In-N-Out issued building permits

GARDNERVILLE -- An In-N-Out Burger in Douglas County is all but a sure thing, according to Carl Van Fleet, vice president of planning for the popular restaurant chain.

Building permits were issued on Tuesday for the 3,304 square-foot restaurant to be located in front of the Carson Valley Plaza being built next to Wal-Mart.

However, construction will not begin until plans for at least one other location in Northern Nevada are finalized.

Van Fleet said that the chain would like to have plans in hand for a restaurant in Sparks before construction here begins, so that both restaurants can open around the same date. In-N-Out also is working on opening a restaurant in Reno.

"We'd like to come in to the area with a couple of stores, so until at least one of the other sites is pretty clear, we won't begin construction," Van Fleet said.

Because the permits have already been issued on the Douglas County site, Van Fleet said that the chances are very good it will be the first store north of Las Vegas to open in the state.

Van Fleet said the earliest the restaurant could open would be in mid-2004.

No date for ground-breaking has been set, but the permit will expire if construction does not begin by December 24.

Once construction begins, Van Fleet said it would take about four months to open for business, weather permitting.