Despite the term 'Mills' in its name, it is not nearby, or affiliated with Mill Avenue, a shopping and entertainment district near Hayden Butte to the north. The name is that of the property developer, the Mills Corporation.
Like other Mills Centers, Arizona Mills has abstract graphics at the entrances and throughout the mall. Numerous artworks are also displayed from the people of Arizona.
In June 2008, the mall's website was changed from its Mills Corporation format to the Simon Malls format along with 16 other sister Simon-Mills malls. It was the last Simon-Mills mall to make the switch. It is one of three malls Simon owns in Arizona, with Phoenix Premium Outlets in Chandler and Tucson Premium outlets as the others.[10] It is the third mall Simon owned in Arizona, previously having owned Southgate Mall in Yuma, Arizona, and Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix, Arizona later acquired by Carlyle Development Group.