From the Phoenix Business Journal
By Sharon Harper, Chairman & CEO, Plaza Companies
Twenty years ago, when we first began talking about transforming the site of a former struggling retail center in south Scottsdale into an innovation hub, more than a few people were skeptical.
Could a university-anchored innovation center really thrive in the middle of the desert? Would global companies choose to locate high-wage jobs in a place better known for resorts and retail? Could a public-private partnership anchored by Arizona State University truly spark a new kind of economic ecosystem?
As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of SkySong, The ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, the answer to those questions is clear: A resounding ‘Yes.’
When Plaza Companies partnered with ASU and the city of Scottsdale in the mid 2000s, the goal was bold: create a global center for innovation, technology and entrepreneurship that would diversify our economy and position Arizona for long-term growth. At the time, the site was home to a declining shopping center. The concept of replacing it with a research park–style environment focused on international business and emerging tech was unproven in this market.
But we believed in the vision.
From the beginning, SkySong was designed to be more than just office buildings. It was intended to be a community – a place where startups, Fortune 500 companies, researchers, students and international firms could work side by side. ASU’s global reach and commitment to innovation became the intellectual engine. The private sector brought flexibility, market discipline and long-term investment. Scottsdale brought leadership and confidence in the future.
Over two decades, that vision has translated into tangible results. SkySong has attracted global companies, supporting thousands of high-quality jobs in fields ranging from advanced technology and artificial intelligence to global business services and health innovation. What was once viewed as a risk has become one of the region’s key economic drivers.
Just as important, SkySong has helped redefine how Arizona competes. It has demonstrated that we can attract international firms seeking a U.S. presence. It has created a soft landing for foreign companies entering the American market. It has fostered entrepreneurship by providing access to university research, student talent and business mentorship. The ripple effects extend far beyond the campus – into neighborhoods, restaurants, housing markets and the broader tax base that supports public services.
The iconic shade structure that rises above the campus has become a visual symbol of innovation. But what truly defines SkySong is what happens beneath it every day: collaboration, problem-solving and the creation of new ideas that turn into new jobs.
Looking back, I remember the early conversations when some wondered whether the timing was right or whether the market would respond. Major economic downturns tested the project in its infancy. Yet each challenge reinforced the importance of diversifying our economy and investing in knowledge-based industries.
Today, SkySong stands as proof that bold public-private partnerships can work — and that Arizona can lead in innovation when we align vision with action.
As we mark this 20-year milestone, we are not simply celebrating buildings or square footage. We are celebrating the entrepreneurs who took a chance on a new address. The corporate leaders who chose Scottsdale over competing markets. The ASU students who found internships and careers here. And the community that embraced a forward-looking idea.
The next 20 years will bring even more opportunity. Emerging technologies, global connectivity and the ASU’s continued growth will position SkySong to remain at the forefront of innovation.
When we started, not everyone was sure it would work. But we believed in the power of partnership, in the talent of our workforce and in the promise of Arizona.
Twenty years later, SkySong is not an experiment. It is an economic engine that’s just getting started.
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