ECONOMY
Thriving Regional Economic Drivers
The 4FrontED Binational Megaregion experiences continued growth and strength in business due to these continuous economic drivers:
Agribusiness Strength
An integral part of the Arizona-Mexico border economy is agribusiness and is projected to continue to grow. The economic impacts of the fresh produce industry on Nogales and Santa Cruz County, Arizona is great and agribusiness is the single largest private sector industry in the 4FrontED regional economy. Warehousing, packaging, logistics, and value-added components of agriculture are critical to the border regional economy and offer expansion opportunities.
Mining Growth
Mexico has abundant natural resources in gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, natural gas, and petroleum. Historically, mining has played an important role in Arizona’s economy. Positioning Arizona in relationship to Mexico’s growing mining industry might offer manufacturing and supply chain opportunities.
Manufacturing
Expanding manufacturing in Sonora, Mexico, offers tremendous potential for a strong supplier attraction strategy. Arizona border communities have a long history with maquiladoras and as a result communities on both sides of the border share labor and support resources. Logistics, warehousing, and distribution businesses play important support roles.
Tourism
The travel and tourism industry is a highly-ranked Arizona export industry. Communities throughout the state benefit from the tax revenues generated as well as jobs created from tourism. Binational tourism assets include historical sites, recreational facilities and amenities, and entertainment that can be promoted to draw more visitors to the region.
Ready to do business
Our powerful economic binational megaregion includes the Arizona cities of Yuma, San Luis, Somerton, Wellton, and the Sonoran city of San Luis, Rio Colorado. We are truly at the forefront of everything!
Assets of the 4FrontED Binational Megaregion
Approximately 53 million consumers are within a one-day truck haul or 500 miles from the region. Here are more of the assets that our region provides businesses that move to our area:
WATER - for business and the community
The Yuma region has senior water rights on the Colorado River. According to the Hydrologic Study: Availability of Water for Adequate Water Supply Designation (November 30, 2010), the city of San Luis, Arizona (directly on the border) has sufficient groundwater to provide a 100-year water supply for current and future uses in the San Luis area.
International Business Incubator
The city of San Luis recently opened the 20,000-square-foot San Luis Business Incubator designed for the start-up of small manufacturing businesses. The city received a $2.1 million U.S. Economic Development Administration grant coupled with funds from the Community Development Block Grant program to build the incubator.
Multimodal Transportation Plan
In November 2013, a Binational San Luis Transportation Study outlined a long-range, multimodal transportation plan to address the most critical current and future issues facing the cities of San Luis and San Luis Rio Colorado.
Industrial Park Development
There are two major industrial parks near the San Luis Port of Entry. The first is the Magrino Park on 270 acres with 80 acres under development. The second area nearby is an industrial park and commerce center on 80 acres and 40 acres are currently being developed.
Industrial Land
The 4FrontED binational region has over 1,000 acres of served industrial land. In addition, San Luis Rio Colorado has over 2,000 acres of industrial property available for business expansion.
The Cocopah Nation
The Cocopah Nation is a large employer located in Yuma County and plays an important role in the regional economy. The Nation provides jobs and recreational amenities that attract visitors from Mexico and throughout the region.