By the BF Staff
From the May/June 2017 Issue
Gov. Brian Sandoval recently took pride in unveiling what he called Nevada’s “state recovery statistics,” including an unemployment rate of 4.8 percent.
“Nevada’s recovery is a story that should be told. Led by small businesses and fueled by the relentless determination of Nevadans putting into place the policies that have allowed our economy to grow and thrive, we are exceeding all expectations,” Gov. Sandoval said.
“The next step in our state’s long-term recovery is workforce development in order to meet the demands of the new Nevada economy. I’m proud of what we have accomplished together but remain committed to ensuring that Nevada continues to build a vibrant and diversified economy powered by citizens who are educated and ready to compete for the jobs of the 21st century,” the governor added.
“In light of the fact that Nevada was the hardest-hit state in the nation during the Great Recession, our progress to date is extremely encouraging. Perhaps most notable is the fact that we’ve gone from the bottom of the job growth rankings to near the top in just six years,” said Bill Anderson, Chief Economist for the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation. “In the process, we’ve established a new all-time high in terms of employment. Looking forward, we believe that we will continue to see broad-based and diversified job gains of nearly 40,000 per year through the end of the next biennium.”
HENDERSON: A YEAR OF FIRSTS
It’s a year of firsts in Southern Nevada with the NHL and NFL announcements of the Las Vegas Golden Knights and the Las Vegas Raiders, and it’s a year of firsts for Henderson as well. Recognized as the “Las Vegas Valley Address for Business Success,” Henderson has an impressive lineup of its own internationally recognized brands in business such as Levi Strauss & Co., Barclaycard, Toyota Financial, Ocean Spray and Unilever, each with significant business operations in the city.
In January, the City of Henderson celebrated the groundbreaking of the region’s first urban test site for drones, the Henderson Unmanned Vehicle Range (HUVR). This partnership between the Nevada Institute of Autonomous Systems, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Nevada State College creates a unique opportunity for attracting unmanned aerial systems industries straight to the city. At full build out, HUVR will feature a 150-foot runway, vertical takeoff and landing pads, an observation tower and many other features to assist drone technology advancement.
In March, Turano Baking Company, the Chicago-based manufacturer of specialty and artisan breads for the nation’s major food service retailers, broke ground on the development of their new West Coast facility consisting of 125,000 square feet to start with room to grow. The capital investment for this project is estimated to be nearly $50 million with construction expected to be complete by year-end.
It was October 31 when Henderson Hospital opened as the acute care hospital anchor for the 150-acre master-planned, integrated healthcare development known as Union Village. This 142-bed hospital has set itself apart. It is the first to use ultraviolet light to kill bacteria in its operating rooms and emergency rooms. In addition, silver-ion infused countertops and door handles help minimize the spread of bacterial infection. It is technology like this that will continue to distinguish the kind of lifestyle that Union Village promises, billed as the largest healthcare building project in the U.S. It will feature senior living facilities and other specialty medical care along with office and retail.
Last summer, Core-Mark International signed a lease on 232,000 square feet for its convenience foods distribution operations. This building was a speculative industrial project for Prologis, but Core-Mark signed a lease before the building’s completion in April 2016, which ultimately resulted in more than 230 jobs and another $12 million investment in Henderson.
Henderson has a pipeline of nearly 2 million square feet of speculative industrial product in various phases of completion. Projects by recognized names such as Panattoni Development Company, Harsh Investment Properties, Juliet Companies and others position the community to accommodate the next wave of business relocation and expansion projects desiring to locate in this award-winning city. Companies of all sizes can be accommodated, as the developments currently underway will be providing spaces ranging from about 15,000 to 500,000 square feet that are well-suited for advanced manufacturing, e-commerce and logistics operations.
Staffing new operations in Henderson is made easier for human resources professionals as the city is well known for its master-planned communities and high quality of living. The city leads all major Nevada cities in median household income and the education levels of its residents, which is important for operations needing skilled talent. Anchor educational institutions in Henderson such as Touro University, Nevada State College, College of Southern Nevada, DeVry University and Roseman University of Health Sciences all help companies attract and further develop talent.
Henderson is regularly rated among the best places to live and do business. Recent accolades have included:
- Henderson was named one of America’s best places to live by Money magazine in 2012, 2008 and 2006.
- Ranked in the top 100 of the 150 most populated U.S. cities for the best city to start a business by WalletHub.com.
- Received Gold Medal Award from the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association.
- Named to America’s 50 Best Cities to Live by 24/7 Wall Street
- Named one of the 10 Best Cities to Raise Children by MyLife.com
- Bicycle Friendly Community, silver level from The League of American Bicyclists
- Named one of the Best Places to Start a Business as well as one of the Best Cities for Wallet Wellness by WalletHub.com
- Named one of the Top 10 Safest Cities Over 200,000 by Law Street Media
- Known as one of the seven Ideal Cities for Families by UPack.com
- Named one of the Top 100 Best Places To Live by Livability.com
- The 2014 Kosmont-Rose Cost of Doing Business Survey rated Henderson as a “Very Low-Cost City,” analyzing six types of taxes including business license levies, property tax, sales tax and utility taxes in more than 300 cities nationwide.
It’s clear that Henderson has much to offer and its record of success is consistent. For more information on how you can join the Henderson business community, contact the City of Henderson Economic Development Office at (702) 267-1654 or visit hendersonmeansbusiness.com.
MESQUITE MEANS BUSINESS
Mesquite, NV is located in Clark County just one hour northeast of Las Vegas, thirty minutes east of the amazing Valley of Fire state park in Nevada, the newly designated Gold Butte Monument, and an hour-and-a-half from magnificent Zion National Park, and Bryce Canyon. A gateway to incredible recreation at these and other state and national parks, the Mesquite area boasts unparalleled climbing opportunities, hundreds of miles of off-roading, seven championship golf courses, year-round youth sports tournaments, senior games, long-drive competition and a temperate climate that brings “snowbirds” from the northern states in their RVs to winter in our glorious community.
Mesquite had its beginnings in the late 1800s when Mormon pioneers settled the area and began farming, relying on the abundant water of the Virgin River and their innovative irrigation system to grow cotton, grapes, sugar cane and pomegranates. Known for their agriculture and their dairies, these hearty settlers expanded their business efforts to include motels and campgrounds for early travelers and tourists, leading to the beautiful modern-day resorts that attract visitors for world-class golf, entertainment and events.
Located on Interstate 15 half-way between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City, Mesquite is uniquely situated to provide a logistics and transportation mecca. With the completion of Exit 118 in April of 2016, the ease of access for transportation related opportunities are opened into both the Mesquite Technology and Commerce Center (MTCC) and the Sports and Events Complex (SEC). The MTCC is an approximately 800-acre master planned industrial park with all utilities in place, including a more than adequate water supply.
With exciting new projects in their launch phases, including the 333 Eagles Landing travel plaza that will include a convenience store, gas and diesel pumps, a fast food restaurant and a tire store—all slated to employ at least 80 people, as well as the expansion and remodeling of the Solstice Motor Coach Resort, eventually resulting in 240 spaces, and the REV Group breaking ground on a 76,000-square-foot RV repair and warranty center on land it has purchased in the MTCC anticipating the need for 75 new employees, now is the time to make the move to Mesquite.
Mesquite is rich in water resources, which is somewhat of an anomaly in Nevada. With abundant underground water from deep aquifers, as well as a plentiful system of surface water rights from the Virgin River, it is blessed with a resource that many western communities do not have.
During the 2015 legislative session, the City of Mesquite was successful in getting legislation passed in cooperation with Southwest Gas, authorizing the gas company to work with the Public Utilities Commission to supply natural gas to unserved rural areas to facilitate economic development. Southwest Gas is slated to make application to the PUC on behalf of Mesquite and plans to begin construction of the 14-mile pipeline and the distribution system in the fall of 2018.
With the growth of the APEX industrial park, a 50-minute drive from Mesquite toward Vegas, we anticipate the location of many supply-chain industries that have no interest in locating in the traffic and bustle of Las Vegas. We suspect many employees will also not want to live in Las Vegas and will instead choose to commute from our valleys, in turn, causing a demand for more workforce housing in addition to our robust inventory of retirement homes.
We have recently completed, with the assistance of Nevada Rural Housing Authority (NRHA), a housing survey which has resulted in a partnership with NRHA which will allow that organization to serve as the housing authority of Mesquite and help us facilitate the development of a desirable mix of housing inventory.
Believing a strong, prepared workforce is key to a strong, successful community, we have worked diligently to build a culture of education and a skilled workforce in Mesquite. With the creation of Mesquite Works, our local workforce development organization, and the College of Southern Nevada, we have been able to create innovative training programs to meet the needs of local employers and can react quickly to build training courses for new companies looking to locate their operations in our community.
Mesquite is currently the fastest growing city in the state of Nevada—growing at roughly 5 percent, and we suspect this growth is poised to continue. Boasting a beautiful medical campus at Mesa View Hospital, which operates a 25-bed facility along with full emergency and surgical facilities, Mesa View also operates an urgent care facility and directly across from the hospital is a medical park with a great variety of providers from pediatrics to aging services.
Mesquite Regional Business is here to help you navigate the relocation process from site selection to retention. To find out more about our great region in southern Nevada as a possible location for your business, contact Rachel Dahl at Mesquite Regional Business at (702) 613-0109, rdahl@mrbnv.org, or visit our website at www.chooseMesquite.com.
FALLON AND CHURCHILL: LOGISTICS HUB
Fallon and Churchill County offer a powerful combination: One of the finest locations in the West for logistics operations and a community whose authentic values attract and retain an excellent workforce.
The region dubbed “The Oasis of Nevada” is only 75 minutes east of the California state line, and it’s in the center of a superb transportation infrastructure that provides one-day truck service to nearly every major market in the West.
In fact, locations in Churchill County and Fallon are an hour closer to Phoenix, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City than logistics hubs in the Reno-Sparks market. Interstate 80 crosses across the north edge of Churchill County. The major north-south artery of U.S. 95, which provides direct service to Las Vegas, as well as east-west U.S. 50 serve the heart of Churchill County.
Industrial users are drawn, too, by robust rail service. The area is served by both the Union Pacific and BNSF, and a major intermodal rail center is under development to serve industrial customers in Fallon and Churchill County as well as industrial users such as Tesla in the nearby Tahoe Reno Industrial Center.
But smart site selectors know that even the best transportation infrastructure requires an excellent workforce to deliver true value.
Fallon provides a lifestyle unlike any other market in Nevada. Surrounded by verdant farm fields famed for crops such as cantaloupe and the organic produce sold at roadside stands, Fallon has a strong small-town culture. It’s the sort of town where the bright lights at the high school football field draw crowds on Friday night, the sort of town where kids head down to the municipal swimming pool on a warm summer afternoon, the sort of town where folks stop on Maine Street (yes, it’s really spelled that way) for a visit while they do their Saturday shopping. Traffic isn’t ever a problem in a town where folks often choose to walk rather than drive.
But the region is anything but old-fashioned. Churchill County is the home of some of the most technologically advanced renewable energy facilities in the world, including cutting-edge facilities that combine geothermal and solar generation. Renewable generation from Churchill County keeps the lights on throughout the Pacific region.
The U.S. Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center, which includes the famed “Top Gun” School, at Naval Air Station Fallon draws a steady stream of technological savvy to the region, inspiring the entrepreneurs who are building technology oriented companies in the region.
While the technology sector is just beginning to grow, tech executives recognize that the gigabit broadband provided by a community-owned telecommunications company provides robust and reliable connections, including dark fiber, to the world. And that small-town lifestyle with plenty of affordable, attractive housing is a breath of a farm-fresh air for technologists and their families who have been priced out of metropolitan areas.
With industrial infrastructure in place, new and expanding companies have a good selection of potential sites throughout Fallon and Churchill County.
The city-owned New River Business Park, completed in 2005, provides a variety of adaptable shovel ready properties. The first phase of the business park provides properties of one to seven acres, and the second phase can accommodate projects up to 42 acres. While infrastructure has been completed to many of the properties, others remain undeveloped so that improvements can be tailored to meet the specific needs of a business.
Other industrial users are drawn to the area around Fallon Municipal Airport. The airport recently completed a $4 million upgrade to its facilities and equipment and now provides a newly reconstructed 5,703-foot runway and new Automated Weather Observation System.
The hospital district at the east edge of Fallon also provides attractive shovel ready sites for new and expanding businesses.
The 2,000-acre Gateway Commerce Center now under development at the Churchill-Lyon county line north of Fernley will offer an industrial park served by mainlines of the Union Pacific and BNSF located near the junction of I-80, U.S. 50 and U.S. 95. In addition, the site is within a Class 3 waste-disposal zoning area. This means it can provide space for major recyclers and other industrial operations requiring this type of zoning and who are dependent on major rail services. Class 3 waste-disposal zoning combined with mainline rail is only currently available at two sites in the United States.
No matter whether they are large industrial users that need extensive rail access or small technology startups that want to provide an exceptional lifestyle for team members, companies locating in Fallon and Churchill County benefit from Nevada’s highly attractive tax environment for businesses and individuals alike.
