• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The data scientist who called Trump's 2024 win now gives Democrats a 78% shot at the Senate

2

Google told to halt work on Finnish data centers after clearing an estimated 250,000 trees before environmental review was done

3

Jeff Bezos took 60 meetings to raise Amazon’s first $1 million. Now worth $361 billion, he says the cure for stress is to ‘take the first step’

1

The data scientist who called Trump's 2024 win now gives Democrats a 78% shot at the Senate

2

Google told to halt work on Finnish data centers after clearing an estimated 250,000 trees before environmental review was done

3

Jeff Bezos took 60 meetings to raise Amazon’s first $1 million. Now worth $361 billion, he says the cure for stress is to ‘take the first step’
Real Estatesmart city

Bill Gates Just Put Millions Into Building a Smart City in the Desert

By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 13, 2017, 6:18 AM ET
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Bill Gates has plans to build a “smart city” outside of Phoenix, Arizona.

The billionaire’s investment group, Cascade Investment, paid about $80 million for a stake in a 24,800 acre development 45 minutes outside Phoenix, called Belmont.

Read: Bill Gates Is Investing More than a Billion Dollars in Public Schools

The desert land is currently almost entirely undeveloped. However, developers Belmont Partners plan to build 80,000 homes, 3,800 acres of industrial, office, and retail space, and 470 acres for public schools, leaving about 3,400 acres of open land.

In a press release, Belmont Partners said they plan to “create a forward-thinking community with a communication and infrastructure spine that embraces cutting-edge technology, designed around high-speed digital networks, data centers, new manufacturing technologies and distribution models, autonomous vehicles and autonomous logistics hubs.”

Read: It Takes Half of America to Match the Wealth of These Three Billionaires

Belmont will be located along the proposed freeway I-11, which would run from Reno to Mexico and connect the town to both Phoenix and Las Vegas.

About the Author
By Natasha Bach
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Real Estate


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Recommended For You

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.