1988 when he led the small city of Eloy, between Phoenix and Tucson.

Beasley arrived in Glendale 17 years ago and was named city manager in 2002. Council appointed him to the top post as the city embarked on a bold journey to remold itself from bedroom community to sports mecca.

He has been the city's chief deal-maker as he carried forth the council's vision; the typically reticent administrator lighting up when he talked about the next big deal to move Glendale forward.

The city capitalized on its newly crafted image as a sports destination until the recession hit. The deals that shined bright in a robust economy caused critics to question the debt Glendale incurred as it rapidly transformed itself.

A decade ago, Mayor Elaine Scruggs spoke with an attorney inpassing who asked if Glendale would be interested in being the home of the Phoenix Coyotes. Beasley, then an assistant city manager, became the key negotiator who brought the National Hockey League to Glendale at a city-owned arena. As part of the deal, a private developer built Westgate City Center.

Council appointed Beasley city manager a year later.

That same year, he helped the city snag the NFL stadium and six years later, host the Super Bowl. When critics doubted Glendale's ability to host such mega events, the city manager exuded confidence and assembled a team to make it happen.

Beasley, with support from council, kept going.

In fall 2008, the city borrowed $200 million to open a spring-training ballpark for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox.

Despite the crisis crippling