Patrick Banger was at a crossroads in his career, and he eventually chose the chance to go big over the comfort of continuing down his current path.<\/p>\n
The large-scale entertainment and municipal projects underway and in the plans in Glendale, more than any other reason, led him to leave Gilbert after 14 years as its city manager.<\/p>\n
Banger will begin as Glendale city manager on Jan. 12. Current city manager Kevin Phelps announced his intent to step down in February.<\/p>\n
\u201cProfessionally, it was those opportunities \u2014 one last great opportunity before I retire. I\u2019m 56. Ten years from now I\u2019ll be 66 and if we still have great things ahead of us and there\u2019s great staff and great elected officials, I could work longer. That\u2019s kind of the horizon I\u2019ve been looking at. I feel very lucky to have this opportunity of one last great opportunity before I retire,\u201d Banger said.<\/p>\n
He said he did not truly look into the possibility until August.<\/p>\n
John Cross, the recruiter, is the retired city manager of Queen Creek. Banger knows Cross and Phelps quite well.<\/p>\n
Banger said he knew about State Farm Stadium, Westgate, and Luke Air Force Base.<\/p>\n
At first he told Cross if he can think of anyone he\u2019d get back to him. Cross called Banger back and spoke a little bit more about the things that were going on out here, like specifics about what is being built at VAI Resort, as well as the rest of the entertainment district.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, professionally, I really enjoy the large projects \u2014 working with developers, working with corporations on relocations or expansions and leveraging those to the benefit of communities. The more I got to know that, the more I became intrigued,\u201d Banger said.<\/p>\n
Before Gilbert hired him in June 2011, Banger was city administrator at O\u2019Fallon, Missouri, near St. Louis.<\/p>\n
At that time Gilbert was recognized as a nice residential community, Banger said. With the plans the city had for the downtown and commercial areas, he said he saw great opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the Heritage District we had a handful of restaurants. We had a beautiful, small theater that is flourishing and is a wonderful asset. There wasn\u2019t much there. Even in terms of restaurants, most people left Gilbert to go out to eat. Now people are coming in to eat and the downtown has been a huge success story. There\u2019s a large $400 million project that is underway right now. It\u2019s going to bring in a hotel, a 100,000-square-foot Class A office building, about 25,000 square feet of retail and restaurants.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rivulon, a 250-acre development that blends high end office space, retail and restaurants opened in late 2015 near the south Loop 202 in Gilbert. Isagenix International\u2019s world headquarters opened there in 2016, while Deloitte, TD SYNNEX, Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch opened offices in Rivulon.<\/p>\n
Gilbert Regional Park and Desert Sky Park, and revitalizing the Heritage District were among the noteworthy achievements during Banger\u2019s tenure.<\/p>\n
Plans for Gilbert were flexible, Banger said, and the city should build out in the next five years or so.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it comes to the people … that was one of the hardest aspects of it. We have a great team of people that work very, very hard serving that community,\u201d Banger said. \u201cThey\u2019re not co-workers and colleagues. I think of them like family.\u201d<\/p>\n
That made leaving Gilbert a difficult decision.<\/p>\n
He\u2019ll also leave his family home in Gilbert and move with his wife, Belinda, to Glendale. The couple has three grown daughters.<\/p>\n
Former Gilbert Mayor Jenn Daniels said his influence reached far beyond the projects he helped shepherd.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way that he built people,\u201d Daniels said. \u201cThat would probably be the first thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
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He got to know the entire Gilbert business and community ecosystem.<\/p>\n
There is still work to be done in that Southeast Valley city, but most of it is finishing touches, Banger said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis profession of city management is a unique one. We have to live in the community we manage. If you\u2019re taking a new job, you\u2019re also taking a new house and all the things that come with that,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ll say some of my peers and friends in the profession asked, \u2018Are you crazy?\u2019 I\u2019d had a tremendous amount of success in Gilbert. Many people would just ride that into retirement. That\u2019s just not how I\u2019m wired. Professionally, I like to be challenged.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Patrick Banger is leaving Gilbert after 14 years as town manager for a new challenge in being Glendale’s city manager. (Courtesy Town of Gilbert)<\/strong><\/p>\n He was hired Oct. 14, a bit after a two-day interview process in Glendale.<\/p>\n In November and December, Banger got to know the staff at his new city and met more with the council.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve met with Patrick Banger a couple of times, and I\u2019m very impressed with how well he understands how cities work and how easily he identifies problems and offers solutions,\u201d Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers stated. \u201cHe\u2019s energetic and truly focused on what\u2019s best for our residents. We will do whatever it takes to continue making Glendale a better place to live.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, listening to stakeholders and staff is the key, Banger said.<\/p>\n He got to know Phelps well, and is impressed by the job he and his team have done in recent years.<\/p>\n The other major construction project in Glendale will finish this spring when a $94 million renovation of City Hall ends with the building reopening downtown.<\/p>\n A lot of people will stop by City Hall and it can reestablish the downtown as a destination.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s foot traffic coming to City Hall to transact whatever business they have with the city. That\u2019s foot traffic coming into our downtown,\u201d Banger said.<\/p>\n After his work in the rise of the Gilbert Heritage District, Banger will be charged with getting visitors back to Historic Downtown Glendale.<\/p>\n He said downtown Glendale has a lot more to work with now than the Gilbert Heritage District had when he arrived in 2011.<\/p>\n \u201cDowntown Glendale was a place that was hopping and people used to come to. That\u2019s very natural for communities and for things to ebb and flow,\u201d Banger said. \u201cThe downtown itself, the structures that are here and Catlin Court and those historic homes, there\u2019s an incredible opportunity to return that vibrancy to the downtown and build on what\u2019s already there.\u201d<\/p>\n Foot traffic is the key.<\/p>\n At first in Gilbert, the city brought in a farmer\u2019s market, food trucks and art festivals to downtown. Festivals, art shows and theater are proven draws, Banger said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe challenges may differ between the town of Gilbert and the city of Glendale, but understanding his thought process \u2014 how he takes problems and applies common-sense solutions \u2014 gives us complete confidence in his ability,\u201d Weiers said.<\/p>\n Downtown needs to have unique draws from Westgate and the Arrowhead area, Banger said, adding that city-owned parcels can fill the gaps.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s missing in our downtown that we could or should bring in? I\u2019ve always viewed downtowns are like the living room for their cities. They also are a point of pride for their cities,\u201d Banger said. \u201cThe theater in Gilbert\u2019s downtown has been a huge draw.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t Richard Smith![\"RichardSmith.jpg\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/rsmith.jpg\")
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Senior News Editor | Glendale & West Valley Preps<\/p>\n