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Southwest Mobile Storage - Best Mobile Storage & Office Containers In Fountain Hills, AZ

Southwest Mobile Storage is a family-owned shipping container business founded in 1995. Our strength for more than 25 years comes from the specialized knowledge and passion of our people, along with serving over 24,000 commercial, construction and residential customers. Our facility and expertise in maintaining, manufacturing, and delivering corrugated steel containers is unrivaled in the industry.

While the rental side of our business is regional with branches throughout the Southwest, our container sales and modification operations are nationwide and becoming global. Fountain Hills, AZ offers a wide selection of portable offices and mobile storage containers you can rent, buy or modify.

Our experts in container rental, sales and customization are committed to providing you the highest quality and best experience from service to delivery - our reputation depends on it.

Whether your need is for storage, office space, moving, multi-purpose or custom use, we've got your back. Here's how:

Storage Containers Fountain Hills, AZ
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NO MATTER YOUR NEED, WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK.

STORE AT YOUR LOCATION

We bring your storage container to you for convenient, easy access at your home, business or jobsite. Plus, you'll get more choice in storage space and better security, for a fraction of the cost of a pod or add on building, saving money and energy.

STORE AT OUR LOCATION

Not enough room to keep a storage container at your business, home or construction site? No problem - we can store it for you. Plus, you get 70% more space and better security, for a fraction of the cost of public storage units.

CUSTOM STORAGE

Need a permanent storage solution for your business, residence or construction? We sell new and used shipping containers in many sizes with a variety of add-ons. Or customize a container to your specific storage needs with our certified fabrication experts.

LOCAL MOVE

Take your time packing with our moving containers. We'll deliver to your business or home and pick it up whenever you're ready to move. So, you don't have to stress about moving or making multiple trips in one day, like if you rented a moving truck.

LONG-DISTANCE MOVE

Our moving container solutions ensure the long-distance move of your home or business is highly efficient and affordable throughout the southwest. In fact, we usually cost 20%-40% less than full-service movers.

MOVING & STORAGE

We understand move-in and move-out dates might be different. We can store your moving container at our highly secure facilities until you're ready to move to your new home or business location, and you can conveniently access it at any time.

OFFICE USE

Whether you need a workspace, conference room, or other office requirement, our ground-mounted mobile offices meet any and all of your business needs. Plus, it's faster and easier than building additions.

BUSINESS USE

If you need your shipping container to serve multiple uses, such as office-storage combos, breakrooms and even utilities, we've got you covered. We'll modify a custom container to fit your business needs and bring your business to the next level

CUSTOM USE

We'll create a custom container to fit your unique needs anywhere in the US. With our container modification expertise, we make any idea a reality. From pop-up stores to multi-story structures, our unrivaled facilities and fabrication experts do it all.

You'll get your own dedicated storage and container expert to serve as your one point of contact for easy, convenient service you can trust.
With our wide selection of intermodal containers for sale and rent, you'll find exactly what you need, from size, to type and condition.
We maintain our rental fleet to the highest standard - our integrity depends on it.
Our certified, experienced Conex container modification experts have more than 500 years combined experience modifying ISO containers.
All of our containers come with high security dual-locking system for no additional charge, so you can rest assured your stored items stay safe and that you don't have to pay extra for it.
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At our unrivaled 90,000 sq ft indoor fabrication facility, ensuring your custom shipping container is made exactly to your specifications.
With our level of service, quality and expertise, you won't find a better value anywhere else.
Our portable offices include lighting and electrical outlets, internet hookups, HVAC and were crafted by our in-house steel container fabrication experts for top-quality construction.

Premium Quality - High Security

With Southwest Mobile Storage, you get much more than a POD or typical Conex box. You also get high security, unparalleled service and unmatched container modification expertise and facilities. No other company offers that much.

Shipping containers and storage containers come in a range of sizes. The most common external lengths are 20ft and 40ft with a width of 8ft. ISO Containers are typically 8ft 6in tall, but high cube containers are 9ft 6in tall. We also have steel containers in a variety of sizes from 10ft long to 45ft long to rent or buy, and we can modify shipping containers into any size you want.

 Rent Storage Containers Fountain Hills, AZ

SMS Mobile Storage Containers have these high quality features:

1/8" thick steel plate bottom side rails
High strength steel supporting cross members
1 1/8" thick hardwood floor with galvanized self-tapping screws
16-gauge corrugated steel walls
16-gauge roof
270-degree swing cargo door(s)
High security dual-locking system*
Spot-grinded, primed & repainted with a beige high-grade water reducible alkyd direct-to-metal enamel*
* Comes standard on all rental units

SMS portable workspace containers have these structural features:

High security window bars, lever & deadbolt set with lock box
Studs & R-19 Insulation covered with wood paneling
1 1/8" marine board floor is covered with a durable single part gray epoxy coating
Dual pane low-E horizontal sliding windows with screens and miniblinds
18 Gauge steel polystyrene core 3-hour fire rated personnel door
All of our workspaces are manufactured in-house and arrive new or restored to factory specifications
Exterior load center operating on 100 Amp single phase 230 Volt power
Light switch, receptacles and 4' light fixtures; all wiring is Romex 12/2
CAT-6 voice and data lines with electrical junction box
HVAC units ranging from 1 ton to 2 ton on rentals; ability to customize up to 10 tons of cooling

Having flexible storage containers options is important, but security is crucial to protect your peace of mind and your possessions.

At Southwest Mobile Storage, we don't believe in leaving things to chance. We want you to rest easy knowing your inventory, documents, tools, equipment and other items are safe 24/7. That is why we equip SMS high-security slide bolt locking systems and lockboxes on our entire fleet of rental freight containers.

EVERY ONE OF OUR MOBILE STORAGE CONTAINERS FOR RENT IN Fountain Hills, AZ, INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING SAFETY MEASURES:

High-security slide-bolt locking system and extra-long lock box, giving you twice the security and peace of mind.
No holes to ensure your rental shipping container is wind and water-tight.
No rust for your safety.
14-gauge corrugated steel for strength and reinforcement.

Contact us to speak with a helpful, friendly representative to better understand our full range of capabilities. We are happy to answer any questions you have, go over pricing and set up a time and place to deliver your Conex box. Our quotes are 100% free and you are under no obligation to pay for your consultation.

COMMERCIAL STORAGE CONTAINERS TO RENT, BUY OR MODIFY IN Fountain Hills, AZ

When you own a business or manage one, it's crucial to have efficient, affordable ways to store inventory and supplies, whether it's to grow your business or adapt to changes in the market, like the many caused by the pandemic.

Renting storage containers to keep at your business eliminates the cost and hassles of sending your staff to offsite storage facilities. Steel containers with roll up doors make storing and retrieving items faster and easier. Auto repair shops and other businesses that need easy access throughout the workday to secure storage for tools, parts, equipment or supplies find renting shipping containers to be the best solution for their business storage needs. Southwest Mobile Storage has your back.

 Storage Containers For Rent Fountain Hills, AZ

Renting portable offices gives your business more workspace, breakrooms, pop up stores, security booths and more, without the cost and red tape associated with constructing building additions. Plus, a steel storage container fits neatly into one parking space and provides much stronger security than Pods and way more convenience than self-storage units.

If you have a specific need, we can modify shipping containers to build whatever you need to grow your business. Whether it's a portable workspace to run your business, like a pop-up container bar, or a durable facility for scientific research, like a container laboratory, or even a container gym, our unrivaled fabrication facility and modification experts got you covered. Our full-time, in-house staff of certified welders, engineers, electricians, carpenters and painters have over 500 years combined experience modifying thousands of container projects for just about any business use you can imagine.

WHETHER YOUR BUSINESS IS COMMERCIAL, HEALTHCARE, GOVERNMENT OR EDUCATION, OR YOUR INTEREST IS TO RENT, BUY OR MODIFY SHIPPING CONTAINERS, SMS HAS YOU COVERED:

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Offsite storage alternatives cause a mess of hassles and headaches. Expanding office space and storage capacity at your location saves time, money and hassle of making multiple trips offsite.
We offer more choice in security, size and features in steel Conex boxes or ISO shipping containers than a public storage unit or Pod for less cost and far greater service.
We offer flexible, month-to-month rental agreements and prorate by the day after your first 28-day billing cycle.
With us, you get a dedicated account manager you can rely on, so you can focus on running your business than waste time with a different person every time you call that doesn't know or care as much.
While other companies may have some staff for modifying containers, most outsource the work, so you don't know who is actually doing the modifications or how much they're marking up the price.
 Mobile Storage Containers Fountain Hills, AZ
When you modify a shipping container for your business, you won't have to worry about expensive, lengthy and complicated construction.
We have modified thousands of containers nationwide and internationally for more than 25 years for NASA, US Navy, GCP Applied Technologies, Helix and Sundt to name a few. And rent containers to Amazon, Walmart and many of other nationally recognized brands.
Our extensive staff makes it possible to custom build multiple projects simultaneously and our 90,000 sq ft indoor fabrication facility prevents contaminants from interfering with fabrication, which delivers better quality and precision.

HERE'S WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE US TO RENT, BUY OR MODIFY A SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR YOUR HOME:

With an extensive in-house staff and 90,000 sq ft container modification facility, we're able to deliver consistently high quality and work on multiple projects simultaneously for a fast turnaround.

Other companies don't have the facility, staff or resources to modify shipping containers and will outsource the work to various shops who may not have the special experience or tools needed to modify the right way.

You can rest assured knowing your custom container is safe in our hands. Our certified weld and quality control inspectors ensure everything is structurally sound and built to your specifications through every step of the process.

Renting a moving container from us makes your move much less stressful because you won't have to rush to pack your whole house into a moving truck in one day. Instead, you can take your time packing over the course of a month.

Our ISO shipping containers are weatherproof and come with vault-like security, so you don't have to worry about theft or damage to your belongings.

You won't get that level of security from U-Haul or other moving truck companies.

Renting a storage container at your home keeps your belongings close and gives you convenient 24/7 access, so you're always able to retrieve the contents of your container when you need to.

We know move in and move out dates don't always line up. We can store your packed rental container at our secure facility until your new home is ready.

With our mobile storage containers for rent in Fountain Hills, AZ, you can save up to 40% when compared to full-service long-distance movers, while gaining more flexibility in your schedule.

MOBILE STORAGE CONTAINERS & PORTABLE OFFICES TO RENT, BUY OR MODIFY IN Fountain Hills, AZ

We know your needs may change suddenly. With our extensive inventory and variety of sizes of portable offices and shipping containers to rent, buy or modify in Fountain Hills, AZ, we provide fast service and the best value possible so it's easy for you to get whatever you need when you need it.

Renting storage containers and portable offices from us gives you more flexibility when it comes to your schedule and options. If you don't have enough space at your current location or simply would prefer offsite storage, you can keep your rental storage and office containers at your location or ours - whichever is most convenient for you. You also get more options to choose from when it comes to size and features, like portable offices with divided rooms for private meetings or office/storage combos for storage and office space in one container. All while costing a fraction of the price of a pod or self-storage facility.

You can also buy new or used freight containers from us and choose from a variety of add-ons, including lights, electricity, doors and windows. Or fully customize a shipping container to save time, money and energy by skipping the expensive, lengthy process of constructing building additions. We can modify a Conex box into whatever you can imagine for any use you need, from construction tool cribs to office buildings, monitoring stations, mobile communication towers and much more. The possibilities are endless.

HERE'S HOW WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK:

You'll never face hidden fees or surprises with us. We give you transparent billing up front at the best prices.

With us, you get a reliable, dedicated point of contact, who keeps you updated every step of the way. You can rest assured knowing you'll always get what you need, when you need it.

No other company has the breadth and depth of staff and experience that we do when it comes to modifying shipping containers. Our certified welders, engineers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters and painters have more than 500 years of combined experience in fabricating custom steel containers.

We prorate your rent by the day after the first 28-day billing cycle, so you don't have to pay for a full month when you only have your mobile containers and offices for a few days.

While other companies may be able to do small container modifications, most don't have an in-house fabrication staff or 90,000 sq ft fabrication facility like we do. As a result, they outsource the work on your custom container, so you don't know who's actually building it.

Rest assured knowing your modified shipping container will be built to the highest quality standards. Our certified weld and quality control inspectors check every step of the fabrication process to ensure everything is structurally sound and built to your specifications.

HOW RENTING A STORAGE CONTAINER AND MOBILE OFFICE WORKS

Whether you're in need of a storage container for your commercial business, a portable office for your construction site, or a moving container for your home, our process is simple and straightforward.

Choose Your Container

Choose the mobile storage solution that works best for your needs. In this step, you will let us know the number of containers you need, their sizes and what types of doors to equip.

Choose Your Options

Let us know if you would like to add any of our rental options, like a folding table or shelving.

Choose Your Security

Choose from padlocks, puck locks and other enhanced security options. All of our storage containers come standard with dual-locking, vault-like security.

Choose Your Delivery Timeframe

You can expect standard delivery within 3-5 days of your order. If you need expedited delivery, we will do everything in our power to accommodate your needs.

Pick-Up Planning

Do you need to keep your shipping container at our location? Prefer to have our team deliver your packed container to a location of your choice? Let us know, and we'll be by your side to work out the logistics.

HOW RENTING A STORAGE CONTAINER AND MOBILE OFFICE WORKS

1

DETERMINE DESTINATION

Let our team know where we should deliver your mobile storage container for rent in Fountain Hills, AZ. Be sure to let us know if there are any special conditions that might prevent our drivers from entering your chosen destination. Before you schedule your delivery, let us know which direction you would like the doors of your container to face.

2

SCHEDULE DATE & TIME

Our drivers can deliver your storage container Monday-Friday, between the hours of 6AM and 2PM local time. Our two-hour delivery window is the most precise in the industry. If you desire another delivery time outside of our standard delivery options, we will do our best to accommodate your needs. As a courtesy, our driver will call you at least 30 minutes before they arrive at your drop-off destination.

3

PREPARE FOR YOUR MOBILE STORAGE CONTAINER DELIVERY

Before we deliver your Conex box, prepare your delivery area by ensuring that there are no low overhangs, arches, wires, trees or any other obstacles that could interfere with your delivery. It's a good idea to mark the space where you would like your steel container placed.

4

DELIVERY & SETUP

When our driver arrives, they will back our truck into the space where you would like your shipping container placed. Once we arrive, we will ensure that your container is delivered safely and securely. If placed on asphalt or pavement, we will use wood dunnage pads to make sure your ground surface is protected and the container is level.

HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT MOBILE CONTAINERS TO Rent, Buy OR Modify IN Fountain Hills, AZ?

Check out our FAQ page or reach out to our helpful customer service team today @

Latest News in Fountain Hills, AZ

Fountain Hills community steps up to help family run donut shop after owner diagnosed with cancer

FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. (3TV/CBS 5) — Kim Tun doesn’t complain or make excuses. She keeps right on working around the clock, seven days a week, at Rainbow Donuts in Fountain Hills.The hours are longer because Tun’s husband, Mundath Sok, was recently diagnosed with leukemia. While he’s spending a lot of time at the hospital getting treatment, Tun has been left running the family business and taking care of their three children.“It’s really hard,” said Tun. “Hard to have...

FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. (3TV/CBS 5) Kim Tun doesn’t complain or make excuses. She keeps right on working around the clock, seven days a week, at Rainbow Donuts in Fountain Hills.

The hours are longer because Tun’s husband, Mundath Sok, was recently diagnosed with leukemia. While he’s spending a lot of time at the hospital getting treatment, Tun has been left running the family business and taking care of their three children.

“It’s really hard,” said Tun. “Hard to have to take care of the kids, take care of business, take care of him in the hospital.”

The couple’s 17-year-old daughter Rachana has stepped up to help but can only do so much since she’s going back to high school next month.

“If we close, we don’t have anything to eat,” said Sok. “We have to be strong and keep open.”

Someone recently posted on social media what the family is going through, and that’s led to an outpouring of support from the Fountain Hills Community. Random strangers are being encouraged to come in and buy donuts for their friends, family and co-workers.

“I’m really grateful for them,” said Rachana Sok. “They help me and my family keep the business going. Yeah, it’s really helpful when they do that for us, and I really thank them.”

Sok is scheduled to have a bone marrow transplant next week, so there’s a good chance he won’t be able to work for another year. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with medical expenses, which you can find here.

“The most important thing for me is to make him get better,” Rachana said. “It doesn’t matter if he is at work. I can still help, and I just want my dad to get better and stay with us; that’s all I want,”

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Copyright 2023 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.

Build-to-rent Havenly community sells for $68.3 million

The first build-to-rent (BTR) community approved in town, Pillar at Fountain Hills, previously known as The Havenly Fountain Hills, sold in February for $68.3 million with the intention of freeing up resources to build similar projects around Arizona and beyond.Sold by the Scottsdale-based home builder, Keystone Homes, the 147-unit, single-family, detached home community behind the Bashas’ shopping center is now owned and managed by Washington-based real estate company, Private Portfolio Group, under the brand Pillar Communities...

The first build-to-rent (BTR) community approved in town, Pillar at Fountain Hills, previously known as The Havenly Fountain Hills, sold in February for $68.3 million with the intention of freeing up resources to build similar projects around Arizona and beyond.

Sold by the Scottsdale-based home builder, Keystone Homes, the 147-unit, single-family, detached home community behind the Bashas’ shopping center is now owned and managed by Washington-based real estate company, Private Portfolio Group, under the brand Pillar Communities.

When the transaction closed, monthly rental rates at The Havenly Fountain Hills ranged from $2,090 for a 722-square-foot, one-bedroom unit to $3,570 for a 1,612-square-foot, three-bedroom unit, according to reporting by Angela Gonzales of the Phoenix Business Journal. The luxury rental community was 92% occupied at the time of the sale.

The Havenly Fountain Hills was Keystone’s first BTR project and Fountain Hills presented an optimal location for the first-of-its-kind luxury community.

“Our desire was a quality project offering beautiful homes, a sense of community within it and connection to the area, that would be well received by the local community as well as future residents,” Keystone’s Marketing Manager, Gena Zestrijan said. “The town was terrific to work with, they were open-minded and supportive of what our vision was.”

According to Zestrijan, there was quite a bit of interest in the ownership of the year-old BTR community and Keystone was pleased to choose Private Portfolio Group as the new owners, “as they seem to view their residents like we do, not just customers,” Zestrijan added. “They have a long view on ownership and management with 5-10 year run and they show a great, long-standing record in the industry.”

Breaking ground

Keystone’s goal of selling the community was to free up financial and physical capital for other Havenly Communities under development in Gilbert, Apache Junction, Prescott and Santa Fe, N.M., Keystone’s first project outside of Arizona.

The BTR community was previously managed by Global Real Estate Service Firm, Cushman & Wakefield. Once the sale was finalized, Pillar Communities took over both ownership and property management of the community.

Remington Thorn is the current community manager at Pillar Fountain Hills who provided hard-hat tours during the nascent stage of Havenly. Previously employed by Cushman & Wakefield, Thorn and Assistant Manager, Joyce Corley were both acquired and promoted by Pillar Communities through the sale of Havenly.

As of Friday, March 24, new messaging has gone out across social media notifying current and potential residents of the new ownership.

Resort lifestyle

When Christine Daryll Leonor was looking for housing in the spring of 2022, she was not ready to purchase a home. She toured Havenly and was drawn to its safe atmosphere and upgraded rental experience.

Leonor moved into Havenly on April 8, 2022, initially leasing a one-bedroom unit, but with her family moving into town, she decided to transition into a three-bedroom unit last month.

“I like the fact that there is no one living below or on top of me,” she said. “I like how it’s built like a home.”

Leonor enjoys living in the quiet community and walking her two-year-old Siberian Husky named Nala.

If the community ever offers an option to purchase, Leonor said given the location and amenities, she will be first in line to buy.

“Nala loves it because there’s a lot of space to walk around and go bananas,” she said.

According to the National Apartment Association, the Greater Phoenix market leads the nation in the number of BTR homes, encompassing more than 6,400 units in 2022. Zestrijan of Keystone Homes says Fountain Hills is special to the company because it is the location of its first BTR project since the company was established in 1989.

“Fountain Hills will always hold a bright spot in our hearts,” Zestrijan said.

Fountain Hills’ Short-Term Rental Regulations

Fountain Hills is recognized nationally as a desirable location for winter visitors, much like the neighboring communities of Paradise Valley and Scottsdale. Many visitors come for the weather and beautiful surroundings. Others may come for the vicinity of world-class golf courses and seasonal events like Spring Training, Waste Management Open, or other major sporting events that the Phoenix metro often hosts. Thanks mainly to the short-term lodging market, the community has experienced substantial growth due to the increased use of online h...

Fountain Hills is recognized nationally as a desirable location for winter visitors, much like the neighboring communities of Paradise Valley and Scottsdale. Many visitors come for the weather and beautiful surroundings. Others may come for the vicinity of world-class golf courses and seasonal events like Spring Training, Waste Management Open, or other major sporting events that the Phoenix metro often hosts. Thanks mainly to the short-term lodging market, the community has experienced substantial growth due to the increased use of online hosting platforms.

www.fh.az.gov

The Town of Fountain Hills has adopted new regulations to protect neighborhood investments, housing values, and community safety. The updated rules go into effect on Feb. 1, 2023. For information and resources on the steps needed to comply with rental home property ownership, go on the Town of Foutain Hills website at www.fountainhillsaz.gov/Rentals.

The goal of the updated regulations is to ensure that property owners are: responsible for their property and tenants to protect the quiet enjoyment of our neighborhoods; reduce impacts on neighbors; make visitor stays pleasant for guests and neighbors alike; decrease or eliminate unruly behavior, and support the responsive hosts and property owners.

The ordinance generally describes and defines definitions and processes for property owners. These include permit requirements, emergency contact information, prohibited uses, neighborhood notification before the rental of a unit/home, advertising requirements, posting on the property, insurance, background checks, permit suspension, enhanced penalties, appeal process, judicial relief, and severability. Additionally, there is a provision to allow the Town to inspect properties to ensure compliance with the ordinance or any provision of Town building, fire, or zoning codes.

The Arizona Department of Revenue administers the transaction privilege tax for the Town of Fountain Hills; property owners must report and pay their Town of Fountain Hills transaction privilege tax to the Department of Revenue. Taxes can be included in the overall price or charged to the renter as a separate line item. If a property management company is being used, the property owner still needs to file their tax license with the Department of Revenue.

All rental properties are subject to tax regardless of the number of rental units owned. Property owners must be licensed and pay tax if leasing or renting real property located within the Town of Fountain Hills. In addition, all residential properties used as a rental in the Town of Fountain Hills must be registered with Maricopa County at https://preview.mcassessor.maricopa.gov/page/residential_property/forms as a rental.

The Town of Fountain Hills is interested in pursuing all rental properties for compliance. The Town will gladly research the location and verify all tax and licensing requirements are met. To report a rental property for licensing compliance, please email the Town at rentaltax@fountainhillsaz.gov.

In addition to the standard 2.9% tax, residential rentals of less than 30 days are subject to an additional 4% transient tax (Hotel/Motel Classification) for the Town and 7.27% for the County. “Transient” means any person who, for any period less than thirty (30) consecutive days, either at their own expense or at the expense of another obtains lodging or uses any lodging space for which a charge is made on accommodation or use of lodging space.

Fountain Hills Included in New Smithsonian Exhibit

The ...

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History announced March 23 as the date it will open “Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky”, a new 4,340-square-foot exhibition about the global loss of the night sky to light pollution. The Arizona town of Fountain Hills and its beautiful view of the night sky is included in the exhibition.

“We are honored to have our community be one of only thirteen of the more than 200 designated International Dark Sky Places around the world included in the exhibit,” said Fountain Hills Mayor Ginny Dickey. “We’re also proud of that designation given how rare that achievement is when adjacent to a major metropolitan area.”

The new exhibit will cover the history of lighting, the connection between humanity and the night sky, the unintended consequences of excessive outdoor lighting, and the principles that can be used to reduce light pollution. “‘Lights Out’ will give visitors the opportunity to learn what is at stake as the stars and cosmos fade from our view at night,” explained Kirk Johnson, Director of the National Museum of Natural History.

Fountain Hills is included in the exhibition to show visitors that they can find ways to experience the night sky in their own communities, wherever they are. Due to its exemplary dedication to protection of local night skies through public policy, the promotion of quality outdoor lighting, and outreach to residents and visitors, Fountain Hills can still glimpse the Milky Way, even with skyglow from nearby Phoenix. It was accredited by the International Dark-Sky Association for these efforts in 2018.

U.S. Senator Mark Kelly is one Arizonan who has an insightful perspective on light pollution. “As a pilot and commander of the Space Shuttle, I’ve seen just how bright our planet is at night,” Sen. Kelly said. “And I’m thrilled that Fountain Hills is leading the way in showing how we can protect dark night skies while growing the Arizona economy.”

A recent report found that each year, astronomy and space science in Arizona generate as much economic activity as Super Bowl host cities can expect. Arizona skies are also a boon to its tourism industry, drawing visitors from around the world.

“Dark skies are an increasingly important part of our state’s tourism offerings,” said Arizona Office of Tourism Director Lisa Urias. “Fountain Hills admirably represents Arizona at the Smithsonian, and we look forward to welcoming visitors inspired by the exhibit to come experience all our night skies have to offer.”

Development of a nonprofit STEM-based International Dark Sky Discovery Center is underway in Fountain Hills. “We are delighted to have the Smithsonian open an exhibit with the same mission of educating people about the adverse impact of excessive lighting,” said Joe Bill, President of the Discovery Center. “Detailed design is nearly complete, and we have already raised one-third of the $25 million needed for this facility.”

The planned Discovery Center has five major components supporting its educational mission. These include a Dark Sky Observatory with the largest telescope in the Greater Phoenix area, a state-of-the-art Hyperspace Planetarium, a highly interactive Immersion Zone, a 150-tiered-seat theater with 8K technology, and a hands-on Einstein Exploration Station to teach the physics of light. A narrated 3D flyover of the Discovery Center, support statements from leaders throughout the state, and much more at darkskycenter.org.

In support of the mission of the Discovery Center, the Fountain Hills Dark Sky Association hosts its sixth annual Fountain Hills Dark Sky Festival on Saturday, March 25, from 4-9 P.M. Events will be held at the Fountain Hills Community Center and surrounding outdoor area at 13001 North La Montana Drive. The festival includes nationally known speakers, virtual reality experiences, meteorite and live nocturnal animal exhibits, food trucks, and beer and wine garden, laser tours of the night sky, and much more. For more information about the Festival, visit fhdarksky.com/events/festival/.

Arizona has 6 of the 17 best stargazing destinations in the U.S.

July 26, 2023According to the 2023 Summer Stargazing Index, Arizona is home to six of the 17 best stargazing destinations in the U.S.Fountain Hills is a community proud of its iconic fountain, beautiful scenery, and small-town charm and for being recognized as the world's 17th International Dark Sky Community. Now, the community can celebrate being one of the Top 20 Stargazing Destinations in the country.DEEPER DIVE: ...

July 26, 2023

According to the 2023 Summer Stargazing Index, Arizona is home to six of the 17 best stargazing destinations in the U.S.

Fountain Hills is a community proud of its iconic fountain, beautiful scenery, and small-town charm and for being recognized as the world's 17th International Dark Sky Community. Now, the community can celebrate being one of the Top 20 Stargazing Destinations in the country.

DEEPER DIVE: 15 must-see places for an Arizona road trip

HomeToGo, an online vacation rental marketplace, released its 2023 Summer Stargazing Index, which ranked the top 17 stargazing destinations in the U.S. Fountain Hills is number 16 on the list.

"Fountain Hills continues to be recognized as one of the very best places on this planet to gaze up at the others!" said Fountain Hills Mayor Ginny Dickey.

To come up with the ranking, HomeToGo analyzed various factors, including average cloud cover and population density, to indicate how secluded an area is and the accessibility of affordable accommodations. Additionally, it even considered and evaluated many different International Dark Sky Places (IDSP), which are considered top spots for stargazing thanks to their low light pollution.

Take a look at the complete ranking of the top U.S. destinations for stargazing:

1. Westcliffe and Silver Cliff, Colorado2. Dripping Springs, Arizona3. Harmony, Florida4. Flagstaff, Arizona5. Sedona, Arizona6 (tied). Kaibab Paiute Indian Reservation, Arizona6 (tied). Beverly Shores, Indiana8. Fort Davis, Texas9. Dripping Springs-Wimberley, Texas10. Torrey, Utah11. Horseshoe Bay, Texas12. Lost Creek, Texas13. Borrego Springs, California14. Village of Oak Creek, Arizona15. Homer Glen, Illinois16. Fountain Hills, Arizona17. Ketchum, Idaho

"It’s great, and well-deserved, to have Fountain Hills be recognized as one of the top star gazing locations on the planet,” said Joe Bill, President, International Dark Sky Discovery Center. “As a dark sky oasis in the Valley of the Sun and the Town’s prestigious designation as the 17th International Dark Sky Community in the world, Fountain HIlls is the perfect location for the planned, nonprofit 23,000 sq. ft. International Dark Sky Discovery Center."

To learn more about Fountain Hills dark skies, visit www.fhdarksky.com and check out the planned International Dark Sky Discovery Center at www.darkskycenter.org.

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