Coachella Valley is in a low desert region in eastern Riverside County, located 120+ miles east of LAX; just over 4 hours driving into Phoenix, a straight-shot on the I-10.

I-10 begins it’s eastbound journey at the LAX (Los Angeles international airport) along the blue Pacific Ocean.

LA’s freeways provide truck routes carrying freight from the mega ocean port and LAX thru the populated region’s communities along the other main east/west routes, the 91 + 60  connecting in the massive “inland empire”. Yes, it’s trucks and trucks and more trucks… all using the I-10… it’s the “transit lifeblood” of the US and Southern California.

Adding to that business process is the super busy railroad tracks following along the I-10, stretching across the deserts of California, Arizona and New Mexico bound for Texas and beyond into the economic-booming mid-south region of Bentonville in northwest Arkansas connecting further east regions, “energy-rich” Oklahoma and going up into Nashville/Tennessee then further along into the Alabama industrial zone, connecting to booming Atlanta/North Georgia then down into Florida.

Coachella Valley has been rural for a long time but, for sure, that status is changing rapidly.

Of course, the Palm Springs section of the desert region has been a “hit” for Hollywood-related business people as a second-home area and as a weekend get-away from LA.  Several successful business people bought land, some of them purchased large amounts of land; originally the region was undeveloped or underdeveloped for many years. Several “communities” were developed within an upscale “country club” structure.  Building irrigation systems + water-control systems enabled large areas to be turned-into beautiful, flower-filled communities.  That began the well-funded development of the Palm Springs community and adjacent areas.  The city of Palm Desert was developed later as a commercial and shopping hub for the valley, as well as the place for large “country club” housing developments. 

And now in the decade of the 2020’s the region, especially in the Palm Desert undeveloped areas adjacent to the I-10 corridor extending into the Indio community.  Economically booming due to new home construction, mostly lower priced. Apartments too.  Industrial parks are loaded with small businesses.  Nearby are shopping areas… all busy, even in the hot months June-Sept.  30+ years ago I had a 3-BR house in Rancho Mirage near the busy cross-valley highway 111 (in Rancho Mirage adjacent to Palm Desert).  At that time the Summer months became a “ghost town”; those who could went to the Pacific Ocean communities.  But now in 2025 the Summertime stays busy during the Summer. Traffic flows are strong and steady, surely not as busy as “now” (November’25) but clearly the pace is steady and the people are young. Locals! Yes of course, the others (people like me who live along the Ocean) also come and enjoy the region, it’s beauty, comfort, and wonderful lifestyle.

A burgeoning population growth has younger families including college age and they are looking to stay in the Coachella Valley, get schooling including higher education, and find jobs and make careers, rather than leave the area for the LA metro, as has been done for years.  This development is very strong, very exciting for the region.

University of California Riverside is developing a campus; and equally good news, the very large and well-funded California State University system is also investing ‘big”, developing a campus adjacent to the new home construction and industrial business areas. Note the “representative” images displayed/positioned within this article. The 2 colleges are a huge injection of resources into Coachella Valley… human resources and talent development and retention within the area providing jobs, contracts for local businesses, places for the young people as well as places and recourses for the well-established property owners who also reside and invest in the Coachella Valley, as they have done for years.

That “beat” goes on and on. 

This is evidenced by the huge properties, country clubs/residential communities, spread across the valley in Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, LaQuinta and of course in Palm Springs.  

Now in an early-stage development in Rancho Mirage is the massive “Disney-branded enterprise, to be called Cotino. Here is a beautifully-imagined-and-produced video “peek” https://disneyparksblog.com/storyliving/behind-the-magic-of-cotino-the-first-storyliving-by-disney-community.   “Storyliving by Disney“, launched in 2022 by The Walt Disney Company, develops residential communities emphasizing community and personal interests.

Cotino, the first community, will be located in Rancho Mirage, is planned to feature a town center, dining, entertainment, and a beachfront hotel. Disney collaborates with real estate developers while maintaining control over planning and branding.”

I currently live in San Diego on the Baja Mexico border, a 3.5 hour drive north up into the LA metro region, then east over the mountains then down into the Coachella Valley low desert.  I’m personally familiar, first from 30+ years ago and now within a property in Palm Desert, along Country Club Drive. To me, a smile about it…so happy to see this sleepy region now wide-awake and thriving, being it and serving it… the new fast-growth population of Southern California’s Coachella Valley.  No longer RURAL, for sure!

I welcome your feedback and your “feed-forward” advice.

Reach me directly using email to …Ed the EDITORglobalbusinessnews@gmail.com