Opinion: How a Kansas town’s bold infrastructure bet is a roadmap for Maricopa County’s growth
This column by Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden originally appeared in The Phoenix Business Journal.
More than a decade ago, the small town of Edgerton, Kansas, faced a choice: maintain the status quo or plan for the future.
When another community turned down a proposal for a major infrastructure project, Edgerton saw the opportunity others didn’t. Local leaders made a strategic decision to invest in growth through the BNSF Logistics Park and intermodal facility — a project dismissed by many as too ambitious for a rural town. That decision delivered modern infrastructure, attracted private investment, and created a long-term economic engine for the region.
The payoff was undeniable.
Jobs and housing construction surged. Infrastructure improved. The tax base expanded, allowing the city to deliver more services at lower cost to residents. What was once a quiet agricultural community became a thriving rail logistics and employment hub that now anchors economic activity across the region.
Now, Maricopa County stands at a similar crossroads.
Edgerton’s story is a clear example of what strong leadership and effective public-private partnership can accomplish. The project brought commercial investments the town once didn’t think possible, new housing development for the first time in 20 years, new infrastructure, and a broader, more stable tax base that lowered costs for residents.
Edgerton didn’t lose its character — it strengthened its community. Families found opportunity without leaving town. People moved back and saw reasons to build their lives locally. The region is more competitive, resilient and prosperous.
Arizona now has the same opportunity on an even larger scale.
The proposed BNSF Logistics Park in the Phoenix region offers a transformational opportunity to strengthen our state’s supply chain, attract future investment, and support growing industries from semiconductors and agriculture to energy and retail distribution.
This project is bigger than a railroad. It’s about fueling Arizona’s economy and planning for the future. It’s about positioning our state as the leading logistics center for the entire Southwest, strengthening U.S. supply chain security and onshoring domestic manufacturing.
And most important, it’s about opportunity for Arizona families — opportunity to work, to own a home, to build a career close to where you live and raise your children.
The world is reorganizing supply chains. America is reshoring manufacturing. Companies are seeking reliable, connected, and forward-thinking places to invest. Residents want affordable access to everyday goods quickly and efficiently.
Arizona doesn’t have to guess if this model will work; the story has already been written. A small town in Kansas proved that when communities lean into smart, responsible development, the benefits flow directly to residents.
Arizona has the talent, the geography, the infrastructure and the momentum. What we need now is the will — and the kind of leadership and foresight that propelled Edgerton’s economic transformation more than a decade ago.
Arizona’s path forward comes down to one simple choice: keep growing or fall behind.
We don’t have to take a leap of faith; we know what works. Edgerton proved what happens when communities invest in growth. Now it’s Arizona’s turn.
Danny Seiden is president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
