Administrators from Carson City and Douglas and Lyon counties got to play economic development "Show 'n' Tell" in front of area business people.
At the monthly Northern Nevada Development Authority breakfast on Wednesday, Carson City Manager John Berkich, Douglas County Manager Dan Holler and Lyon County Manager Steve Snyder reviewed the current economic status in each jurisdiction and outlined prospects for the near future.
In his overview of Carson City's economic situation, Berkich said the community's population has reached 53,000, that commercial development is shifting toward service-oriented and retail commercial businesses and that half the building permits issued last year were for homes.
He said Carson's sales tax revenue was up 2.6 percent in February despite the opening of the Target and Home Depot stores just south of the county line, that Carson City continues as a hub of manufacturing and that the business climate here is still favorable even though the low rate of unemployment makes hiring a challenge for employers.
Berkich rattled off a number of development projects expected or in progress in the community:
- A Costco store, 143,000 square feet in size with gas station and tire center, that could generate $1 to $2 million in sales taxes annually.
- A Lowe's Home Improvement Center at Fairview Drive and Roop Street.
- A North Town Plaza project south of KMart, with 80,000 square feet of retail space.
- A third Albertson's north of KMart, which also will have its own gas station.
- A Pick & Pull auto salvage yard on 13 acres next to Mound House. Berkich said the retail do-it-yourself salvage yard could generate $250,000 in sales taxes annually.
- A shopping center next to Pinon Plaza.
- A new building for Custom Office Supply on North Carson Street.
- Expansion of the Shaheen Business Park off West College Parkway.
- A 60-acre industrial office complex near the airport on Arrowhead Drive.
- A new main post office being built on South Roop Street.
- A 22,000-square-foot expansion of the Slot World Casino on Highway 50 East.
- Washington Square retail and restaurant space being converted from the former Golden Spike Casino.
- Eagle Point, an eight-pad retail commercial project on North Carson Street in front of the Silver Oak development and golf course.
- An urgent care facility to be placed in the Carson Mall by Carson-Tahoe Hospital.
- Redevelopment of the old Lucky Spur casino into a combination of retail and office space.
- The remodeling and reconstruction projects at the Ormsby House.
- Addition of a second floor to the senior citizens center.
"And the bridges for the bypass are built - well, they're moving dirt," Berkich said. "The southern portion should be completed by 2005-2007."
Berkich said he had received an estimate that Carson City has lost $4 million in retail activity to sales over the Internet, an amount he said was not too serious.
Holler flashed a grin as he pointed out that Douglas County's sales taxes were up 19 percent last month, much of it thanks to Target and Home Depot.
He said county officials and residents are addressing the issue of preserving agricultural and open space and that a quarter-cent sales tax increase to fund that preservation could be on the ballot in the fall.
A grant for $1.6 million to fund additional improvements at Minden Tahoe Airport is a possibility, Holler said.
Holler listed other Douglas County development projects:
- A new Bently Science Park includes a 260,000-square-foot new headquarters for the company.
- An 800-unit residential development is being planned east of the airport.
- The Sleeping Elephant Ranch project in southern Douglas County will encompass 1,700 acres.
- Highway 395 is slated for reconstruction and paving overlay between Minden and Indian Hills this summer.
- A 600-acre development is proposed near Jack's Valley.
Holler said prospects for development near the Carson-Douglas border are prompting consideration of joint projects by the two counties, such as high school, and water, sewer or library facilities. He said the Nevada Department of Transportation is being consulted regarding likely evolution of the county line area as a commercial hub.
Snyder noted that Wade Development remains an active force in Lyon County's economy, with expansions planned by several of commercial tenants in the Fernley area such as Amazon, Trex and Quebecor Printing. Wade also is developing residential, commercial and industrial space near Dayton.
Fernley residents could have the opportunity to vote to incorporate the community next fall, Snyder said. A Scolari's store is being built there and a second supermarket could also enter the community, he said.
A community sewer system is in the works for Silver Springs and Highway 50 will be widened to four lanes the rest of the way between Silver Springs and Dayton, according to Snyder.
Snyder pointed out that Lyon County has seven airports, all privately owned, and several privately owned golf courses.
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