he Southwestern U.S., while enduring recessionary doldrums over the last year or so, still managed to garner significant development plums. While many are in the distribution center and call center sectors, there have been occasional manufacturing location breakthroughs despite an overall downturn. A report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce earlier this year indicated local economic fallout from 9/11 was substantial due to border gridlock, but commerce has normalized of late, in part because of progress on major highway improvement projects in several Southwestern cities.
        In late October 2002, Intel's $2-billion expansion in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, more than two years in construction, will come to fruition when its new 135,000 square-foot (12,541 sq. m) facility opens for production.
        No doubt the biggest news from the region are developments which figure to put Arizona prominently on the world's biotechnology map.