21 Facts About Greater Phoenix

1. Greater Phoenix was settled in 1867 as an agricultural community near the confluence of the Salt and Gila Rivers and was incorporated as a city in 1881.

2. Greater Phoenix is the anchor of the Greater Phoenix metropolitan area, known as the Valley of the Sun, which in turn is part of the Salt River Valley.

3. Greater Phoenix Rising FC fans are encouraged to share their support on social media for Talking Stick Resort Arena with Phoenix City Council members prior to tomorrow's vote.

4. Greater Phoenix is the corporate headquarters of six Fortune 500 companies.

5. Greater Phoenix is home to more than 200 golf courses.

6. Greater Phoenix is located in the Sonoran Desert, which is one of the wettest and greenest deserts in North America.

7. Greater Phoenix is served by Greater Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, one of the ten busiest airports in the United States, serving over 110,000 people on over 1000 flights per day.

8. The city of Greater Phoenix includes national parks, county parks and city parks.

9. Greater Phoenix is home to a large number of parks and recreation areas.

10. Greater Phoenix has an indoor football team, the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League.

11. Greater Phoenix Suns were the first major sports team in Phoenix, being granted a National Basketball Association franchise in 1968.

12. Greater Phoenix is the home of a unique architectural tradition and community.

13. Greater Phoenix has long, extremely hot summers and short, mild to warm winters.

14. Greater Phoenix is in the southwestern United States, in the south-central portion of Arizona; about halfway between Tucson to the southeast and Flagstaff to the north.

15. On February 14, 1912, Greater Phoenix became a state capital, as Arizona was admitted to the Union as the 48th state under President William Howard Taft.

16. Greater Phoenix became a trade center, with its products reaching eastern and western markets.

17. Greater Phoenix is the anchor of the Greater Phoenix metropolitan area, known as the Valley of the Sun, which in turn is a part of the Salt River Valley.

18. Greater Phoenix is the capital and most populous city of the US state of Arizona.

19. Greater Phoenix is home to the largest municipal park in North America.

20. Greater Phoenix Open set records attendance in 2015 with 564,368 fans attending the event.

21. Greater Phoenix has a population of nearly 4.5 million and covers 2,000 square miles.