconnections.org/housing/affordable-housing/devine-legacy-on-central

Devine Legacy Tour and Panel
Named for Dede Yazzie Devine, former Executive Director of Native American Connections for over 40 years, this affordable housing development serves a variety of income levels.
- Trula Breuninger, CEO, Native American Connections
- Jennifer Jennings, Senior Director of Property Management
- Dr. Sheila Harris, Founding Director of the Arizona Housing Finance Authority and former Deputy Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Moderator
3:00pm -3:30pm Arrive back at the hotel at your own leisure via Light Rail so you can be sure to enjoy Friday night happy hour and/or dinner downtown Phoenix!  https://dtphx.org/things-to-do/getting-around/
3:30pm - 5:30pm Fiesta Finale and Scavenger Hunt Resutls at BARCOA Agaveria, 829 1st Avenue, across the street from the FoundRE.
Named one of the 27 best bars in America 2024 by USA Today.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2024
  Things To Do  
  https://www.travelandleisure.com/arizona-travel-guide-8558231   
  Two Phoenix chefs named finalists in the 2024 James Beard Awards  
  Conde Nast article on things to do and places to eat in Phoenix   
  Insiders Guide to Downtown Phoenix  

 

Dress Codes

Opening Reception and Dinner: Business Attire
Tours: Casual with Comfortable Shoes