By Kaye Foley | Yahoo News
With superb weather and a relaxed ambiance, Phoenix has long been known as a great place to visit, but this Valley of the Sun city is revamping its image and proving it’s also a great place to live.
During the Great Recession, Phoenix — with its economy primarily based on real estate and construction — was one of the hardest-hit cities. Now the city is bouncing back, with city leadership focused on creating a more resilient economy.
“I had to look in the mirror. Other community leaders had to look in the mirror and say, ‘We’ve got to change our ways,’” said Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton.
“In 2007, this was a pretty thriving economy, but it was consumption-based … and when the recession hit, almost the entire economy in metro Phoenix stopped,” explained Christine Mackay, director of the city’s Community and Economic Development Department. “It’s now more based on advanced manufacturing and health care. It’s based on technology and true job creation.”
