Arizona State Representative Anthony Kern said he is disappointed by news of Arizona State University’s plans to relocate the longstanding Thunderbird School of Global Management from Glendale to downtown Phoenix.
“It’s unfortunate to see Thunderbird leave Glendale after over 70 years of prominence in the area,” said Representative Kern. “I am currently working with members of Glendale City Council to work toward new development plans for former the Thunderbird campus to ensure the property continues to serve the public as Thunderbird did.”
Thunderbird School of Global Management was established in 1946 and is known world-wide for their programs in international business. In 2015, Arizona State University acquired Thunderbird as a unit of the ASU Knowledge Enterprise.
ASU announced the relocation to a new building on its Downtown Phoenix Campus this week.
“Locating Thunderbird with other ASU schools and departments on the Downtown Phoenix campus will provide greater community embeddedness and enhanced resources for Thunderbird students and faculty,” ASU President Michael M. Crow said. “This move also brings Thunderbird closer to other university schools and departments and to the private- and public-sector forces in downtown Phoenix that are engaged in international business and non-profit organizational activity.”
Thunderbird’s new building on ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus will be between First and Second streets, just north of Polk Street. It will be the sixth ASU college headquartered on the Downtown Phoenix campus, joining the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, the College of Health Solutions and the College of Public Service and Community Solutions.
ASU Enterprise Partners, a not-for-profit organization, claims it has initiated discussions with Glendale officials to discuss the creation of a new master plan for the 140-acre site.