Buckeye’s Industrial Boom: Arizona’s Next Economic Powerhouse?

BUCKEYE, ARIZONA IS CHANGING FAST! In this video, I take a look at the massive industrial and employment-development push underway in Buckeye, Arizona, and why the far West Valley could become one of the most important industrial, manufacturing, logistics, technology and data-center markets in the entire Phoenix metro. Buckeye has historically been known as a farming community but today, the City of Buckeye is actively positioning itself as a major employment and industrial hub. 🏭 INDUSTRIAL & MANUFACTURING GROWTH According to the City of Buckeye's FY 2025/26 information, the city added approximately 3.4 million square feet of speculative industrial space across five completed projects. The City says off-site infrastructure is also underway for a 264-acre site that could support another 1.8 million square feet of industrial space. 📦 BURLINGTON'S MASSIVE NEW DISTRIBUTION CENTER Burlington's nearly 2-million-square-foot distribution center near SR-85 and Broadway broke ground in April 2026 and is expected to open in 2028. Burlington describes it as a highly automated distribution facility incorporating advanced sorting systems, technology and software. ⚡ THE POWER STORY MAY BE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT A planned 120-acre APS substation known as TS35 is being developed in the Buckeye area. Developer materials describe it as potentially one of the largest substations in the western United States. This is particularly important because modern data centers, AI infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and other large industrial users can require extraordinary amounts of electricity. APS is also planning major transmission expansion throughout the Southwest Valley. The Cotton Transmission Corridor involves new and rebuilt 230kV and 500kV transmission infrastructure connecting substations in the Buckeye, Goodyear, Avondale and Gila Bend areas, with an estimated in-service date around 2031/2032. 💻 THE FUTURE DATA-CENTER OPPORTUNITY Multiple large potential data-center locations are being discussed or developed within areas planned for employment and industrial uses. The most significant is the Buckeye Tech Corridor. At full build-out, the broader project has been discussed as potentially accommodating as many as 40 data centers and approximately 20 million square feet of development. 💧 WATER — AND WHY THE CITY IS TALKING ABOUT IT Buckeye says the Tech Corridor has a development-agreement water cap of approximately 2,000 acre-feet per year. The previous residential entitlement for roughly 9,700 homes was projected to consume approximately 4,500 acre-feet per year. The City is also emphasizing newer cooling technologies, including air cooling and closed-loop systems, as part of its strategy for accommodating large technology users while protecting water resources. Buckeye has been working to strengthen its long-term water portfolio, with the acquisition of additional water from the Harquahala Valley and state-level changes involving agricultural-to-urban water transfers. 🏗️ CITY ENTITLEMENTS & DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS Buckeye has a formal planning and zoning system covering everything from annexation and rezoning to general-plan amendments, PADs, site plans, development agreements and infrastructure planning. For the Buckeye Tech Corridor, the City entered into a development agreement that includes infrastructure commitments, public-safety facilities, water and wastewater infrastructure, and a $15 million developer contribution toward the future Johnson Road interchange. 🚛 LOGISTICS, RAIL & FOREIGN-TRADE-ZONE ADVANTAGES Buckeye also has a major geographic advantage. The city sits along Interstate 10 and SR-85, providing direct access toward Phoenix, California and the Southwest. There is also significant Union Pacific rail infrastructure in the area, which is particularly valuable for large-scale manufacturing, logistics and distribution operations. 💰 OPPORTUNITY ZONES Opportunity Zones were originally created under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to encourage investment in designated communities. Some industrial properties in the Buckeye market are identified as Opportunity Zone properties. ✈️ BUCKEYE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT The airport has experienced significant growth, with the City reporting more than 138,000 operations in the previous year — a 13% increase from 2024. The City is also developing an Airport Specific Area Plan intended to guide future investment and employment opportunities around the airport corridor. 📍 If you're interested in Buckeye, industrial real estate, land investment, development opportunities or the future of the Phoenix Metro, subscribe to the channel. DISCLAIMER: Development plans, proposed projects, zoning, utility capacity, investment figures, construction schedules and employment estimates can change. This video is for informational purposes only and is not investment, legal, tax or financial advice.