Axon Enterprise, the Taser-maker headquartered in Scottsdale, celebrated a major legislative win with the ceremonial signing of SB1543, a bill designed to clear the path for its $1.3 billion mixed-use global headquarters project.
Key Highlights:
- SB1543 Signed Into Law: Governor Katie Hobbs and Axon CEO Rick Smith commemorated the bill’s signing at Axon’s Star Wars-themed HQ on May 2, nearly two weeks after Hobbs officially signed it into law on April 18.
- Zoning Shortcut: The law allows Axon to bypass a public referendum and loosen zoning rules to include 1,895 apartment and condo units, retail, and commercial space on land previously zoned for light industrial use.
- Development Details: The planned 70-acre campus will serve as Axon’s international HQ and create hundreds of high-paying jobs while integrating residential and commercial uses.
- Political Fallout: SB1543 has sparked pushback from groups like TAAAZE (Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions) and Scottsdale city leaders, who question the bill’s constitutionality and fast-track approval.
- Statewide Signal: Hobbs described the bill as pro-business, stating, “This is the ‘Axon bill’… Arizona is in the business of growing business.”
This law significantly boosts Axon’s ability to anchor a vibrant mixed-use district in North Scottsdale—an area real estate investors should watch closely.