Surprise Economic Development

This #FeelGoodFriday, we’re celebrating a major milestone for innovation and entrepreneurship in the @AZSurprise ! Construction is officially underway at Spark Surprise, bringing us one step closer to opening a dynamic new space dedicated to supporting startups and companies of every scale. Located at 14462 W Elm Street, Suite 143, this future hub is designed to inspire creativity, collaboration, and growth right here in our community. To mark the occasion, @MayorSartor joined the @SurpriseEconDev team, including Director Jeanine Jerkovic, Assistant Director Mike Hoover, Project Manager Samuel Peña, Coordinator Mike R. Paredes, and Administrative Specialist Maggie Lewis, to kick off construction and celebrate the vision behind Spark Surprise. This project represents more than just a building, it’s an investment in people, ideas, and the future of our local economy. Once complete, Spark Surprise will provide resources, support, and opportunities for entrepreneurs and existing businesses to grow and thrive in Surprise. We’re excited to watch this vision come to life and look forward to welcoming the community into this innovative space! Follow us on @SparkSurpriseAZ for construction updates and the public grand opening event. #SparkSurprise #FeelGoodFriday #CityOfSurprise #EconomicDevelopment #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #WestValleyAZ #SurpriseAZ

Check out the new @IKEA Phoenix at 4643 East Cactus Road, Phoenix, AZ 85032. See the 2026 Surprise Retail Survey results where @IKEAUSA takes the top spot here: surpriseaz.gov/RetailSurvey #SurpriseLovesIKEA #SwedishMeatballs #MostDesired #CinnamonRolls

Our Economic Development Team was thrilled to receive an invitation from our friends at the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce, to attend the @IKEA Phoenix Friends and Family Event. What a great Överraskning (Surprise) it was to have the opportunity to celebrate with Mikael Örn, Honorary Consul for the Swedish Consulate in Arizona! Congratulations to the entire @IKEAUSA team on opening another exceptional location in Phoenix. From your fantastic furniture to your delicious meatballs and irresistible cinnamon rolls, it’s easy to see why our residents have once again named you their #1 Most Desired Retailer!

Join us at the next JOB FAIR here in Surprise!! At the Surprise Regional Library. April 23, 2026. (10:00 am - 1:00 pm)

The City of @SurpriseEconDev team had the pleasure of celebrating something truly special today at the ribbon cutting for Osteria Mia! This family owned business, brought to life by Mario and Kayla Rana, is serving up an incredible dining experience. One of the most memorable moments of the day was seeing their daughter Mia, join Kevin Sartor, City of Surprise Mayor in officially cutting the ribbon. We were honored to celebrate alongside Councilmember Johnny V. Melton, Director Jeanine Jerkovic, CEcD, FDIP, Scott Phillips and Rico West from Carefree Partners, L.L.C., Jeffrey Campos and Cliff Yoder from the West Valley Regional Chamber, and the outstanding Osteria Mia team. A big thank you as well to Samuel Peña, Mike R. Paredes, MEd, CNP, Maggie Lewis, Taylor-Ann West, Melissa Holdaway, and so many members of our incredible community who joined us for this exciting occasion. Stop by and experience it for yourself: 16853 N 145th Ave, Suite 155, Surprise, AZ 85374 Check out the pics: flic.kr/s/aHBqjCPF31 #CityOfSurprise #SurpriseAZ #EconomicDevelopment #RibbonCutting #SupportLocal #LocalBusiness #WestValleyAZ #ArizonaEats #ShopLocal #DineLocal

🚨 BREAKING: Surprise adopts LEGO-compliant building code 🧱All new development must now meet strict standards for: ✔️ Interlocking design ✔️ Vibrant colors ✔️ Maximum “fun factor” …Okay, not exactly. But what is real? The results of our 2026 Retail Survey, and what our residents want to see next in Surprise! From @IKEA to The @Cheesecake Factory to a first-time Top 10 appearance by the @LEGO_Group Store, the message is clear: our community is growing, and they’re ready for more! 👉 See the results (and join the fun): bit.ly/3PLwZL2 #EconomicDevelopment #RetailRecruitment #CityofSurprise #WestValley #MarketSignals Most Desired Retailers: @IKEA @WholeFoods Market @Macys @ajsfinefoods Trader Joe's @worldmarket @Dillards @AtHomeStores @jcpenney @LEGO_Group Store Most Desired Restaurants: The @Cheesecake Factory @ElPolloLoco @CrackerBarrel Old Country Store @bjsrestaurants Postino @WhiteCastle @pitajungle @PFChangs @WildflowerBread @cheddarskitchen

@TheORainbowCone has officially opened in Surprise, marking its first Arizona location and introducing a nearly 100 year old Chicago tradition to our community. Guests can enjoy the brand’s iconic stacked cone, featuring layers of orange sherbet, pistachio, Palmer House, strawberry, and chocolate, along with a variety of other frozen treats. We were proud to celebrate this exciting milestone alongside Rainbow Cone ownership and corporate leadership, @AZSurprise officials, regional partners, and media representatives. Councilmember Johnny V. Melton @Melton_D4 joined Co-Owner Fathi Abdallah for the ribbon cutting celebration, alongside Co-Owner Sherren S., General Manager Luis Ramirez, the Rainbow Cone team, and corporate team members Anthony Grande and Nia Pena. Even sweeter when shared with great company, @JeanineJerkovic, Mike Hoover, Cliff Yoder (West Valley Regional Chamber), and Veronica Navarrete (West USA Realty)!! We were thrilled to welcome special guest @SimoneCuccTV from Good Morning Arizona KTVK @azfamily to the celebration! Welcome to Surprise, AZ!! #SurpriseAZ #RainbowCone #GrandOpening #ArizonaEats #ChicagoTradition #IceCreamLovers #SupportLocalAZ #VisitSurprise #WestValleyAZ #SweetTreats #FoodieAZ #RibbonCutting #CityOfSurprise Check out the pics here: lnkd.in/geRm3Mb6 Stop by and visit: 13510 N Litchfield Rd . Surprise, AZ 85379

Big sandwiches and even bigger celebrations today! 🎉✂️ We were proud to celebrate the ribbon cutting of @jimmyjohns with an incredible group of partners and community leaders. A huge congratulations to franchise co-owners Jeff Walters, Ken Walters, and Nick Walters on this exciting milestone, and to Councilmember Johnny V. Melton for joining them at an earlier meet-and-greet to celebrate the occasion! We were joined by Kim Landry, Timmy Nydegger, and Vicky Warfield from Inspire Brands, and Mike Hoover from the @AZSurprise, along with community partners Conrad Wilkerson, Alex Ramon, and Jeff Turkal. Check out pics from the event here: flic.kr/s/aHBqjCP1R6 Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate and support another great business in Surprise. We can’t wait to grab a sandwich soon! 🥪 #SurpriseAZ #RibbonCutting #GrandOpening #EatLocalAZ #SandwichLovers #SupportLocal #WestValleyEats #AZFoodScene #BusinessCommunity

Our final hosted Spring Training event of the season was with our partners at Land Reserve, a major landowner in Surprise and a valued collaborator in our ongoing growth. Their commitment to the community was on full display as President and Global Head Tyler Buswell took the mound to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. In addition to Tyler, the day's guests included: - Danny Owen, Land Reserve Portfolio Manager - Brian Brunt, Land Reserve Associate Asset Manager - Ashton Buswell, @LGCYPower - Jeff Carpenter, @Simon_CRE - Young Jung, @Simon_CRE - Taylor Spendlove, Property Reserve They were joined by Surprise Assistant City Manager Lloyd Abrams, Economic Development Director Jeanine Jerkovic, Economic Development Assistant Director Mike Hoover, and Economic Development Coordinator Senior Kris Cassens. A great way to close out another exciting Spring Training season in Surprise, surrounded by strong partners and even stronger community connections. Here’s to building on this momentum and continuing the great work ahead. #SpringTrainingSurpirse #LandReserve #SurpriseEconDev

This week, our partners at Wyyerd Fiber sponsored an @O_U_A_Z Coaches Appreciation Day during Spring Training at Surprise Stadium. The City of Surprise was proud to attend as a partner of both Wyyerd Fiber and Ottawa University, recognizing the strong connections between our business community and higher education. Representing Wyyerd Fiber were Director of Sales Parker Jones, Sales Manager Dylan Coens, and Marketing Manager Yebin Chae. For OUAZ, Campus President Dr. Dennis Tyner, Visiting Professor of Engineering Jack McMorris and Board of Trustee member Scott Philips were in attendance. Economic Development Assistant Director, Mike Hoover, Parks & Recreation Administrator Kasey Peterson, Economic Development Coordinator Senior Kris Cassens, and Economic Development Administrative Specialist Maggie Lewis were delighted to attend on behalf of the City to celebrate the great contributions the OUAZ Coaches make in our community. #OUAZSports #WyyerdSurprise #SpringTrainingDays

The Surprise Economic Development Team was excited to host @Simon_CRE and their guests at Spring Training Game last week! Thank you to Mayor Kevin Sartor (@MayorSartor), Vice Mayor Earle Greenberg, Councilmember Johnny V. Melton (@Melton_D4), & Councilmember Patrick Duffy for joining us to celebrate this great development partner! Our special guest for the day included: - Josh Simon, SimonCRE Founder & CEO - Brian Morgan, DG Fenn Construction - Tyler Carr, RKAA Architects - Natalya Upshur, SimonCRE - Eric Hurley, SimonCRE - Katie Repine, SimonCRE - Roberto Orlando, Ware Malcomb - Brett Budde, SimonCRE - Daniel Cox, SimonCRE - JP Martin, SimonCRE Special shout out to Surprise Assistant City Manager, Lloyd Abrams, Acting Deputy City Manager Brenden Espie, Economic Development Director Jeanine Jerkovic, Sports, Entertainment, & Culture Director Kendra Pettis, and Economic Development Assistant Director Mike Hoover, who were also on hand to recognize the great impact SimonCRE has had on our community. #SpringTrainingDay #SurpriseAndSimon #SimonCRE

Councilmember Patrick Duffy and Councilmember Johnny V. Melton (@Melton_D4) cut a ribbon today with business owners Dawn Grzebien and Dennis Grzebien in preparation for next week's week opening of @SmoothieKing in Surprise! Smoothie King brings fresh, flavorful smoothies and a healthy boost of energy to the Surprise community. They will open their doors on Monday, March 9 for their soft opening and their official Grand Opening will take place on March 28. Congratulations to Dawn and Dennis, and the whole Smoothie King team, welcome to Surprise! Check out photos from the event here: flic.kr/s/aHBqjCMe2U #RibbonCutting #OpenForBusiness #SmoothieKingSurprise Smoothie King | 16427 W. Cactus Road, Suite 127, Surprise 85388

Mayor Kevin Sartor (@MayorSartor) and Vice Mayor Earle Greenberg joined Co-Owners, Arturo Jimenez and Juan Ortiz for the pre-launch ribbon cutting for Tacos Chilango in Surprise. Also on hand to celebrate today were Carefree Partners Business Development Manager Rico West, @Simon_CRE Marketing Associate Shelby Hunt, and Phoenix West Commercial (@PhxWC), Designated Broker, Principal Bobbi Mastracci. Tacos Chilango is bringing authentic Mexican flavor to Elm Street @ City Center, our City's future downtown main street! Don't miss out on their Public Grand Opening, this Saturday, March 7, from 6pm - 8pm. Check out photos from today's event here: flic.kr/s/aHBqjCM8mb #OpenForBusiness #RibbonCutting #TacosChilangoSurprise Tacos Chilango | 14420 W. Elm Street, Suite 109, Surprise 85374

Under the Arizona sunshine at Surprise Stadium (@SurpriseStadium) on Saturday, we were proud to celebrate our amazing local small business community at the Spark Surprise VIP Business All Stars event! The afternoon began with a special ceremonial first pitch from Councilmember Jack Hastings (@hastings_d5) and Hiroyuki Takahashi, President of IRIS USA, Inc. (@irisusainc). Mayor Kevin Sartor (@MayorSartor), Vice Mayor Earle G., Councilmember Patrick Duffy, and Councilmember Jack Hastings joined in recognizing the entrepreneurs and business owners who help drive Surprise’s economy. We were also honored to welcome Arizona State Mine Inspector Walter “Les” Presmyk. City of Surprise (@AZSurprise) leadership in attendance included Assistant Director of Economic Development Mike Hoover, Director of Sports, Entertainment and Culture Kendra Pettis, Director of City of Surprise Human Service & Community Vitality Seth Dyson, Acting Surprise Fire-Medical Department (@SurpriseFD) Chief Kevin Spirlong, and Spark Surprise (@SparkSurpriseAZ) Project Manager Samuel Peña. Although attending meetings in Washington D.C., Economic Development Director Jeanine Jerkovic, and ResearchFDI (@ResearchFDI) President and CEO Bruce Takefman were with us in spirit as we celebrated the continued momentum of our business community! Guests enjoyed the game from the Legends Deck with catering by Barrio Queen (@BarrioQueen), a local favorite that added the perfect touch to the evening. Thank you to the small businesses who joined us. Your dedication and impact continue to shape Surprise into a thriving and dynamic community! Check out pics from the event here: flic.kr/s/aHBqjCM19c #SparkSurprise #BusinessAllStars #LoveLocalSurprise #SpringTraining #SurpriseAZ #SmallBusinessSuccess

⚾️ A Grand Slam Kind of Afternoon at Surprise Stadium ⚾️ Our 2026 VIP Legends Deck Event last Friday was an incredible success! We were proud to welcome development professionals, brokers, partners, and community leaders to Surprise Stadium (@SurpriseStadium) for an afternoon of connection, collaboration, and conversation around the exciting momentum happening across our city. Mayor Kevin Sartor (@MayorSartor), Vice Mayor Earle Greenberg, and Councilmember Patrick Duffy joined members of our City leadership team including Assistant City Manager Lloyd Abrams, Economic Development Director Jeanine Jerkovic, Assistant Director Mike Hoover, Director of Human Service and Community Vitality Seth Dyson, Director of Sports, Entertainment and Culture Kendra Pettis, and Assistant Director Travis Ashby to share insights on the future of Surprise. With Spring Training energy all around us, guests took in the action from the Legends Deck while exploring the growth and opportunities happening across Surprise! A special thank you to Bonfire Craft Kitchen & Tap House Surprise for catering the event and showcasing one of Surprise’s local favorites. We appreciate everyone who joined us and continue to be grateful for the partnerships helping drive City of Surprise (@AZSurprise) forward! Check out pics from the event here: flic.kr/s/aHBqjCLZEm #LegendsDeck #SpringTraining #SurpriseStadium #CityOfSurprise #EconomicDevelopment #SurpriseAZ

Last week our Economic Development team hosted our partners at Carefree Partners for the first game of the 2026 Spring Training Season! Carefree Partners Founder Rick West, Vice President Scott Phillips, and Business Development Manager Rico West joined us for an exciting Opening Day celebration, bringing members of their team and valued guests to share in the experience. Among the guests were: - Mark Lewis, Luke Land Realty - David Reno, @AZFoundation - Alex Pollack, Mosaic - Mark Beck, Beck Consulting - Dylan Coens, Wyyerd Fiber - Taylor Ann Charles West, @boxlightinc - Parker Jones, Wyyerd Fiber - Dr. Dennis Tyner, @O_U_A_Z The event was extra special as, not only did Mayor Kevin Sartor (@MayorSartor) attend, he threw out the first pitch to officially kick off the Spring Training Season! Also, on hand from the City of Surprise were Assistant City Manager Lloyd Abrams, Acting Deputy City Manager Brenden Espie, Assistant Director of Economic Development Mike Hoover, and Economic Development Coordinator Senior Kris Cassens. No better way to start out the season, than a Spring Training Game with a great partner like Carefree Partners! #SpringTrainingSurprise #CarefreePartners #BaseballIsBack

This #FeelGoodFriday, we’re celebrating nine years of partnership, progress, and shared purpose 🤝 The City of Surprise (@AZSurprise) and Ottawa University - Arizona (@O_U_A_Z) gathered yesterday at Partnership Plaza to commemorate Partnership Day. For nearly a decade, this collaboration has strengthened connections between city leadership, university officials, faculty, and students while supporting meaningful community engagement right here in Surprise. The celebration began with the ceremonial ringing of the bell by the OUAZ Student Government Leadership Team, followed by remarks from OUAZ Campus President Dr. Dennis Tyner, an invocation from Surprise Police Department's (@Surprise_PD) Chaplain Gene Noel, and a reaffirmation of the partnership through the formal Joint Proclamation read by Mayor Kevin Sartor (@MayorSartor) and Janet Kincaid, Chair of the Ottawa University Board of Trustees. We also honored Rick West, Managing Partner for the Surprise Center Development Company, for his dedication to the development of our City Center and his continued commitment to creating a vibrant destination for our community. The event concluded with a special commemorative gift presentation for Partnership Plaza, symbolizing the continued investment in shared spaces that bring our community together. We were proud to celebrate alongside Councilmember Johnny V. Melton (@Melton_D4) and many dedicated community leaders who continue to champion connection and progress in Surprise. A special thank you to Dysart Student Broadcasting Live - DSB Live (@dsblive2020) and Brian Yoder for capturing the day’s highlights and helping share the story with our community. Partnerships like this reflect the power of collaboration in advancing education, leadership development, and economic vitality in the of Surprise. 📸 View photos from the event: flic.kr/s/aHBqjCKTef #PartnershipDay #CommunityCollaboration #CityOfSurprise #OttawaUniversity #EconomicDevelopment #HigherEducation #WestValleyAZ #SurpriseAZ

Councilmember Johnny V. Melton (@Melton_D4) joined Franchisee Partners Devon Wesselink and Clinton Wesselink for a ribbon cutting at the new Dave's Hot Chicken in Surprise! Joining in on the celebration were Surprise Economic Development Director Jeanine Jerkovic and from Dave's Hot Chicken: Director of Operations James Chavez, Surprise General Manager Anthony Ramirez, and Elevated Restaurant Group Director of Real Estate Jeff Hopkins. Today's event coincided with the business's soft opening and their official Public Grand Opening will take place tomorrow, Friday, February 20 at 10am. Guests in attendance will have the opportunity to receive fun Dave's Hot Chicken swag while supplies last. Congratulations to Devon and Clinton, and thank you for adding a spicy new option to the Surprise dining scene! Check out photos from today's event here: flic.kr/s/aHBqjCKYNc #OpenForBusiness #RibbonCutting #DavesHotChickenSurprise Dave's Hot Chicken | 16329 Cactus Road, Suite 150, Surprise AZ 85388

Economic Development Director Jeanine Jerkovic joined local business owners Joe Russo and Teresa Russo for the opening of Postal Pros AZ in Surprise! Postal Pros offers mailbox rental and shipping services with excellent customer service and reliability. Joining in on the celebration were a great collection of Postal Pros partners such as: Diana L. Christian, Postmaster, Sun City - @USPS Sheri Scribner, Manager, Surprise SDC - @USPS Chuck Miller, Area Field Manager - @uhaul Company of Northwest Phoenix Jesse Ashdown, Marketing Company President - @uhaul Company of Northern Arizona Linzy Granger, Traffic Control Manager - @uhaul Company of Northwest Phoenix Lisa Mercer, Operation Manager - @ArizonaLivescan Fingerprinting Network Jessica Morales, Client Consultant I - @flagstar Bank Trey Williams, Realtor - @RealtyONEnews Group - Goodyear Congratulations to Joe and Teresa and the whole Postal Pros AZ team. Welcome to the Surprise Business Community! See photos from today's event here: flic.kr/s/aHBqjCKSWh #OpenForBusiness #RibbonCutting #PostalProsSurprise Postal Pros AZ | 14545 W. Grand Ave, Suite 106, Surprise AZ 85374