Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, it became the Del E. Webb Corporation a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange in 1960.
Along with construction, the corporation was also involved in real estate and owned several hotels and casinos which were built and/or expanded by the company.
[3][4] After moving from Fresno to Phoenix in 1928, Del Webb began working for a small contractor who was building a grocery store.
In 1937 the firm opened a small branch office in Los Angeles to oversee construction of a high school there.
The development was planned as an age-restricted community of modern ranch-style houses, with facilities such as a shopping center, golf course, motel, and swimming pool.
[11] On January 1, 1960, the development company unveiled Sun City, Arizona as the first community designed for senior citizens.
[13] In December 1960, the Del E. Webb Construction Company went public on the New York Stock Exchange trading as WBB.
During this time, the corporation was also deeply involved in the development of Oak Brook, Illinois, Clear Lake City, Texas and Alamaden, California.
In the late 1960s, the corporation entered a joint venture building infrastructure for several South American countries, which was the firm's first engagement outside the United States.
Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, the corporation continued to construct many large and small scale projects including housing, schools, hospitals, hotels, high rises, convention centers, athletic venues, and airports.
The company would also continue to keep close ties to Las Vegas and its gaming industry, working on a major expansion of Caesars Palace in the mid-1970s.
The company's founder, Webb was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation for Patriotic Civilian Service by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson as recognition for these projects.
During the 1990s, Marco Rubio began holding speaking engagements at these retirement communities, for which the company tried to reward him by nicknaming a star after him in 1993.