Peoria is considered a major suburb of Phoenix. It is currently the fourth largest city in the state of Arizona in terms of land area, and the ninth largest city in the state in terms of population. Peoria is the spring training home of the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners who share the Peoria Sports Complex. Between 1990 and 2000 Peoria was the fifth fastest growing city in the United States with a population of over 100,000, increasing in population 114 percent. In July 2008, Money Magazine listed Peoria in the "Top 100 Places to Live".

HISTORY

The City of Peoria was established in the 1880’s when William J. Murphy’s vision of fertile farm lands fed by water from the Salt River became reality with the completion of the Arizona Canal in 1885. Once this canal was completed, Murphy went East to interest people in settling in this new community. Mr. Murphy was successful in catching people’s attention – over 5,000 acres of land in the new district was purchased by citizens from Peoria, Illinois. Four families from Peoria, Illinois were among the first to move to Arizona to occupy and work their land.

Residences in the new community sprang up, and a school and Post Office were established by 1889. More people followed the original families and Peoria continued to grow as a farming community. The farmlands were fertile and the people made a good living, despite having to battle swarms of red ants and the occasional rattlesnake in the kitchen.

Peoria was incorporated in 1954, with boundaries covering one square mile of land. The warm climate and small-town atmosphere of Peoria continued to attract people, and still do today. Currently, Peoria covers 162 square miles, and is home to over 120,000 residents.

PEORIA SPORTS COMPLEX

In 1990 Peoria approved construction of the Peoria Sports Complex. It was completed in 1994 and was the first Major League Baseball spring training facility in the county that is shared by two teams. The San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners utilize the complex year round for spring training and player development.

Spring training has a long history in Peoria. From the late 1970s to 1990, Peoria's Greenway Sports Complex served as a minor-league training facility for the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team. This much smaller facility was located at 83rd Avenue and the Greenway Road alignment.

The city invested heavily in the sports complex and continues to subsidize its operations each year. The stadium draws many tourists, concerts, weddings, business events, boat tours, and festivals. This fuels the restaurants and hotels in the area. The stadium has helped make the 83rd Avenue and Bell/Arrowhead Fountains center area into the restaurant center of the West Valleym which was estimated to have more restaurant's in its quarter mile then any other in the U.S. 

PEORIA TODAY

Peoria continues to grow successfully. In 1999 most of the land around Lake Pleasant Regional Park was annexed into the city. Peoria has gained a world-class educational and cultural destination, the Challenger Space Center of Arizona. Also in 2007 the city completed the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts. Today most of the city’s growth is taking place in North Peoria.