PHOENIX — The Arizona Republic will no longer be printed in Arizona, ending nearly 100 years of local newspaper production.
Parent company Gannett announced that printing operations at the Republic’s Deer Valley facility in north Phoenix will cease this fall. Starting in October, the newspaper will be printed at a facility in Las Vegas.
The move will result in 117 layoffs of full- and part-time employees, according to the newspaper. A few staff members will remain temporarily to assist with the shutdown.
In a statement, Gannett said the change will help the company allocate more resources toward its journalism and digital efforts.
“Where our newspaper is printed does not impact our ability to deliver outstanding journalism,” said Lark-Marie Antón, a Gannett spokesperson. “The Arizona Republic will continue to provide readers with quality, local content that matters most to them.”
The closure will also affect several other publications that were printed at the Phoenix facility, including the Arizona Daily Star, Arizona Daily Sun, USA Today, and the New York Times. These papers will also be printed in Las Vegas.
The Republic was first printed in downtown Phoenix in the 1940s before moving to the Deer Valley plant in the mid-1990s. The facility, located near 19th Avenue and Williams Drive, has served as the production site ever since.
The Deer Valley plant is scheduled to officially close on October 5.
