Vision

Location

Mesa Proving Grounds is located at the southeast corner of Elliot and Ellsworth Roads. Although the property is currently located in an unincorporated area of Maricopa County, it is included in the City of Mesa Planning Area and is proposed to be annexed into the City by the end of 2008. Mesa Proving Grounds is situated northeast of the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and the ASU Polytechnic campus. The property is accessible by U.S. 60 and the Loop 202 Santan Freeway.

History

Since 1953, General Motors Desert Proving Grounds has operated at this location to test vehicles for durability, vehicle handling, water and dust intrusion and emissions in a hot weather climate. At its peak, it employed more than 1,000 employees. In 2000, General Motors announced its intentions to close the Proving Grounds and relocate its hot weather vehicle testing facility. In 2004, 1,800 acres of the site were sold to Pacific Proving LLC. In 2006, the remaining 3,200 acres were sold to DMB and General Motors will lease the property back until the end of 2009.

Status

Mesa Proving Grounds is the last significant, privately owned, contiguous land holding in the Southeast Valley.  The City of Mesa recently annexed the property, approved an amendment to the general plan and approved a planned community district zoning designation on the property.

Current Use

The Mesa Proving Grounds property is currently being leased to General Motors, which will continue to use the site for hot weather vehicle testing until its operations are relocated to its new facility in Yuma, Arizona.

"Gaylord Resorts leads the industry in employee satisfaction and enjoys one of the lowest turnover of employees compared to their competitors. This is one more reason why I urge you to vote YES on Prop 300."

Councilmember Dina Higgins