Home

July 30, 2010  |  Email This Page

Never-before-seen things are happening in our service area - Mohave Crossings is our area's first retail "power center" shopping plaza, and "big box retailers" are already here.

If you are considering a long-term career decision and trying to imagine your future opportunity, isn't the economic health of the hospital's service area a critical factor to consider? During slow economic times we keep growing - major retailers keep coming. Like any great investment, "getting in early" is a key. You've met us at a great time - one of our hospital board members, Anne Pettit, a realtor and developer, describes us as being a "teenager" in our evolution.

While there are many reasons for our growth, the basic ones are pretty elementary and easy to appreciate:

Need more reason to choose our area? More than 5 million tourists visit us annually for 24-hour gaming and recreation that we enjoy year-round. They want to live close to Las Vegas but our relaxed lifestyle that is reminiscent of Palm Springs when it was founded, and have a leisurely and short drive to work.

One of many new commercial real estate centers popping up which bring more modern amenities and services to our area
– This is an "after" photo of one of many new commercial retail plazas on SR 95.

New commercial real estate space is under constant development. The massive Tri-State Industrial Park is under construction south of Valley View MC. Smart jobseekers (and investors) notice signs of growth and what it means for them.

Our Tri-state region is not only "booming," but VVMC’s service area in particular (see map immediately below) is basically in the center of the growth. Laughlin anchors thousands of casino jobs our area is the retail and entertainment "hub" of the county, and there is extensive available land for development here.

From a 1-10-06 article posted on the Mohave Valley News website, entitled "Cities’ economies linked across borders" (Neil Young, News West), according to Richard Kuczek, Economic Development Director for the Western Arizona Council of Governments (WACOG),

"The area encompassing Bullhead City, Laughlin, Fort Mojave, Mohave Valley and Needles is really one economic demographic area. ’It’s really an integrated region economically and growth-wise,’ Kuczek said. ‘And I think Bullhead City is going to retain that position as the retail and services center for the region.’

Kuczek said he sees Bullhead City and Mohave County continuing to grow at least 5 percent a year. ‘I would not be at all surprised in 15 to 20 years to see 400,000 to 500,000 people in the county,’ Kuczek said, noting the current county population is about 200,000.

Map of the Tri-state Area:

Key – Valley View Medical Center is represented as the red cross in the southern-most part of the map along Highway 95. We are located in unincorporated Fort Mohave, which is south of Bullhead City to our north – we are north of Needles, which is not on the map, but you can see how we border California to Valley View MC’s south.

Beginning at the Davis Dam on top of the map below, which formed Lake Mohave, you can see how Highway 163 comes into our area, per the Directions we provided to you in our Community section. Note the bridge at the top of the map that connects Bullhead City to our immediate north from Laughlin.

As you have seen in our Real Estate section, note above how the Bullhead Parkway connects with the northern bridge and curves to the east into our mountainsides and then south, emptying out onto Highway 95 next to Mohave Community College, which is 2 miles north of Valley View Medical Center.

Needles, CA:

Avi Casino & Resort recently announced plans to expand and build a second casino in Needles! Note the Avi is on the south side (lower left) of the large map, above "California," on the west (left) side of the Colorado River.

Our region’s proximity to I-40 as the "last stop" before the Southern California market and its ports to Asia, is a huge factor that will drive growth in our region, starting with our Tri-State Industrial Park, which is 15 minutes south of Valley View MC

Approximately 10 miles south of Valley View MC, which is off of this map, is Needles, CA and its southern bridge, back over the Colorado River, and Highway 95 connects to I-40, and then about 45 miles south is Lake Havasu City - both cities are reviewed in Our Community.

Three Growing Features of our Service Area - Residential, Retail & Commercial, and Industrial Growth:

Tony Dias at El Rio Country Club, the signature golf community just south of Valley View Medical Center: "Bullhead City and the Mohave Valley are wide open for growth to the east, and south (right through VVMC's service area)."

Tony Dias, Executive Director, Bullhead Regional EDA and Chairman of the Airport Authority, spent time with us to review how VVMC’s immediate and extended service areas are growing. His office is available below for more information, or you may request to meet Tony during your onsite visit to our community if you choose to interview.

Residential Growth:

New and Ornate, high-end shopping & business office/flex space at El Rio Country Club

Quotes from Executives from Laughlin Ranch and El Rio Country Club

"Twenty-five years ago, you could get free rooms at Caesars (Palace) – really at any of the (Las Vegas) casinos. They were trying to attract you with cheap rates. But when the Mirage was built and (Steve Wynn) knew he would have to make $1 million a day to break even, everyone said he would go bust. Well the rest is history. That's what is happening in Laughlin, the same kind of renaissance that happened in Las Vegas.

Even at build out, Laughlin is going to be a tenth the size of Vegas, and it will be a different clientele. Families come with their boats and jet skis – things that aren't available in Vegas. You know, they can build pyramids in Vegas, but they can't build a Colorado River." Dave Lords, Developer of Laughlin Ranch, Bullhead City*

"Southern Californians…have been coming for years and years. For many of them, it's a great value to come here. You've got gambling casinos just like you'd have in Las Vegas. You’ve got great golf. You've got entertainment and some very good dining. It's not all the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas, but it offers everything at a much more affordable price."
Keri Stewart, Director of Golf and General Manager, El Rio Country Club, Mohave Valley
(Keri is featured in Our Community)

*Great Escapes magazine (article "Building Boom" 3/2006)

Population Growth Estimates of Mohave County:

2020:     348,000
2030:     512,000

Better Growth Prospects than Lake Havasu?

Although Lake Havasu City is the largest city in Mohave County as of 2008, that is eventually going to change due to better conditions for growth in our service area.

Gary Kellogg, with Susan Youngdahl, left, and Lisa Kruger, Lake Havasu City leaders

According to Gary Kellogg, 2006-2007 CEO of the Lake Havasu City Partnership for Economic Development, "we are 70% built out" due to acreage limitations. Lake Havasu remains a great lake and neighbor, but we offer more!

Retail Growth: We are not only a fast-growing part of Western Arizona, but we are emerging as the "shopping hub" for our region, so our retail and commercial growth is enhanced as our residential growth numbers continue.

The commercial real estate and retail growth in our service area defies national trends - a powerful sign for our future

Tony discusses the importance of Mohave Crossroads and
gives you a personal tour of it.
Running time: 2:18 minutes

Big box retailers and new car dealers don't come unless specific population and traffic thresholds are surpassed

When you drive in our area, you will sense a new "vibe" with retail and commercial construction growing around us

The 2006 construction to widen Highway 95 to 4 lanes, as well as create access roads, is now completed

"Not only are we growing, but we are managing our growth. Our civic leaders are keenly aware of how Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Southern California’s growth problems, and their aim is to maintain a steady growth of civic services and public expansion projects to match our population growth." - Tony Dias, BCEDA

For an overview of our retail shopping, visit the Life in Mohave County section of this presentation!

Industrial Growth:

Our access to Interstate 40 to our south is as significant to our growth as any factor. As the "last stop" before the California border to our west and then onto the Southern California market, and its ports to Asia and China, companies are attracted to our lower land costs and reliable power and resources, to set up distribution centers and industrial parks here. This benefits Valley View Medical Center because the new Tri-State Industrial Park, and available land for development of such "mega distribution warehouses," is 20 minutes to our south.

The Commercial Airline Flights Soon!, According to Tony, also Airport Board Chairman, the airport’s runway was lengthened and a 767 has landed here. The airport currently hosts 300,000 people on chartered flights. After $1 million in renovations in 2008, three commercial airlines are now considering daily flights into our airport.

The first phase of the Airport Industrial Park is fully leased. The second phase is well under construction and offers state-of-the-art facilities and warehouses.

Main roadways with easy access to everything in our area

Warehouses in the hundreds of thousands of square feet - "mega warehouses," are being built to our south at our Tri-State Industrial Park, including 2008 Freeman Corporation

Tony discusses Freeman which is located at our newest "Tri-State
Industrial Park."
Running time: 00:54 minutes

Tri-State Business Park

Bullhead EDA

Resources:

www.bullheadeconomicdevelopment.com/
www.bullheadcity.com/
www.laughlinchamber.com/
www.mohavedailynews.com/
www.TV2KlBC.com

Every photo in this section of our presentation is original - taken especially for you and your family, during an onsite production visit.

Back to Top