Inside the vision that built Scottsdale, with Don Hadder, former City of Scottsdale Planner.

May 26, 2026

Inside the vision that built Scottsdale

What happens when the person who helped shape modern Scottsdale tells the story from the inside? Longtime city planner Don Hadder takes us behind the scenes of nearly four decades of growth, vision, and transformation. From the creation of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve to master-planned development and the policies that guided Scottsdale’s evolution, Don shares the stories, decisions, and challenges that helped define the city we know today.