CEO
What an amazing amount of positive media in the past few weeks:
CBS This Morning News: August 4, 2017 | For decades, Reno, Nevada,was a gambling mecca but when casinos fell on hard times, Reno struggled.
Now, the city has reinvented itself as a tech hub. Mayor Schieve joined “CBS This Morning” to discuss how Reno has transformed itself and why mayors need a seat at the table in Washington. View the video.
Reno rethinks focus on 4-year degrees amid skilled labor shortage.
A recent Reno Gazette Journal story highlighted our high-profile arrivals such as Tesla, Panasonic, Apple, Switch and Google. “These companies, however, also placed a spotlight on the Reno area’s shortage of a skilled labor pool.” As Nevada tried to attract new sectors during the recession, it realized that its education system was not perfectly aligned with the new economy jobs the state wanted to bring in. “In terms of the types of companies interested in coming here, their questions are usually about workforce, higher education, internships and the types of employees available,” said Gov. Brian Sandoval. Full article.
Congratulations to the RSCVA! Interbike will be largest trade show ever held in the Biggest Little City.
The bicycle trade show is moving its annual September expo to Reno-Tahoe-Sparks from 2018 to 2022. Interbike is the largest annual bike trade show in North America. The search for a new location “was challenging,” with several candidates such as Denver submitting strong bids to host the event, said Pat Hus, Interbike vice president. Ultimately, Reno won out due to a combination of factors. “We could not be more satisfied (with Reno-Tahoe),” Hus said. “The place goes above and beyond the call of duty.”
The EPIC Report with actual numbers updated.
Now over two years into the five-year EPIC report projections of over 52,400 new jobs, we are still on track as Tesla, Panasonic and Switch continue to ramp up their hiring efforts. Here are the Actual numbers graphs.
Housing continues to be a concern, but it looks like we are making progress:
The chart below shows the number of permits for new housing units (including apartments and condos) pulled so far this year, compared to last year and compared to what is a goal of 6,000 per year, the number we were at before the recession. Permits pulled is the only way to track the progress on a monthly basis. At, 6,000 units a year we will be meeting the expected demand for housing based on current and projected job growth.
Here is the latest RGJ article: Adult businesses make it harder to revitalize downtown Reno.
The Reno City Council is considering a new ordinance that would move strip clubs out of downtown and off of East Fourth Street. I often hear disparaging remarks about our downtown (Reno) from prospects, people new to the community, visitors and even locals. My first response is to defend what a wonderful place we have in downtown Reno, with our river, restaurants and the increasingly “cool” or “hip” feel. What is hard to defend is the trashy look and in-your-face adult businesses that may have been a part of our past, but don’t really fit in with the “new” Reno we are striving to become. Full article.
Prior EDAWN articles, published in the RGJ, are stored on our website.
Here is the link to the library.
Help!! Taxi-Tops are still available!
We need your help to clean up our taxi-tops so please consider adding taxi-top advertising to your marketing plan now and in the years ahead. We have 25 taxi-tops available and if we cannot keep the taxi-tops filled with family friendly messages, they will revert to those that are less reflective of the “new” Reno-Sparks. Just $1,000 for the entire year! Contact Tamera Pitts at 775.829.3700 or email pitts@edawn.org.
Business Development
The Business Development team set a record 16 site visits for the month of July and continues to see an unprecedented level of activity during the summer months.
Manufacturers comprised the majority of companies (6) that we met with and also included four headquarters.
Standby for new company announcements in September.
Industry News.
More foreign manufacturers of solar panels, photovoltaic cells, and solar equipment are looking to move production to the U.S. due to high tariffs that are now imposed on imports from some Asian countries.
Partners
DRI Nevada Medal dinner is just around the corner and will take place on Monday, September 25th at 5:30pm at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino, Reno.
This event is DRI’s only fundraiser this year and we ask you, as a community partner, to help us reach our fundraising goal. We really need your help! This is a critical fundraising year for DRI, especially with the pending eliminations of science and research funding from all levels of government. We really need people like you to be involved and support DRI’s mission for outstanding scientific research that not only benefits our environment, but the health and welfare of people in Nevada and all over the world. Learn more here or purchase tickets.
The Governor’s Conference on Business 2017, presented by the State of Nevada Department of Business and Industry is being held in Northern Nevada, and takes place on Thursday, August 17th at the Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks.
This conference is designed to support business growth and connection in the region, and includes a business resource expo, great speakers and a business pitch competition. Display booths are also available and sell out each year, so don’t delay! For more information and to register, go here.
Major Investor of the Week
The RSCVA is the primary agency supporting the promotion of meeting, convention and tourism business for the Reno/Sparks/North Lake Tahoe region.
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EDAWN Events
“Save the Date” – Mark your calendars for the EDAWN Arts & Business Luncheon and Awards, scheduled for Thursday, September 14, 2017 at the Eldorado/Convention Center.
Registration will open August 15, 2017.
“Last Chance to Nominate” for the Sixth Annual EDAWN Existing Industry Awards, Tuesday, October 24, 2017, at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa.
This is a great opportunity to highlight and recognize the accomplishments of the many great primary employers in the region. Nominations are now open. Nominate your company, client or a company you know that may have flown below the radar. Now is the time to become more visible as an employer in the region and be recognized for your many contributions. Award categories and general criteria are posted on the EDAWN website here. For more information, contact Cynthia Egan, Program Manager, at 775.829.3712.
Please click here to view a list of EDAWN’s 2017 events. For more information, please contact Sheila Imsdahl or call 775.829.3704.
For a calendar of additional 2017 EDAWN entrepreneurial events, please visit Startup Digest Reno. For more information, please contact Shyla Pheasant or call 775.829.3702.