Arizona
The CHIPS Act transforms an Arizona neighborhood
About 7 miles south of a massive construction site where Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world’s biggest chipmaker, is building three factories, one neighborhood is undergoing dramatic change.
The Golden Triangle — as at least one real estate developer calls it — occupies about a half-mile square in Phoenix, Arizona. It has about 100 houses, connected by mostly dirt roads. In addition to the human residents, many of whom moved there in search of a rural lifestyle, it’s home to horses, goats, cows, donkeys, chickens, bees and a 16-year-old tortoise named Crush.
But the economy of the Golden Triangle is getting an overhaul. Three new apartment complexes, with a combined 852 units, have been approved for construction inside its borders. Developers and city officials say the housing is needed, in part, to meet demand driven by the semiconductor industry.
As part of our ongoing series “Breaking Ground,” about how federal government investment is changing the economy in complicated, invisible and contradictory ways, Marketplace looked at the impact of the CHIPS and Science Act on Phoenix. The landmark legislation is part of the government’s plan to rebuild the semiconductor industry in the United States
Residents, business owners and city officials each have their own interests in this development cycle. To explore how the changes are fanning the flames of competition among them, “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal spoke with these stakeholders in the Golden Triangle.
Click the audio player above to hear the story.
The small-business owners
Toward one corner of the Golden Triangle, there is a freshly built strip mall with a Mexican restaurant, a nail salon, a day care center and a couple of other small businesses. Its construction was part of a wave of commercial development in the area.
Kat Blaz, the owner of a Bricks & Minifigs franchise, which sells new and used Lego products, opened her store about 2½ years ago. “I was so excited when I found out what was going in behind us,” she said, referring to the planned apartment complexes. “It’s hard nowadays for brick-and-mortar [businesses] to survive with all the online shopping, and so the fact that we can get more foot traffic is awesome,” she said.
One door down, Yvette Stumpf, the owner of a salon franchise specializing in haircuts for kids, hopes the neighborhood’s new residents will bring more traffic to her business as well. But she has mixed feelings about how development is changing the neighborhood. “I see that as a boon to my business because it’s more people,” she said. “However, I also do not like the big-city feel, and we still feel like country.”
Those competing feelings — hopes for the benefits of development and the desire to retain the neighborhood’s character — reflect an ongoing battle over the future of the Golden Triangle as federal investment accelerates the changes.
The real estate developer
Real estate developer Charles Eckert is in the second category of stakeholder — he built the strip mall Blaz and Stumpf’s stores are in. “We’ve taken raw desert, basically, and turned it into this,” he said, gesturing toward the busy intersection.
“There were no curbs, no gutters, no sidewalks. The road was two lanes wide. That was a dirt road right there, and there was nothing here,” he said. “I’ve been developing in this area for 20 years.”
As more businesses invested in north Phoenix — some lured by state tax incentives — Eckert saw potential in that triangle. “That’s why I invested my entire net worth into this area,” he said.
Now, those bets seem to have paid off. He attracted a convenience store, an AutoZone, a Brakes Plus, a storage facility, a day care center and all the small businesses in that strip mall.
Last year, he sold some of his remaining land in the Golden Triangle to an apartment development company for $2.8 million. When making the case to the Phoenix City Council for a five-story apartment complex on that parcel, a representative for the developer cited its proximity to TSMC, the giant semiconductor producer.
“You’ve just got to look around and look at the commercial development that was coming here and say, ‘There will be housing demand here,’” Eckert said.
The neighbors
Laurel Brodie, who lives about 800 yards from Eckert’s strip mall, remembers what this neighborhood looked like before developers like him arrived.
“We’re in what used to be the middle of the desert,” she said. Brodie’s husband and father-in-law bought property here in the 1970s. They were among the first residents in the neighborhood.
Brodie showed Ryssdal an aerial photograph of her house from 1990, when the surrounding area was almost entirely undeveloped. “There’s nothing in this,” Ryssdal observed. “You can see all the way to the mountains.”
Although Brodie acknowledges that development in the area was inevitable, she and a group of her neighbors tried, and failed, to fight Phoenix City Hall about the planned apartments inside the bounds of their unincorporated island on county land.
They argued that high-density housing — especially a five-story apartment building — is inappropriate for the area. “Even the ones on the freeway don’t go up that high, and yet they find it appropriate to put five stories right here,” Brodie said.
“It’s rather threatening to my way of life,” said Alison McKee, who lives down a dirt road from Brodie and joined her in the resistance effort.
McKee and her husband bought their property about 12 years ago because they wanted land where they could have a horse. Now, in addition to the horse, the McKees have five donkeys, 26 chickens, 18 goats (nine kids and nine adults), a dog, a barn cat and a rotating cast of foster donkeys from a local rescue.
In the years since the McKees moved in, a megachurch was built across the street and shopping centers and apartments sprang up down the road. It’s clear that more will be coming with the investment in semiconductor plants.
“We do feel like we will be bowled over,” McKee said. “So am I the weird old lady that stands her ground and holds out? … Only time will tell.”
The city
Because both Alison McKee and Laurel Brodie’s properties sit on unincorporated county land, they do not pay Phoenix city taxes and cannot vote for Phoenix City Council candidates. But the city is getting closer and closer to them.
Councilwoman Ann O’Brien, who represents the district that includes TSMC and the Golden Triangle area, is responsible for balancing the competing interests. She supported the proposed apartment developments.
“You might know, we have a little bit of a housing shortage here, not just in Phoenix but the entire state of Arizona,” she told Ryssdal. “And one of my commitments when I ran for office in 2020 was to ensure that we brought a diversity of housing.”
The Phoenix metropolitan area, already among the fastest-growing in the nation, received a wave of new residents during the pandemic, exacerbating a housing shortage. An Arizona State University research report found that Arizona was short about 270,000 units in 2022.
TSMC, which is investing $65 billion in Arizona with a $6.6 billion boost from the CHIPS Act, plans to hire 6,000 workers. Additionally, the company expects those factories to create tens of thousands of construction and indirect supplier jobs. Those workers will need places to live.
“Phoenix is growing, and what used to be far out there isn’t so far out there anymore,” O’Brien said.
As trillions of government dollars flow into the national economy, more communities will have to grapple with the tradeoffs of development, as the Golden Triangle has. What is happening there will happen elsewhere.
“Change is coming?” Ryssdal asked.
“It’s not just coming,” O’Brien said. “It’s here.”
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An already crazy college football season got a whole lot crazier on Saturday.
And Arizona State was right in the middle of it.
The Sun Devils held off BYU 28-23 in a game that ended twice, creating a four-way tie for first place in the Big 12.
After it appeared Arizona State had run out the clock with a fourth down throw that sailed 50-plus yards down the sideline and landed in the stands, Sun Devils fans stormed the field and brought down the goalposts.
But the game wasn’t over. Officials determined that Sam Leavitt’s throw landed in the stands with one second on the clock. So they cleared the field, put the goalposts back up, and gave BYU one final play from midfield.
On the final play, BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff threw a Hail Mary pass that was caught short of the goal line, officially ending the game.
Then the fans stormed the field again.
“We won the football game,” Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham said. “We beat another ranked team at Mountain America Stadium. So this is all about the guys. These guys battled, these guys fought and found a way to win. Whatever happened at the end, it happened.
“You know what? We got to rush the field twice, how about that?”
Losses Clear CFP Path For Arizona State
The upsets on Saturday started early and continued all day.
Seven Top 25 teams lost, including No. 5 Indiana, No. 7 Alabama and No. 9 Ole Miss, No. 15 Texas A&M and No. 16 Colorado.
Arizona State’s win over No. 14 BYU, coupled with Colorado’s 37-21 loss to Kansas, means the Sun Devils will be the highest-ranked Big 12 team in the next College Football Playoff Rankings.
So how high will the Sun Devils climb?
You can make a case that they should be in the top 10.
Indiana (10-1) has played a historically soft schedule and showed it has no business being in the top 10 with a blowout loss to Ohio State — the only ranked opponent they will play all season.
Alabama (8-3) was soundly beaten by an average Oklahoma team and now has three losses. Ole Miss (8-3) also has three losses, including a bad one to Kentucky.
All three teams should drop out of the top 10 — and Arizona State should move in.
Predicting the Next CFP Rankings
Arizona State easily had the best win of any Top 25 team on Saturday. And they have repeatedly showed they are one of the best college football teams in the country, with NFL talent all over the roster. What they have accomplished is not a fluke.
They’re better than Indiana and Boise State. The Broncos barely beat a Wyoming team that the Sun Devils blasted 48-7 earlier this season.
Here’s how the Top 13 of the next CFP Rankings should look:
1. Oregon (11-0)
2. Ohio State (9-1)
3. Texas (9-1)
4. Notre Dame (9-1)
5. Penn State (9-1)
6. Miami (9-1)
7. Georgia (8-2)
8. Tennessee (8-2)
9. SMU (9-1)
10. Arizona State (9-2)
11. Alabama (8-3)
12. Indiana (10-1)
13. Boise State (9-1)
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter where Arizona State is ranked because they just need to win two more games to get in — next week at Arizona, then the Big 12 championship game.
But the national respect for the Sun Devils — and the Big 12 — is long overdue.
More Arizona State & Big 12 Analysis
Here’s what you need to know about the University of Arizona
UA was established in 1885, and its main campus is in Tucson. The Wildcats once had a live bobcat named Rufus as a mascot.
The Republic
FORT WORTH, Texas — When Arizona trekked to Texas last year, the Wildcats celebrated a come-from-behind victory in the Alamo Bowl to cap a historic season.
The only celebratory moment in Arizona’s 49-28 loss to TCU at Amon G. Carter Stadium on Saturday was UA star wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan setting the program’s all-time receiving yards record.
Arizona’s setback officially puts the Wildcats out of bowl contention. Arizona (4-7) won’t participate in the postseason for the sixth time in seven seasons. Brent Brennan is the third straight Arizona head coach to miss out on a bowl game in his first season at the helm.
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita’s pass attempt to McMillan running an out route was intercepted on the first play from scrimmage on Saturday. TCU running back Trent Battle scored a 4-yard rushing touchdown to give the Horned Frogs a 7-0 lead; he scored again on TCU’s opening drive of the second half.
TCU quarterback Josh Hoover, the Big 12’s leading passer, was pressured by UA defensive end Lance Keneley and threw an interception on the Horned Frogs’ second drive. Arizona free safety Jack Luttrell intercepted the pass for his third pick of the season, which tied sophomore Genesis Smith for a team-high this season.
Despite the first-quarter interception, the Wildcats failed to reach TCU territory on the first three drives and fell behind 14-0.
Arizona clawed its way back to a one-possession deficit after Fifita connected with tight end Sam Olson, who ran a seam route, for a 51-yard gain to the red zone. UA redshirt sophomore wide receiver Chris Hunter completed the drive with a 17-yard touchdown catch, stretching out his body and tapping his toes to stay in bounds. Since becoming a starter last month, Hunter has emerged as the Wildcats second-best pass-catcher behind McMillan.
Arizona’s dime defense used a similar tactic it used last week against Houston, showing blitz with multiple defensive backs in the box and two defensive linemen in a two-point stance. The Wildcats either pressured Hoover or dropped back in coverage against TCU’s high-powered passing attack. Arizona forced back-to-back three-and-out possessions, but failed to convert TCU’s empty possessions into touchdowns. Arizona kicker Tyler Loop made a 53-yard and 43-yard field goal and trimmed the deficit 14-13.
With a chance for more momentum just before halftime, TCU converted on three third-down plays, including a third-and-18 and third-and-25. The Horned Frogs also had an intentional grounding that knocked them out of field goal range, but Hoover’s 24-yard pass to wide receiver JP Richardson set up TCU receiver-converted-running back Savion Williams for a 20-yard touchdown run to take a 21-13 lead.
Williams’ touchdown was the first of a five-touchdown streak for TCU. Arizona’s only offensive touchdown of the second half was Hunter’s goal-line catch in the back of the end zone. Hunter had eight catches for 45 yards. Third-year defensive end Sterling Lane II returned a fumble 68 yards with a minute left.
McMillan’s 8-yard catch with just under 10 minutes left in the game officially put him as Arizona’s all-time leading receiver with 3,335 yards. McMillan passed current UA wide receivers coach Bobby Wade for the record.
Arizona will now face red-hot in-state rival Arizona State for the Territorial Cup. The Wildcats have won the last two Territorial Cups.
Extra points:
- Saturday was TCU’s first win over Arizona in Fort Worth. The Wildcats beat the Horned Frogs Fort Worth in 1999.
- Arizona had 38 net rushing yards on Saturday. TCU, ranked near the bottom of the Big 12 in rushing defense, gave up an average of 190.1 rushing yards in the three games preceding Saturday.
- Second-year defensive lineman Julian Savaiinaea, the younger brother of Arizona star offensive tackle Jonah Savaiinaea, recorded his first-career sack at the UA on Saturday. Jonah Savaiinaea limped off the field in the fourth quarter.
- Arizona cornerback Emmanuel Karnley was ejected in the fourth quarter for spitting at a TCU player. Karnley will be suspended for the first half of the Territorial Cup game.
- Arizona senior nose tackle Chubba Ma’ae, who has been out most of the season with a leg injury, participated in pregame warmups but sat out. Ma’ae can play in the Territorial Cup game on Saturday and medically redshirt to preserve another year of eligibility.
- Arizona safety Gunner Maldonado, who is out with a season-ending leg injury, was one of the captains for the pregame coin toss. Maldonado was the Alamo Bowl Defensive MVP last season.
The Arizona State football team is 5-0 at home this season.
But they have yet to play in front of a crowd like the one expected at Mountain America Stadium on Saturday afternoon vs. BYU.
“We’ve already sold out [for the BYU game],” Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham said during his Monday press conference. “There’s like a thousand person wait line for tickets. For The Valley to be able to experience what they get to experience, which is an unbelievable college football environment on Saturday, is what we need to get people bought back into here. That there’s nothing that can replicate it. We haven’t had one like this yet since I’ve been here.”
In the biggest game for Arizona State (8-2) in more than a decade, they are 3.5-point favorites over BYU (9-1). The winner will have a great shot at a berth in the Big 12 football championship game. The loser will be all but eliminated.
Quarterback play will be a huge factor on Saturday. Over the last three weeks Arizona State redshirt freshman QB Sam Leavitt has arguably been the best quarterback in the nation. In wins over Oklahoma State, UCF and Kansas State, Leavitt completed 65% of his passes for 740 yards and 9 touchdowns, with no interceptions. He also rushed for 69 yards.
BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff, a senior, has had a big season, throwing for 2,283 yards and 19 touchdowns, and rushing for 312 yards and 4 TDs. But he has struggled in the passing game the last two weeks. He completed just 45.5% of his passes and didn’t throw a TD pass in BYU’s 22-21 road win over rival Utah. In last week’s 17-13 home loss to Kansas he passed for just 192 yards, with one TD and one interception.
Which QB will rise to the occasion on Saturday? Stay tuned. Here are the details on how to watch and follow Arizona State’s Big 12 showdown vs. BYU on Saturday:
Arizona State vs. BYU TV Channel, Live Stream, Betting Odds
Who: Arizona State (8-2, 5-2) vs. BYU (9-1, 6-1) in a Big 12 football game
When: 1:30 p.m. MST | Saturday, November 23
Where: Mountain America Stadium | Tempe, Arizona
Live Stream: Stream Arizona State-BYU live on fuboTV (Start your free trial)
TV Channel: ESPN
Our Prediction: Arizona State 30, BYU 27
Betting Odds: Arizona State is favored by 3.5 points per FanDuel Sportsbook
Live Updates, Highlights: Follow the game on Arizona State On SI for live updates and big-play highlights throughout Saturday’s matchup
More Arizona State & Big 12 Analysis
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