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Two minds, one destiny.

That鈥檚 how Phoenix leaders described their partnership with Arizona State University to a group of New Mexico business leaders who took a recent trip to the city鈥檚 downtown.

鈥淲e heard collaboration; we heard their swagger. They鈥檙e pro-Arizona; they鈥檙e pro-Phoenix. They understand that as goes Phoenix goes Arizona,鈥� said Visit sa国际传媒官网网页入口 President and CEO Tania Armenta.

These insights came up during a panel discussion held during a quarterly luncheon hosted by the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Regional Economic Alliance, or AREA, on Thursday. AREA is a nonprofit that works to grow and diversify the greater sa国际传媒官网网页入口 region鈥檚 economy by supporting local businesses and recruiting new companies to the area.

The conversation comes as private and public officials are weighing a Downtown sa国际传媒官网网页入口 transformation of their own, including a Tax Increment Financing District, a proposed Business Improvement District and a recently signed memorandum of understanding between the city of sa国际传媒官网网页入口 and the University of New Mexico aimed at bringing a university presence Downtown.

The panel 鈥� featuring WaFd Bank Regional President Michelle Coons, Geltmore Vice President Adam Silverman, Merrill Lynch Senior Vice President Billy Gupton and Armenta 鈥� included members who traveled to Phoenix and surrounding cities in April.

The trip was facilitated by the New Mexico Amigos, a nonprofit promoting economic development in New Mexico. The organization arranges annual trips to meet with community leaders and showcase New Mexico.

鈥淭here is so much vibrancy going on in that community,鈥� Silverman said during the panel discussion.

The panel and Armenta pointed to Arizona State University鈥檚 presence in downtown Phoenix as one of the largest contributors to that vibrancy.

ASU started enrolling students in its downtown campus in 2006, only three years after discussions between the school and the city began in 2003. Gupton said the swiftness and commitment of the partnership are what struck him.

鈥淭hey did not do what we tend to do, like the light approach,鈥� Gupton said. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛, 鈥榊ou know what, to start we鈥檒l just move 50 kids down and see what happens.鈥� It was like, 鈥楴o, we鈥檙e doing this 鈥� we鈥檙e going all in.鈥欌��

Gupton said the move transformed downtown Phoenix from a place you didn鈥檛 want to be in the 鈥�90s and 2000s into, now, 鈥渁 place that you want to spend time in.鈥�

The panel also pointed to downtown Phoenix鈥檚 version of a Business Improvement District, or BID, as part of its formula for success. Downtown Phoenix鈥檚 BID, called an Enhanced Municipal Services District, is run by Downtown Phoenix Inc.

Not everyone in downtown Phoenix wanted to be included in the BID boundaries, Silverman said. Some properties were carved out, allowing Silverman and the others to tour and see the difference between properties receiving BID services and those that were not.

鈥淲hen we were walking in the BID area 鈥� clean, not a lot of unhoused folks, not a lot of vagrancy, looked very beautiful,鈥� Silverman said. 鈥淵ou go to the part that isn鈥檛 in the BID, oh buddy. They have people sleeping everywhere, trash all over the place, there鈥檚 weeds, litter 鈥� I mean, you were like, 鈥榃ow, this sort of looks like what I鈥檓 used to in our Downtown sa国际传媒官网网页入口.鈥欌��

The panel concluded with the sentiment that if Phoenix can do it, so can sa国际传媒官网网页入口. Silverman contended that future business leaders will look back at Downtown sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 current position 15 years from now as a critical point in its transformation.

鈥淓verything that we talked about today is already in motion,鈥� he said.