Thunderbird’s new building on ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus will be between First and Second streets, just north of Polk Street. It will be the sixth ASU college headquartered on the Downtown Phoenix campus, joining the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, the College of Health Solutions and the College of Public Service and Community Solutions.

“This is an exciting and important moment for the entire region,” Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton said. “Thunderbird’s presence downtown will continue to enhance our competitiveness as we build an economy that competes on a global scale.”

An exciting future for the existing campus

ASU Enterprise Partners, a not-for-profit organization, has initiated discussions with Glendale officials to discuss the creation of a new master plan for the 140-acre site at 59th Avenue and Greenway Road.

These planning efforts will be designed to catalyze economic development in the West Valley and accelerate the pace of growth and diversification of economic opportunity.

“What we really look forward to is the opportunity to work with the city and the community on their aspirations for the property,” said Rick Shangraw, the CEO of ASU Enterprise Partners.

The Thunderbird brand will remain connected to the West Valley. ASU’s West campus in Glendale is home to Thunderbird’s undergraduate program, the Thunderbird Academy.

“The city of Glendale has been a wonderful home for Thunderbird over the past 71 years,” Crow said. “We are making a commitment to Glendale and to the entire West Valley to utilize the Thunderbird campus for the benefit of the community.”

The evolution of Thunderbird

Since its inception in 1946, Thunderbird has focused exclusively on educating global leaders in the intricacies of international business and management. In early 2015, just after the university had merged with Thunderbird, Crow spoke of the importance of utilizing ASU’s scale to enhance what makes the school special.

“What you can expect from us is to get at this right away, to stabilize those things that need to be stabilized immediately and, upon stabilization, to begin strategic positioning of this institution in its partnership with ASU, and strategic positioning of ASU in its partnership with Thunderbird,” Crow said on Jan. 29 of that year.