Office of Economic Opportunity Shares 2024 Highlights

Published on June 18, 2025

Man in a white shirt speaking at a wooden podium with a microphone, in a conference room. He appears engaged and focused, with chairs and tables in the background.

The city of Maricopa’s Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) was proud to share its 2024 Annual Report delivered by Chief Strategy Officer Joshua Bowman. This report highlights a year of growth, progress, and exciting momentum for the local economy. From new job opportunities to small business support, the OEO showcases how Maricopa is building a stronger, more connected community where residents and businesses can thrive.

The report outlines several milestones that underscore Maricopa’s commitment to building a strong and diverse economy. Here are a few key highlights that shaped the city’s economic landscape over the past year:

Local Job Market Growth

Reports show a fair amount of career leakage outside of the city of Maricopa. The Arizona State Office of Economic Opportunity projects over 14% employment growth from 2023-2033 and our OEO department is planning on being ready for that growth through planned developments such as the Industrial Business Park which has just completed a master plan and feasibility study of the area. The study showed that with over 1,200 acres with over 10 million sq ft of potential industrial and manufacturing facilities could equate to over 10,000 local jobs in the future.

Boosting Small Business Through New Development

The demand for more spaces for new small business has been a top priority for growing entrepreneurs. The Estrella Gin development located on east Edison Road will potentially provide some much needed business space. The project is currently under the pre-application stage and is currently slated to provide over 135,000 sq ft of flexible mixed use, retail and office space across nearly 20 acres.

Data-Driven Project Evaluation

Since 2023, OEO has received over 250 project information forms from the greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) and the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA). These forms highlight businesses looking for development opportunities within our city and based on those submissions could lead to further conversations and site visits with companies looking to make Maricopa their new home. This data is helping refine future projects to better align with the needs of businesses and improve potential employment outcomes for residents.

“The City of Maricopa is currently not known as a place for big industry but the steps we’ve taken over the past year as well as our future planning progress is aiming to change that,” said Chief Strategy Officer Joshua Bowman.

Looking Ahead

The 2024 report reflects Maricopa’s progress toward becoming a self-sustaining economy where residents can live, work, stay, and play. With continued focus on business attraction, workforce readiness, and innovation, the Office of Economic Opportunity is setting the foundation for long-term prosperity.

You can view the entire presentation at last night’s City Council meeting below orclick here to download the presentation.