By AZ Big Media
At the 2026 AZRE Forum at The Camby in Phoenix, Anita Verma-Lallian, founder and CEO of Arizona Land Consulting, delivered a clear message to the state’s real estate leaders: the rules of development in Arizona have fundamentally changed.
For decades, success in land development was driven by location, price and timing. Today, Verma-Lallian says, those factors have taken a backseat to a new reality — infrastructure.
“It’s no longer just about finding the right land,” she told the audience. “Now we’re asking: Where’s the power coming from? Is there long-term water? And can we get those resources fast enough and at a cost that makes the project viable?”
That shift is being fueled by unprecedented demand. Population growth, the rise of artificial intelligence, the expansion of data centers and large-scale industrial projects are accelerating development across the state — often faster than infrastructure can keep up.
5 takeaways from the energy panel at the AZRE Forum
The energy panel at the 2026 AZRE Forum featured Bill Jabjiniak, (moderator), senior vice president, national community and government relations, EdgeCore; Jordan Rose, co-founder, Rose Law Group; David Bean, vice president of sales and leasing, Commercial Properties, Inc.; Mark Bauer, vice chairman, JLL; Sam Jones, vice president, Phoenix region, Colliers; and Suzanne Fallender, vice president of global impact and sustainability, Prologis. Here are five takeaways from their discussion: