State Senate sends governor bill allowing Axon corporate campus to proceed

The Arizona state Senate on Tuesday passed a measure designed to open the way to the development of Axon’s proposed international headquarters in Scottsdale.

Axon, a leading manufacturer of law enforcement technology, plans to construct a mixed-use campus near Hayden Road and Loop 101. The development includes nearly 2,000 apartments, a hotel, restaurants, and entertainment venues, with an anticipated economic impact of $38 billion over the next decade. 

The Scottsdale City Council approved the rezoning request for the project last November, but the project faced opposition from opponents of apartments and from an out-of-state organized labor group who wanted Scottsdale voters to overturn the council’s approval.

Danny Seiden, president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry, celebrated the bill’s passage. 

“This is smart, targeted reform that protects jobs, supports housing, and sends the right message to businesses here and across the country,” Seiden said. “Arizona is open for business—and we have your back.” 

Public opinion appears to favor the development. A recent statewide poll conducted by Cygnal found that 75% of likely voters support Axon building its headquarters in their community, with 65% support among Scottsdale residents.

Worker Power also active in Glendale 

The labor group opposing the Scottsdale project is Worker Power, the political arm of the California-based labor union UniteHere. 

Worker Power has been a regular opponent of economic development in the Valley, opposing legislation this year to create a financing mechanism for repairs at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The group also opposed a project in Tempe to develop a home for the NHL’s Coyotes. 

Worker Power in 2024 was the backer of Proposition 499 in Glendale, a measure to dramatically increase the minimum wage for hospitality workers in that city and place strict caps on their productivity. The proposition lost by a wide margin.

Like it did in the Axon case, the group is now attempting to derail a zoning agreement unanimously approved by the Glendale City Council for the new VAI Resort, which is slated to be the state’s largest resort. Glendale voters next month will decide in a special election whether to uphold the council’s decision.