>> COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

THE WE'LL LOOK AT THE STATE OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN ARIZONA.

ALSO TONIGHT, IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR, SPRING TRAINING BASEBALL HAS MANY FANS ARRIVE NORTH VALLEY AND A LOCAL JAZZ CLUB IS EXPANDING ITS PRESENCE TO DOWNTOWN PHOENIX.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMON.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACK OWNER AND PRESIDENT, KEN HALL, EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT AS THE BASEBALL SEASON IS ABOUT TO BEGIN AND THERE'S STILL NO DEAL FOR A NEW STADIUM.

LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME THE D-BACKS EXPECTED SOMETHING TO HAPPEN IN A FEW MONTHS, BUT NOW, DOWNTOWN OR SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE VALLEY, ONLY GOT AS FAR AS IMPLEMENTING LIGHTING AND SOUND SYSTEMS AT CHASE FIELD.

THE TEAM OWNER DID NOT EXPRESSLY RULE OUT THE TEAM RELOCATING OUT OF STATE.

HE SAID THOSE OPPORTUNITIES EXIST BUT YOU ADDED "IT'S NOT WHERE WE ARE SPENDING TIME OR ENERGY."

OTHER HEADLINES, IT'S RAINING AGAIN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THE HEAVIEST WAS IN VENTURA COUNTY WHERE LANES WERE CLOSED AND 37 MILLION WERE UNDER FLOOD ALERTS AND IT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TOMORROW.

>>> ON PRESIDENT DAY, PRESIDENT BIDEN RANKED AS THE 14th BEST U.S. PRESIDENT IN U.S. HISTORY.

HE RANKED JUST AHEAD OF WOODROW WILSON, RONALD REAGAN AND EULIS CEASE S GRANT.

AND DONALD TRUMP RANKED LAST ON THE LIST AND BIDEN'S SIGNATURE ACHIEVEMENT WAS KEEPING TRUMP FROM SERVING ANOTHER TERM.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS NUMBER ONE, FOLLOWED BY FRANKLIN RADIOS VEST, GEORGE WASHINGTON, THREE DOR ROOSEVELT AND THOMAS JEFFERSON.

>>> EACH YEAR, THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF IN THE BUSINESSES RELEASES A REPORT ON SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE HALF A MILLION IN ARIZONA.

NEW REPORTERS TALK ABOUT HEINRICH FID STATE DIRECTOR, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WHAT IS THE STATE OF SMALL BUSINESS IN ARIZONA?

>> WELL, TED, SMALL BUSINESS IS BIG BUSINESS IN ARIZONA, AND WE EMPLOY OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE IN OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN ARIZONA.

OVER 600,000 SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE STATE.

AND ACTUALLY THAT TRANSLATES TO 42% OF OUR ENTIRE STATE WORKFORCE, AND MY MESSAGE IS THAT SMALL BUSINESS IS BIG IN ARIZONA.

SMALL BUSINESSES ARE DOING WELL.

BUT THERE ARE ALWAYS HEADWINDS AS A SMALL BUSINESS.

WE HAVE ISSUES WITH LABOR, WE HAVE ISSUES WITH OUR EXPENSES IN GENERAL.

COSTS ARE INCREASING, AND WE TEND TO SEE INFLATION AND MAYBE QUALITY AS BEING REALLY THE TOP ISSUES THAT SMALL BUSINESSES TELL US IN OUR REGULAR SURVEYS.

>> AND I WANT TO GET TO THOSE IN A SECOND.

BUT AS FAR AS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AND HEARING FROM SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, ARE YOU HEARING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN?

>> WELL, THERE HAS BEEN A THEME.

REALLY, SINCE THE PANDEMIC, IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO FIND QUALIFIED WORKERS AND THAT IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO HIRE.

IN THE RECENT REPORT THAT YOU MENTIONED, I BELIEVE THE NUMBER WAS 14% OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS LOOK TO HIRE IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS, AND THAT'S TYPICALLY A QUESTION WE ASK.

THE PROBLEM WITH THAT NUMBER, THAT HAS NOT BEEN THAT LOW SINCE MAY OF 2020, WHICH YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC, THAT WAS A FAIRLY LOW NUMBER.

SO WE'RE NOT ENCOURAGED BY SEEING THAT.

>> WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE?

WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT?

THE MINIMUM WAGE RIGHT NOW IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.

IT'S UP THERE, AND YOU WOULD THINK THAT PEOPLE LOOKING FOR WORK WOULD SAY THAT'S NOT SO BAD.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACTORS GOING ON, WHEN WE LOOK AT ENTRY LEVEL JOBS, THE MINIMUM WAGE IS $13.45 JUST IN THE LAST TWO YEARS BECAUSE WE PEGGED THE MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES TO INFLATION.

WE HAVE SEEN A 14% INCREASE ON WHAT IS REQUIRED TO BE PAID ON MINIMUM WAGE.

SO FOR THE YOUNG EMPLOYEES, THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ENTERING THE WORKFORCE WITH ANY EXPERIENCE, IT'S REALLY TOUGH FOR A SMALL BUSINESS TO PAY THAT WAGE TO SOMEONE WHO HAS NO EXPERIENCE.

SO THERE MAY BE A LITTLE BIT OF GIVE AND TAKE ON THE ENTRY LEVEL JOBS, BUT ON THE EXPERIENCED WORKERS, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE ALSO HAVING A PROBLEM, BECAUSE OUR SMALL BUSINESSES ARE TELLING US, I HAVE THESE JOB OPENINGS, I WANT TO FILL THEM.

BUT I'M NOT ABLE TO FIND A QUALIFIED WORKER FOR THAT JOB.

>> AND YOU HAVE THAT COMBINED WITH INFLATION.

I WOULD IMAGINE INFLATION, THE COST OF SUPPLIES, OF DOING BUSINESS, THAT HAS TO BE GOING UP >> INFLATION WAS A REAL CONCERN ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND FROM OUR SURVEY, WE HAVE DONE THESE MONTHLY, SINCE 1974, I BELIEVE, FROM OUR MEMBERS, AND WE'RE HEARING CONSTANTLY ON THESE PARTICULAR ISSUES, INFLATION WAS A REAL ISSUE ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND THAT SEEMS TO BE TAKING A SECOND SPOT NOW TO THE LABOR QUALITY CONCERN.

AND THOSE TYPICALLY HAVE BEEN OUR TOP TWO CONCERNS IN THE LAST 24 HAS.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE SALES NUMBER?

HOW ARE THEY TRENDING?

>> SALES NUMBER ARE GOOD, BUT THERE ARE LIMITATIONS THERE AS WELL.

IF YOU CAN'T OPEN THE SHOP DOORS AND YOU CAN'T RUN THE BUSINESS WITH QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES, IT'S HARD TO COMMIT THOSE, BUT CONSUMER SPENDING IS REALLY DRIVING THE ECONOMY.

>> I'M GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT OPTIMISM IN A SECOND.

BUT CAPITAL OUTLAY IS AN EXPRESSION OF OPTIMISM AND WHAT ARE YOU SEEING ALONG THOSE LINES?

>> I SAME TREND, A LITTLE TREPIDATION FROM SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.

SMALL BUSINESSES ARE DIFFERENT THAN BIG BUSINESSES, RIGHT?

BIG BUSINESSES HAVE MORE RESOURCES TO DO CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, TYPICALLY, IT'S 100% ON THE OWNER OF THE BUSINESS' BACK TO EXPAND THEIR BUSINESSES, SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY BORROWING MONEY AND WE HAVE HIGHER INTEREST RATES AND THAT CAN PREVENT THEM FROM DOING THAT, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF FACTORS GOING INTO THAT NUMBER ON CAPITAL BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE OWNER HAS ALL OF THEIRS.

>> I KNOW THAT THE NATIONAL BUSINESS OPTIMISM, IT WAS DOWN LAST MONTH, AND ARIZONA HAS THE SAME ECONOMY, AND IS IT DOWN BY A LOT?

IS IT A BLOOMY SITUATION OUT THERE?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> I WOULDN'T SAY THAT, TED.

I THINK THE ECONOMY IS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.

SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE USED TO THESE PROBLEMS.

THE ISSUES THAT OUR SURVEYS ARE SHOWING ARE SIMILAR ISSUES THAT WE SEE ON A MONTHLY BASIS.

THE ISSUE IS THAT THEY ARE INCREASING IN SEVERITY.

SO I OFTENTIMES CALL THESE SURVEYS KIND OF A CANARY IN THE COAL MINE, BECAUSE THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS REPORTING TO US ARE RIGHT ON THE FRONT LINES >> IT'S ALL HAPPENING IN A HOT ECONOMY AS WELL.

AND HOW DO YOU SQUARE THAT?

>> THAT'S A QUESTION FOR SOMEONE HIGHER THAN MY PAY GRADE.

IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE AN ECONOMIST ON AND GIVE YOU THEIR VIEW, BUT IF YOU HAVE THREE ECONOMISTS IN THE ROOM, HOW MANY ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON THAT?

>> WELL, WE TALKED ABOUT THE HOT ECONOMY.

AND HAS THE OPTIMISM SHOWN A LITTLE BIT LESS OF A DECLINE BECAUSE OF THINGS IMPROVING ACROSS THE BOARD?

SUCH INFLATION, IT SOUNDS LIKE BUSINESSES ARE GOING GREAT GUNS OUT THERE FOR THE MOST PART.

>> THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE ABLE TO FIND THEIR EMPLOYEES, HAVE THEIR QUALITY EMPLOYEES AS PART OF THEIR BUSINESS, AND REALLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO INVEST AND EXPAND THEIR BUSINESSES DURING THESE TIMES, THESE ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.

BUT REMEMBER, THAT SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, THEY MIGHT BE THE ONE THAT'S WRITING THE CHECK AND PAYING THE EMPLOYEES, THEY'RE ALSO OPENING UP THE SHOP HAD IN THE MORNING AND LOCKING IT UP AT NIGHT AND UP IN FLAGSTAFF, SCOOPING SNOW OFF THE SIDEWALK AND A LOT OF THINGS, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO BALANCE >> YOU'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT THE CAPITAL AND WHAT DO YOU SEE FROM THE LEGISLATOR SO FAR AND WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE?

>> THANKFULLY IN ARIZONA, WE HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF A PRO-SMALL BUSINESS LEGISLATURE AND ACTUALLY THE PEOPLE OF ARIZONA HAVE SUPPORTED THE LEGISLATURE IN A LOT OF WAYS.

FROM A TAX PERSPECTIVE, IT REQUIRES 2/3 OF THE LEGISLATOR TO INCREASE TAXES AND THE BUSINESSES LAST ELECTION CYCLE RAISED THE BAR TO 60% ON THE BALLOT AND THAT'S GREAT ON THE TAX FRONT, TRYING TO KEEP TAXES UNDER CONTROL THERE.

AND THE RISK THAT WE SEE IS HOW CAN THE LEGISLATURE IMPACT OUR COST OF DOING BUSINESS?

SO WE PAY ATTENTION TO THINGS LIKE MANDATES ON THE HEALTH ASSURANCE INDUSTRY.

MANDATES ON THE WORKERS' COMP INSURANCE OR POTENTIALLY ON THE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AND THOSE ARE COST DRIVERS FOR SMALL BUSINESS.

WE WANT TO KEEP THE LEGISLATION, THE IMPACTS OF THOSE PROGRAMS TO A MINIMUM OF COST PERSPECTIVE JUST TO TRY TO CONTROL COSTS.

>> THANK YOU, JED HEINRICH, NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES AND THANK YOU.

UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, THE IMPACT OF SPRING TRAINING ON ARIZONA'S ECONOMY.

>> THERE'S SO MUCH NATURAL BEAUTY TO SEE AND HIKE IN THE STATE.

>> I'VE NEVER SEEN A DESERT LIKE THIS BEFORE.

>> YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT MORE WILDLIFE IN THE PARK EARLY IN THE MORNING AND IT WILL BE A LOT COOLER FOR THEM AND NOT TO MENTION THE BEAUTIFUL SUNRISES THAT WE HAVE HERE IN ARIZONA.

>> WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT 8:00 ON ARIZONA PBS.

>> I'M CHEF TARVELL, THE SHOW WHERE ARIZONA RESIDENTS RECOMMEND THEIR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS.

IN THIS SHOW, IT'S ARIZONA TO PICKS, FROM MEXICAN CASUAL AND FINE DINING TO COMFORT FOOD.

LET'S MEET OUR DINER >> THE SAUCE WAS A WHITE WINE SAUCE, AND IT WAS NOT HEAVY.

>> ALL NEW THURSDAY NIGHT AT 7:00 ON ARIZONA PBS.

>> TONIGHT ON THE NEWS HOUR, ALEXI'S WIDOW ACCUSES THE KREMLIN OF COVERING UP THE OPPOSITION LEADER'S KILLING.

COMING UP AT 6:00.

>> SPRING TRAINING GAMES ARE SET TO BEGIN AT 10 PICKUPS.

THE CACTUS LEAGUE IS A MAJOR ECONOMIC DRIVER IN THE VALLEY AND FOR MORE, WE WELCOME BRIDGET, THE DIRECTOR.

AND GOOD TO SEE YOU.

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR, ISN'T IT?

>> IT SURE IS.

>> WE TALK ABOUT THIS EVERY YEAR FROM FEBRUARY 22nd TO MARCH 26th, AND WE HAVE HOW MANY GAMES?

>> 230 GAMES RUFFLE >> Anchor: MOST.

THE IMPACT OF THE DIAMONDBACKS BEING IN THE WORLD SERIES LAST FALL, ARE YOU EXPECTING THAT TO MAKE A BIG IMPACT THIS SPRING?

>> ABSOLUTELY, AND AS A D-BACKS FAN, YOU KNOW HOW IT MADE YOU FEEL.

AND IT WAS EXCITING, NO DOUBT ABOUT DID.

THE FACT THAT THE CACTUS LEAGUE HAD AN ALL-WORLD SERIES SPRING TRAINING IS HUGE FOR ARIZONA.

THE FACT THAT THE DIAMONDBACKS HAVE A LOT OF LOCAL FANS, AND THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY GOING TO FEEL A NEW ENERGY, YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE ATTENDANCE NUMBERS, AND IT'S A WIN FOR ARIZONA, NO DOUBT ABOUT DID.

>> YOU MENTIONED AN ALL-TACK TUS LEAGUE WORLDS WORLD, AND THEY DO PRACTICE AND TRAIN OUT HERE, AND WE HAVE HAD WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS OVER THE YEARS TRAINING AND DOES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE AS FAR AS TEXAS AND DALLAS?

>> ABSOLUTELY, AND SO AGAIN, THEY'RE FROM OUGHT OF STATE.

AND WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DRAW MORE THAN THEY TYPICALLY DO, AND THE NUMBERS ALWAYS TELL THE STORY, TED.

SO WE KNOW HISTORICALLY, A TEAM IS IN THE WORLD SERIES AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE THE CHAMPION, BUT THEY'RE IN THE WORLD SERIES AND THAT ABSOLUTELY CARRIES OVER INTO THE SPRING TRAINING SEASON AND WE SEE THAT IN ATTENDANCE NUMBERS.

>> AND THE DODGERS SPENT MORE MONEY THAN I THINK GOD OWNS, AND THE FLOOD OF THE TEAM WITH HUGE CONTRACTS AND BIG NAME PLAYERS.

>> UNBELIEVABLE.

>> A HUGE ATTRACTION.

>> SO WHEN YOU SEE A SIGNING LIKE OTANI GOING FROM THE ANGELS TO THE DODGERS FOR -- I'M LOOKING AT THAT FROM AN ARIZONA PERSPECTIVE.

THAT IS HUGE FOR THE CACTUS LEAGUE, A WIN FOR ARIZONA BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO DRAW HERE TO THE CACTUS LEAGUE >> WHO IS THE AVERAGE OUT OF STATE BASEBALL VISITOR?

WHAT YOU DO YOU KNOW?

WHO ARE THEY?

>> AVERAGE, LET'S LOOK AT 2023, THIS WAS THE FIRST STUDY IN QUITE A FEW YEARS THAT WE HAD A SEASON WITH OUT RESTRICTIONS OR MODIFICATIONS OF SOME SORT.

SO OUR ATTENDANCE ON AVERAGE WAS 1.6 MILLION, AND WE KNOW THAT 6 OUT OF 10 FANS COME FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY.

AND WE KNOW THAT SPRING TRAINING IS BRINGING THEM HERE, BUT ONCE THEY COME HERE, THEY'RE VISITING OTHER AREAS IN THE VALLEY AND SEEING MULTIPLE GAMES IN THE VALLEY AND VISITING OTHER PLACES THROUGHOUT ARIZONA.

SO THEY'RE STAYING 3-4 NIGHTS AND SPENDING OVER 400 A DAY, AND COMING IN GROUPS OF 4.

THEY ARE GETTING YOUNGER.

BACK IN THE DAY, IT WAS DEFINITELY HEAVY RETIRED FOLKS AND NOW YOU'RE SEEING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVERMENT OF >> DAY TRIPS, FLAGSTAFF?

>> ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S AGAIN WHAT MAKES THE CACTUS LEAGUE SO SPECIAL.

WE'RE A MEGA VENT.

418GDP AND THAT'S A MEGA EVENT, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

WE HAVE IT CAN AN INDUSTRY ALL OUR OWN, BUT WHAT'S SO UNIQUE, THE CACTUS LEAGUE IS SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE VALLEY AND DOESN'T JUST AFFECT THE CITIES THAT WE'RE IN, AND IT'S DRAWING PEOPLE FROM TOMBSTONE TO THE GRAND CANYON >> Anchor: HOW DOES THE CACTUS LEAGUE MARKET ITSELF AROUND THE COUNTRY?

>> YOU SEE WE HAVE GREAT PARTNERSHIPS, AND ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT FACILITIES AND THE 15 TEAMS ARE ALL DOING THEIR FORM OF MARKETING AND PROMOTION MANY BUT WE ALSO PARTNER WITH THE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE ARIZONA OFFICE OF TOURISM.

THE INTERMISSION IS TO PROMOTE EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY OF ARIZONA AND ALL THINGS HAPPENING IN ARIZONA.

SO THEY'RE A GREAT PARTNER IN PROMOTING SOME OF THOSE MAJOR LEAGUE MARKETS WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE FOR SPRING TRAINING.

AND IT ONLY HAPPENS TWO PLACES IN THE COUNTRY.

WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT FOR GRANTED >> Anchor: WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT EXPANSION OR MAYBE LOSING TEAMS WITH ARIZONA AND THE RIVALRY GOING ON, AND THAT WAS QUITE A GAP >> IT HAS, WE HAVE BEEN BUSY FOR A FEW YEARS WITH OTHER CHALLENGES AND IT'S EVENLY DISTRIBUTED RIGHT NOW.

15 TEAMS IN ARIZONA AND 15 TEAMS IN FLORIDA AND I THINK THEY LIKE IT THAT WAY.

BUT WE WANT TO REMIND FOLKS, THAT'S WHY THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT, THAT WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE SPRING TRAINING FOR GRANTED.

IT'S A VERY COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT.

AND SO MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, SPRING TRAINING, PLAYER DEVELOPMENT BRINGS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STATE OF ARIZONA >> LAST QUESTION, I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED SPRING BREAKOUT GAMES GOING ON THIS YEAR.

THE CACTUS LEAGUE AND WHAT IS THAT?

>> THAT'S NEW TO ME TOO, AND THAT CAME FROM MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL AND OUR LOCAL OPERATIONS WELCOMED THE ADDITION, BUT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE UP AND COMING YOUNG TALENT.

AND SO FOR THE FANS THAT ARE OUT THERE JUST TAKING IN THE EXPERIENCE AND THE SUNSHINE, THEY MAY NOT BE PAYING ATTENTION.

FOR THE DIEHARD FANS, THEY'RE PAYING ATTENTION >> SOUNDS LIKE IT'S BEFORE OSH AFTER A GAME, THEY'LL SHOW OFF SOME OF THE YOUNG KIDS PLAYING AND THAT'S PART OF THE GAME'S ACTIVITY >> THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME DOUBLEHEADERS AND ACTUAL GAMES AND IT'S ADDING TO SPRING TRAINING AND IT'S MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TABS >> SOMEONE IS WATCH PROPOSING NOW, AND MAYBE THEY HAVE A FRIEND COMING IN FROM WHO KNOWS WHERE?

WHERE DO YOU GO TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE GAMES, THE SCHEDULES, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS?

>> CACTUS LEAGUE.COM.

AND WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO THERE, AND YOU CAN ACCESS EVERY FACILITY'S WEBSITE ON THERE, AND EVERY TEAM PAGE AND KNOW SPECS ABOUT THAT FACILITY BEFORE YOU HEAD THAT WAY AND ALL OF THE LOCAL PROMOTION THAT'S THEY MAY BE OFFERING >> ALL RIGHT, HAVE A GOOD SEASON.

>> IT'S HERE AND EXCITING.

THANK YOU.

[ ♪ MUSIC ] [ ♪ MUSIC ] [ ♪ MUSIC ] >> THE NATIONAL RENOWNED JAZZ CLUB IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX IS EXPANDING WITH THE CREATION OF THE NASH JAZZ EDUCATION CENTER.

THE NEW FACILITY IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE THE NASH'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING BY 50%, AND HERE TO TELL US MORE IS GUERRERO, THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AT THE NASH.

AND WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

>> NICE TO BE HERE >> FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR, WHAT IS THE NASH?

>> THE NASH IS THE BEST PLACE TO SEE JAZZ IN THE SOUTHWEST.

WE ARE A PERFORMANCE VENUE ON ROOSEVELT ROAD.

DOING 300 SHOWS A YEAR AND ALSO HAVING AN EDUCATION THERE, SERVICING KIDS AT OUR PLACE AND GOING TO THE SCHOOLS PROVIDING JAZZ EDUCATION.

>> AND SPEAKING OF EDUCATION, YOU ARE EXPANDING WITH THE NEW EDUCATION CENTER.

AND WILL THAT BE CLOSE TO THE NASH?

>> IT WILL BE RIGHT BEHIND US, SO WE WERE LUCKY THAT THERE WAS SOME SPACE AVAILABLE TO US RIGHT BEHIND US ON ROOSEVELT AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT AND DO SOME REMODELING, AND GET A FULL JAZZ EDUCATION CENTER WITH THREE REHEARSAL ROOMS AND SOME PERFORMANCE SPACE, OFFICE SPACE, AND IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT TO HAVE OUR KIDS BE ABLE TO HAVE A PLACE OF THEIR OWN.

>> IT ALSO SOUNDS LIKE, ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN TO THE NASH KNOWS THAT IT'S A COMFORTABLE PLACE, AND COZY AT TIMES, THE BIGGER THE BAND, THE COZIER THE SPACE, AND WILL THE BANDS BE ABLE TO PLAY IN THE NEW FACILITY >> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN EXPANDED SPACE IN THE REMODEL AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT BARGE -- LARGER BUT THIS WEEKEND, WE'RE BRINGING IN THE COUNTY BASSY ORCHESTRA, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SIT.

SO WE'LL HAVE MORE COMFORTABLE SEATING FOR SURE >> THAT'S GOING TO BE AT THE MADISON CENTER FOR THE ARTS ON 16th STREET.

THAT'S GOING TO BE A HOOT.

THE GOAL OF THE EXPANDED EDUCATION CENTER, AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT EDUCATION AT THE NASH AND JAZZ, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

>> FOR US, JAZZ EDUCATION IS CENTRAL RIGHT NOW TO PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE THINK STUDENTS NEED THE MOST.

THE ABILITY TO LEAD, THE ABILITY TO FOLLOW AND WORK TOGETHER AND COLLABORATE.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN IN JAZZ AND MUSIC EDUCATION IN GENERAL.

SO FOR US, WE'RE HAPPY TO BE SUPPLEMENTING DIFFERENT MUSIC PROGRAMS IN THE STATE WITH JAZZ.

THE >> SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU HAVE, SOME OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, DO THEY TEACH THINGS LIKE -- I IMAGINE THAT YOU LEARN TO PLAY A SAXOPHONE OR A CLARINET.

BUT DO YOU TEACH LEADERSHIP AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE CORE PRINCIPLE IN JAZZ EDUCATION IS IMPROVISATION.

SO BY USING THAT EDUCATION, IT HELPS US TO CREATE LEADERS AND COLLABORATE AND WORK TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY GETS A CHANCE TO SHINE, WORKING IN A DEMOCRACY, WE ALWAYS SAY JAZZ IS A DEMOCRACY.

>> AND WHEN IT COMES TO LEARNING TO PLAY THE SAXOPHONE OR THE CLARINET, YOU HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE STAFF IS, AND THE TIME SIGNATURE.

>> ABSOLUTELY, DEDICATION AND ABILITY TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE THINGS THAT YOU WILL LEARN IN OUR PROGRAM.

>> NOW, YOU MENTIONED THE NASH, IS THERE A REMODEL FOR THE NASH INVOLVED AS WELL?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO MOVE OUR REHEARSAL SPACE TO THIS NEW BUILDING, THAT GIVES US THE CHANCE TO REMODEL THE ACTUAL VENUE.

WE'RE GOING TO PUT IN A NEW BAR, AND TURN THE CLUB, AND PUT IN SOME BETTER AND MORE COMFORTABLE SEATING AND HOPE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A CULTURAL HUB FOR JAZZ HERE SOUTHWEST >> IT ALREADY IS THAT.

AND WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM FROM ALL OF THIS?

>> WE ARE SO THRILLED.

WE HAVE A $1 MILLION GIFT FROM THE JOHN DAWSON FOUNDATION, AND THAT IS OUR GIFT FOR EXPANSION AND THE LONG-TERM SUPPORTERS OF THE VIRGINIA PIPER CHARITABLE TRUST, IT HAS PROVIDED US WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDS AND THE GRANTS AND MATCHING GIFTS UP TO THE PUBLIC UP TO $100,000.

>> AS FAR AS THE NASH, YOU TALK ABOUT A CULTURAL TOUCHSTONE IN THE SOUTHWEST.

BUT THE NASH'S PLACE IN THE JAZZ UNIVERSE, I'VE SEEN THE CLUB MENTION -- DOWN BEAT AS ONE OF THE BEST CLUBS IN THE COUNTRY AND TALK ABOUT THE NASH'S PLACE IN THE OVERALL WORLD OF JAZZ?

>> WELL, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH OUT TALKING ABOUT LOUIS NASH.

GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING LOUIS NASH, ONE OF THE BEST JAZZ DRUMMERS IN THE WORLD, GREW UP IN SOUTH PHOENIX, AND WITH HIM BEING THE ANCHOR AND THE NAMESAKE OF THE CLUB, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING IN SUCH HIGH CALIBER JAZZ MUSICIANS, HIS FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES WHO WANT TO PLAY AND FOR US, WE'RE ABLE TO BRING IN AN EXPERIENCE IN THE DESERT >> HE'S A GREAT GUY, AND HE'S A SOUTH PHOENIX GUY, AND THEY NAMED A CLUB AFTER HIM AND IT'S NOW WORLD RENOWNED >> MARCELLUS, AND WE'RE EXCITED >> AND AS FAR AS THE NASH ON THE JAZZ ARIZONA SCENE.

>> WE PROVIDE A PLACE FOR SO MANY JAZZ MUSICIANS WHO CAN PLAY IN OUR PRESCRIPTION SERIES THIS YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BALANCE 50/50, NATIONAL AND LOCAL ACTS AND WE'RE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE EXPERIENCES FOR LOCAL ACTS BY HAVING MORE TIME AT THE CLUB DURING THE WEEK NOW AVAILABLE BECAUSE WE'LL BE MOVING REHEARSALS TO THE OTHER BUILDING.

>> NEXT QUESTION, REAL QUICKLY, WHEN THE NATIONAL ACTS COME THROUGH, WHAT DO THEY THINK OF THE PLACE >> THEY LOVE IT.

WE CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE THEM.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FROM THE NASH, AND BEST OF LUCK.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THAT IS IT FOR NOW, I'M TED SIMONS, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND YOU HAVE A