Situated on Mesa's southeast side, the 20,700-acre Gateway area boasts a 3,200-acre airport, which according to Brent Moser, is the driving focus of growth. "The airport is still adding jobs, despite a difficult aeronautic environment," says Moser, senior vice president with Grubb & Ellis|BRE Commercial LLC's Phoenix office. "Three new manufacturing/service facilities were built on site during the past year."

Another driver is Allegiant Air, a point-to-point airline that opened up shop in late 2007. "This is an airline that's actually making money," Moser tells GlobeSt.com. "The entire airport has added a few flights, and the temporary terminal there is almost obsolete because they've filled it."

The local airport will also benefit from the Mesa Proving Grounds next door. Local businessman William Levine and DMB Associates in Scottsdale are spending a lot of money to get the more than 5,000 acres that were once the General Motors Desert Proving Grounds ready for development. Gaylord Entertainment of Nashville, is planning to anchor the DMB project. "DMB also has another 500-room resort that's waiting in the wings," Moser comments. "The developers are waiting for a March vote to confirm it."

The almost booming Gateway area is in stark counterpoint to the rest of the area, and the growth is likely to continue well beyond 2009. Moser says there could be a time when the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport could actually surpass Sky Harbor International Airport as the metro area's main location for arriving and departing flights.

"If you'd asked me, a year or two ago, if that could happen, I would have said no chance, not with Sky Harbor doing so well," Moser adds. "But Gateway has longer runways that can support heavier planes and the airport is planned well. In my mind, 30 years from now, it could be on par and even exceed Sky Harbor much like O'Hare did so with Midway in Chicago."