Connecting canyons and capitals.

As the closest airport to the Grand Canyon with a commercial air service, Flagstaff/Pulliam has quite the tourist attraction on its doorstep. Thomas Haynes travels to the Arizona facility to find out about its unique operation.

With the Grand Canyon and a university with 30,000 students on its doorstep, Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG) has all the ingredients of a thriving regional gateway. Situated some 150 miles north and a two- to three-hour drive from Phoenix, the facility is an important asset to the city of Flagstaff, allowing residents easy access to the state capital. For tourists, FLG is the closest airport to the Grand Canyon with a commercial air service and is currently served by American Airlines’ regional brand American Eagle.

“What do you think of this place?” asks Charlie Chotabtim, mastermind of Go Sushi and Thai, as guests enter his newest creation, RiceThings Vs. Ramen N Boba, a candy-colored Asian emporium across Milton from Go Sushi in the Target shopping center.

If buying a house in Arizona isn’t financially in the cards for you this year, potential buyers may want to consider renting instead.

The (very) good news is rent prices are decreasing across certain Arizona cities, meaning you can still enjoy a comfortable lifestyle while saving money to put toward your future home down payment.

To find out which Arizona cities have decreasing rent, GOBankingRates reviewed median rent costs obtained through Zumper and pulled various cities based on the highest rent decrease over the last year.

To begin, the city’s economic development efforts are often accomplished working with partners such as the Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECONA), Moonshot, Local First, the Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Development Center, Northern Arizona University, Coconino County and others. The Economic Development Program uses Bed, Board and Beverage (BBB) – Economic Development funding to support and grow the local economy in a number of ways.

One example is entrepreneurial support and facilities provided through Moonshot at the Incubator and Accelerator. This provides businesses coaching and mentorship while founders get their business up and running.

The first U.S. astronauts stepped on the moon in 1969, but just two years prior, an astronaut training field was built in Flagstaff. Almost 60 years later, the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies are working to restore it to its former glory.