Tucson
Geographic Information
The city of Tucson is 2,389 feet above sea level and covers nearly 500 square miles. The landscape is varied and includes flowering desert, rolling hills, winding dry riverbeds, rugged canyons and pine-topped peaks. Most people are not aware that a small ski resort, Mt. Lemmon, is just a 60-minute drive from downtown Tucson.
Tucson skyline is complimented by five beautiful mountain ranges:
- Rincon Mountains(to the east);
- Tucson Mountains (to the west);
- Santa Catalina Mountains (to north and northeast);
- Santa Rita Mountains (to the south and southeast); and
- Tortolita Mountains (to the northwest).
Sentinel Peak (also called “A” Mountain) is at the western fringe of the downtown historic district. The base of this peak is the site of a major archaeological dig for remnants of Tucson’s earliest settlement. Tucson is located in the southern part of Arizona and is an hour drive from the Mexico border and less than two hours from Phoenix.
Climate
Tucson is located within the Sonoran Desert. The Sonoran Desert is an arid region covering 120,000 square miles in southwestern Arizona and southeastern California, as well as most of Baja California and the western half of the state of Sonora, Mexico. The Sonoran Desert is a diverse ecosystem that is home to many creatures such as lizards, snakes, jackrabbits, javalina, (a pig like animal), coyotes, mule deer, bobcats and mountain lions. Some tourist attractions located in this region are:
- Saguaro National Park
- Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
- Lake Havasu State Park
- Kartchner Caverns State Park
- Picacho Peak State Park
- Yuma Crossing SHP
- Arizona- Sonora Desert Museum
A detailed description of the Sonoran Desert can be found at:
http://www.desertusa.com/du_sonoran.html
According to the Western Regional Climate Center, Tucson enjoys more sunshine than any other city in the United States. Most days are warm and sunny. Our spring, fall and winter temperatures are usually mild. Temperatures rise in the summer; but low humidity helps keep the increased temperatures tolerable.
Tucson’s landscape is supported by our two rainy seasons which occur in late summer and early winter. List below is a year-round climate index which will provide you with a detailed understanding of the weather in Tucson. For more information on the weather in Arizona you can visit the Western Regional Climate Center’s website at:
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/narratives/ARIZONA.htm.
Commerce
The Tucson region has many prospering businesses, from its travel and tourism industry to a resurging mining sector to a growing “clean” manufacturing presence.
According to a recent article by Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities, Inc. (TREO), as Tucson’s population has grown, increased employment, entrepreneurship opportunities, and moderate salary rises have become business as usual in the region. Almost all of the major economic sectors, including private services, goods production, manufacturing, construction, and public/governmental services, experienced employment growth during 2005, and the trend is forecasted to continue as the region’s population grows past the one million mark in 2007.
Private services employment comprises much of the total nonfarm employment in Pima County. Private service employment is particularly strong in (1) trade, transportation, and public utilities, (2) professional and business services, (3) educational and health services, and (4) leisure and hospitality.
The goods-producing sector consists of (1) natural resources and mining, (2) construction, and (3) manufacturing. This is an extremely important sector as the impact to the local economy is enormous. These industries are high paying, develop a highly skilled workforce, attract export revenues from other parts of the world, and have a high economic multiplier.
The manufacturing sector is dominated by Raytheon Missile Systems. Raytheon has 11,184 high-wage employees in Tucson and manufactures advanced weapon systems in its facilities. Raytheon continues to benefit from federal defense spending and the ongoing war on terror. Other important local manufacturing companies include IBM, Texas Instruments, Honeywell, Bombardier, Ventana Medical Systems, Air System Components, Pella Corporation, La Costeña, Beacon Groups WS Inc., and Kalil Bottling.
The University of Arizona, ranked among the top 20 public research universities nationwide, is located in Tucson as well as one of the largest community colleges in the nation, Pima Community College. In 2006, The University of Arizona was the largest public sector employer with 10,354 employees. The University is an integral part of the local economy and receives almost a half billion dollars in research grants each year.
The remaining large employers represent a balanced mix of health care, retail trade, education, government, and military entities.
According to a recent article in the Arizona Daily Star, the top 10 private employers in Southern Arizona were:
- Raytheon Missile Systems
- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
- Phelps Dodge Mining Co.
- Carondelet Health Network
- TMC Healthcare
- University Medical Center Corp
- CheckMate Professional Employer
- Citi
- Asarco LLC
- Bashas’ Inc
The article also listed the following top ten public sector employers:
- The University of Arizona
- State of Arizona
- U.S. Army Intelligence Center
- Fort Huachuca
- Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
- Tucson Unified School District
- Pima County
- City of Tucson
- Tohono O’odham Nation
- U.S. Border Patrol
Arts and Entertainment
The Wall Street Journal has referred to Tucson as a “mini-Mecca for the arts.” Tucson has myriad art festivals, regional parks and weekend activities for everyone. Listed below are just some of the cultural attractions Tucson has to offer. For a more complete list of attractions, please visit http://www.visittucson.org/visitor/attractions/arts/ or the links on the side of our webpage.
Performing Arts
- Arizona Folklore Preserve. Located near Sierra Vista, in Ramsey Canyon, on the eastern slopes of the Huachuca Mountains. Local historians collect and preserve Arizona folklore, music, poetry, legends and tales.
- Arizona Opera Company. This state-wide professional company features internationally acclaimed conductors and composers in five productions a year. The season runs October through April with performances in the Tucson Music Hall.
- Arizona Theatre Company. Arizona’s leading professional theater company with performances at the Temple of Music & Art.
- Ballet Arizona. The state’s official ballet troupe. The ballet company performs traditional as well as contemporary ballets under the direction of internationally acclaimed Ib Anderson.
- Tucson Symphony Orchestra. Established in 1929, the Tucson Symphony is the oldest orchestra in the Southwest. Concert series includes classics, pops, masterworks, and ensemble and just-for-kids concerts.
- Tucson Museum of Art. The museum’s permanent collection includes pre-Columbian, Hispanic, Western, Asian and Contemporary art.
- University of Arizona Museum of Art. The University’s expansive collection of more than 4,000 pieces includes works by Rembrandt, Picasso, Lipchitz and O’Keefe.
Concerts
- Tucson Convention Center. The Tucson Convention Center is the place for intimate jazz concerts, major headliners, full-blown Broadway productions and more.
- Desert Diamond Casino. Desert Diamond brings in music headliners and other events.
- Casino Del Sol. The AVA Ampitheater at Casino del Sol hosts top entertainers in a beautiful open-air venue.
- The Rialto Theater. The historic Rialto hosts a broad array of performers and talent, including rock bands, jam bands, comedians, heavy metal, hip hop, film, jazz, flamenco, country, skiffle – you name it, we’ve hosted it. Except chamber music. That belongs in chambers only.
- Tucson Jazz Society. Your source for Tucson’s jazz scene. In our 28th season of promoting, presenting and preserving America’s music through concerts and educational activities.