Well once you pipe in the water, import some friendly foliage, plant the harvest, instill climate control devices for the brutal summer months, & kill everything native containing venom, thorns, or stingers, you're left with plenty of room for colonization of a beautiful desert with a virtually perfect seasonal climate, though it provides very little annual rainfall. This is what leads me to believe our forefathers were actually in route traveling to a lush California, but the intense, deadly summer heat began its demise upon their pioneers, rendering them weak & trapped, forcing them to settle here.
The Valley relies heavily upon the economic stimulation from a busy in-season of tourism & its diverse popular events, which is necessary to carry us through the desolate summer off-season. It is appealing for its low cost of living, its high living standards, its spaciousness, its man-made lakes (there is said to be only between 1 & 4 natural lakes in AZ), & its moderate 9 mo climate comfort. Despite being the 2nd hardest hit city by our economy nationwide (Atlanta being 1st), Phoenix is still one of the fastest growing cities to flourish in the US.
What goes on in Arizona?
