In a 5-2 vote, the Queen Creek town council has agreed to support a site in the town being considered for an economic development project known as “Project Everest.”
As part of the site selection process, Project Everest is requesting the town support the activation of a proposed site as a single user driven Foreign Trade Zone. The name of the company requesting the FTZ has not been disclosed.
According to a staff report, if the Queen Creek site is chosen, the project will bring a capital investment to the community and a significant number of high-wage manufacturing jobs to the town.
Project Everest is projected to produce 1,900 full-time jobs during its first phase, with a salary range of $33.65 per hour to $70,000 per year, and a capital investment of approximately $17 billion.
The proposed site is approximately 1,000 acres and generally bounded by the future State Road 24 to the north, Meridian Road to the west, Ironwood Road to the east, and Germann Road to the south.
A single user-driven FTZ site can be designated anywhere within a Foreign Trade Zone area and seeks local approvals once a potential user is proposed to occupy the site. Ultimately, federal approval is required before a site is activated with an identified user.
An FTZ is a designated location in the United States where companies can use special customs procedures that help encourage U.S. activity and value added – in competition with foreign alternatives – by allowing delayed or reduced duty payments on foreign merchandise, as well as other savings.
“As the Town of Queen Creek works to encourage a diverse business environment that attracts high-paying, high-quality jobs for residents, the option of establishing FTZ(s) is another economic development tool to support businesses with significant import and export activities,” stated Constance Halonen-Wilson, public information officer for the town.
Janet Perez News Editor | Queen Creek &
San Tan Valley @AzNewsmedia
Meet Janet Janet Perez joined Independent Newsmedia as editor of the Queen Creek Independent and Florence Independent in 2020. She started her career in 1989 with the Gannett-owned El Paso Times. In 1992, she moved to Tempe and has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. She left Arizona for three years to work at New Mexico State University and Baylor University before returning to work at Arizona State University. Missing the business, she went back to journalism in 2017.
Community: A long-time pet owner, she supports animal welfare causes.
Education: University of Texas at El Paso with a BA in journalism and a minor in political science.
Random Fact: She had a head full of random facts.
Hobbies: Reading, watching documentaries, cooking and playing with her dogs.
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