Economic Summit Marks Rebirth of Growth Cycle in Fernley

The first Economic Summit yesterday at Fernley City Hall marks a rebirth of sorts for growth in the City of Fernley. The summit was more than the all-too-common pep rally, but more a real signal that officials in this struggling high dessert community are shifting to a mindset that creates a sense of urgency to spur growth of business and development.

The luncheon event, a first of its kind joint venture between the Fernley Chamber of Commerce, Northern Nevada Development Authority and the City of Fernley, attracted just over 100 to the City Hall Complex to hear Len Gilman and Stan Thomas talk about progress at developments that stand to directly impact Fernley in the future. Mayor Todd Cutler moderated the event and other speakers included Interim City Manager Greg Evangelatos, Rafael Cappucci with NNDA, and Chamber President Chris Beni.

"We hear a lot of gloom and doom but we can, to a certain extent, control what's happening here in Fernley," Evangelatos told the audience. "We're streamlining our processes to make development easier and faster in this city. Construction has begun on the new I-80 interchange, there's a new post office and new schools about to be built, so we have lots of positive things coming along."

Mayor Cutler characterized Fernley as the perfect location for business and industry, referring to the accessibility of a major interstate highway and rail service. "The future really involves us working together."

Gilman, who heads up sales and marketing for the massive 107,000 acre Tahoe Reno Industrial Center that's just over the county line west of Fernley, told the crowd of business leaders and elected officials that TRI will become the largest industrial park in the nation. Gilman said the development holds the potential to some day employ 150,000 people.

Only a third of the 30,000 acres suitable for development in TRI have been snapped up by companies that include Wal-Mart, PPG, Petsmart, and Hardie Building Products. According to Gilman, another benefit TRI brings to the table is the completion of USA Parkway in the next 18-24 months, which will cut the drive time for many commuters and open up development potential for communities like Silver Springs and Stagecoach.

TRI has invested in its own infrastructure in order to make the industrial complex more attractive to big business. Gilman said that infrastructure includes a state of the art fiber optic telecommunications company along with a water treatment plant.

Thomas, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Wade Development, delivered an overview of progress on the 5,000 acre planned development that will ultimately straddle both sides of I-80 in Fernley. He said a hingepin of the plan, the new interchange at I-80 and Nevada Pacific Parkway, is now underway with construction due to be completed before year end.

"This city, once the economy bounces back, is positioned to explode," Thomas said. "The attitude has changed in city hall, and that really makes a difference."

While the sour economy has put the residential piece of the overall development on hold, Thomas said about 1,ooo acres of the industrial property have been turned, leaving about another 2,000 acres still available. He said the completion of the new interchange may help spur some additional retail and restaurants for Fernley.

Ultimately, Thomas indicated that a hospital/medical campus is finalizing plans for a location near the highway, along with an automall and big box retail. He speculates that the 2,000 acre Sonterra residential development will get underway by 2010 or 2011.