2010

2009 .. Carson City

Car son Cit y . .2010
2011
 CARSON CITY PROGRESS
CARSON CITY PROGRESS 

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 2010
4
Carson City sees positive growth in 2010
T here was a lot of good news
in Carson City in 2010,
bright spots in what no one
can deny has been a challenging
year. We here at the Nevada Appeal
were especially gratified to be able
to bring back our Tuesday edition
— a move that our readers had been
asking for, and one that shows a
strengthening local economy.
In addition to our good news, the
capital welcomed two major retail-
ers this year — Kohl’s and Big Lots
— bringing with them more than
150 jobs.
Dick Campagni and Michael Hohl
opened three dealerships along
South Carson Street after breaking
ground in 2009. Meanwhile, tax-
able sales in Carson City have been
helped by auto sales, which are up by
6.7 percent for the fiscal year.
Carson Tahoe Regional Health-
care opened a clinic at the Topsy
Lane Walmart and also conducted
a regional health survey, which will
help the hospital address medical
needs in the community.
For Supporting Our Tuesday Edition
Show your support for these businesses and their commitment to our community!
Carson
Medical Group
Eugene Burger’s Carson Lanes
completed its makeover this year, and
the old Northgate theater in north
Carson City reopened as Carson
Stadium Cinemas, owned by Todd
Bloomhuff.
Jim Phalan, the owner of the Fir-
kin and Fox, opened a new location
in Reno, the Firkin and Wolf, and
took over the former Doppelgang-
ers in downtown Carson City and
renamed it the High Sierra Brewing
Company.
Among those with the entrepre-
neurial spirit were Carson City’s
LED Light, which opened a new
store earlier this year at 511 Fair-
view Dr., and Kristen Brodie, a
dental hygienist, opened her own
clothing store, Up Your Alley, 1212
N. Carson St.
Builders are giving more posi-
tive outlooks for 2011 than they had
for 2010 as they report a growing
backlog of projects. A Reno-based
company also purchased the former
Super Kmart in Carson City this
summer with the intent of develop-
Thank You
Your Life. Your Community. Your News.
CARSONCITYPROGRESS
ing the 170,000-square-foot building
for commercial use.
As for 2011, there’s much to an-
ticipate.
A message from
The organizers of the downtown
City Center project are aiming to
break ground on the $87 million cen-
Niki Gladys
terpiece next year. And the popular
family restaurant Olive Garden an-
nounced they’d be coming to Carson
City in 2011. Publisher
Meanwhile, the managers of the
Carson Mall say they may be able Nevada Appeal
to fill the former Gottschalks. Local
manufacturers and the Northern
Nevada Development Authority will CONTACT US The 2010 Progress edition provides
start their Dream It Do It campaign,
a snapshot of the local business community. While
too. we couldn’t include everyone, we want to hear
Mayor Bob Crowell thinks good from you about your business news.
things are on the horizon for Carson
Please contact us about editorial coverage or ad-
City.
vertising opportunities:
“Carson City seems to be grow-
ing,” Crowell said. “Money is start- Managing editor Peggy Santoro: 881-1221
ing to move again in the community Business reporter Brian Duggan: 881-1212
and in that sense, the last year has
been trying, but it looks like we’re Advertising Sales Lead Drew Simmons: 881-1247
working our way out of it.”
c o n f e r e n c e c e n t e r
CARSON CITY PROGRESS 
 business
6
Entrepreneurial spirit
By BRIAN DUGGAN
bduggan@nevadaappeal.com
M
any Carson City residents decided to take
their chances at starting or continuing a
fledgling business model this year.
Here are a few examples:
Rebecca Bevans, owner of Carson City Confections, is also
called Dr. Chocolate by her friends and family.
Sweet tooth
Rebecca Bevans spent most of the last decade in school
hitting the books and working toward her Ph.D. in psy-
chology and cognitive neuroscience at the University of
Nevada, Reno.
Today, she makes candy.
“My friends call me Dr. Chocolate,” Bevans said. “My
mom loves to tell everybody, ‘She goes to get her Ph.D.
and what does she do? She makes candy.’”
But candy-making is a welcomed change from the
stresses of academia for Bevans, 39, who started Carson
City Confections this spring to sell her sweet and salty
“Becky Roka” candy to earn some extra income.
“
My mom loves to tell
everybody,‘She goes to get
her Ph.D. and what does she
do? She makes candy.’”
-Dr. Chocolate, Rebecca Bevans
Business has been booming for Bevans. Over the sum-
mer she sold more than 300 pounds of candy at farmers
markets and she’s shipping her candy all over the coun-
try for the holiday season.
“I guess the mayor is addicted,” Bevans said, adding, “I
CARSONCITYPROGRESS
alive in Carson
want a store.” At the new location, McGregor will offer a pottery
Bevans, who teaches psychology classes at Western class for children 13 and older.
Nevada College and Truckee Meadows Community Col- McGregor started studying pottery in 1992 in the
lege, said, “I needed another job and in this economy it New York City area, eventually earning a certificate in
was really hard to get hired on full-time anywhere.” ceramics from the New Hampshire Institute of Art. She
So she decided to make a business out of the candy she has taught in her private studio at the Currier Museum
had been making for her friends and family for years. of Art in Manchester, N.H., and most recently at the
Brewery Arts Center.
“Instead of trying to hunt for a job I decided I would
make myself one,” Bevans said.
After mulling the idea for months, Bevans got her The LED Light, Inc.
business license, started a website and contacted the The LED Light Inc., formerly an online-only seller
owner of B’Sghetti’s, who lets her use his kitchen on the of LED lighting goods, opened its first retail outlet in
weekends before the dinner crowd. Today she’s selling 2010.
her candy at nine locations such as Carson Coffee, Sugar The store, 511 Fairview Dr., offers consumer goods
Pine Cove, Comma Coffee and the Wolf Pack Pit Stop at like lighting for homes and more. It opened in April.
UNR.
Danny Fierro, the director of sales and marketing for
“It’s something I’ve done for so long, I might as well the LED Light Inc., said the past year has meant good
offer it to the general public,” she said. things for the company.
Bevans said she still applies her knowledge of psychol- “2010 went great for us,” he said. “Our website con-
ogy to candymaking — the chocolate does raise endor- tinued to carry the company for us quite a bit. And from
phin and serotonin levels in people who eat it, after all. the local perspective we learned a lot about running a
“I understand the chocolate and all the other ingre- brick and mortar retail.”
dients on a biological and psychological level,” she said He said more and more people are coming in to learn
with a smile. “You can’t leave home without using psy- about energy saving technology.
chology in some aspect.”
“We’ve done what we wanted to accomplish,” he said.
“It’s just great.”
Videophile He said the store will offer more products in 2011.
Randy Letter, a self-professed movie lover, said busi-
ness is going well for his year-old business, Game Cozy
and Movies. More and more people
Letter moved into a new storefront at 1621 Highway
50 East in June where he rents, sells, buys and trades
are coming in to learn about
movies, video games and video game consoles.
energy saving technology.
He said he used to sell his large collection of movies
online, and came up with the idea to open a movie and
video game shop when he was laid off from his casino
cashier job in 2009.
He rents movies — including new releases and on Blu-
ray — and video games for nearly every console for 99
cents a night. He also rents older video game consoles
such as Super NES or Atari for $10 a week (eventually
he’ll rent newer systems such as the Xbox 360 for a
slightly higher price).
“Everybody told me the rental business because of
Netflix and Redbox is dead,” Letter said. “But I thought
maybe I’ll give it a try because there’s still people out
there that like to ... have a case and read a description.”
Letter also repairs video game consoles, which has
helped business.
“It’s getting better, I’m actually surprised,” he said.
Art imitating business
After years of honing her pottery-making skills,
Robin McGregor said it was time to go into business for
herself.
McGregor is a former pottery teacher at the Brewery
Arts Center and opened Carson City Pottery this fall
with a colleague. The studio and classroom will relocate
to the Nevada Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada, Some of The LED Light Company’s many products.
813 N. Carson St., on Jan. 1 from its current location in
east Carson City.
CARSONCITYPROGRESS
community
Tourism officials see
promise in 2011
By GEOFF DORNAN
gdornan@nevadaappeal.com
A technological
fter some three years
of recession, area
tourism officials say
they are expecting business
to improve in 2011.
Candy Duncan, head of
the Carson City Conven-
tion and Visitors Bureau,
said those attending the
governor’s annual confer-
ence on tourism in Reno the
first week of December were
hopeful for the coming year.
Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki,
who heads the tourism
commission, also said there
is reason for a “touch of
optimism.”
“We’re still in the tunnel
but I think we see the light
at the end of it,” he said.
Duncan said occupancy in
Carson’s largest properties
was up in September and
October compared to 2009,
a good sign, and that she
expects more improvement
in 2011.
“I’m optimistic for next
year,” she said.
Krolicki said there are
good signs over the past
quarter: “We’ve seen visitor
counts increase, gaming
revenues tick up.”
Even occupancy rates and
room prices are up a bit.
“It’s a sign that the worst
is behind us and we can start
climbing out of the hole,” he
said.
“We’re hopeful,” said Jona-
than Boulware of Gold Dust
West. “Our feeling is that
there is a more positive feel-
ing that next year we’ll start
to see more of a rebound
than this year.”
“But I wouldn’t say we’re
back,” he cautioned.
Krolicki too warned that
the recession has been “very
durable, stubborn.”
“Offhand, all the indicators
I see show there’s a nice little
uptick in the economy,” said
Steve Bilyeu, financial con-
troller for Carson Station.
“The uptick in the economy
is important because it puts
people to work, which gives
them a little money to spend.
We’re looking forward to a
better year next year.”
Boulware said after a
couple of years of not indulg-
ing, “people just want to go
out and spend.”
He said retailers are see-
ing that and, “I think that’s
true in our business as well.”
Duncan said one key start-
ing to help bring back busi-
ness in Carson City is the
V&T Railroad. She said this
past season they sold 10,400
tickets “for a train that only
ran three days a week.”
“It’s got a lot of room to
improve and grow,” she said.
But the immediate key to
bringing back tourists, she
said, is that people are begin-
ning to take vacations again.
“People are taking trips by
car and that’s great for Carson
City,” Duncan said.
Both Boulware and Bilyeu
said locals, who are very im-
portant to their businesses, are
beginning to return as well.
“The locals are our bread
and butter,” said Bilyeu.
“They’re what keeps us go-
ing. The tourists
are kind of the
frosting on the
cake for us.”
“We do a
combination
but a good part
of our business
is local,” said
Boulware.
He said the
first test of
that optimism
“kicks off in two
weeks,” he said
V&T Railroad
referring to the New Year’s
holiday.
“We’re looking forward
to a better year next year,”
said Bilyeu.
7
Library
continues
move toward
excellence
By SANDI HOOVER
shoover@nevadaappeal.com
E
ven as Carson City
continues to scruti-
nize the possibility
of building a state-of-the-art
Knowledge and Discovery
Library downtown, the Car-
son City Library continued to
shine during 2010.
Among the technological
achievements for the library
this year was the installation
of a Radio Frequency Identifi-
cation (RFDI) system.
The library has used bar-
code technology for many
years, but it was a process that
required that the check-out
and check-in process be done
one book or item at a time,
said Library Directon Sara
Jones.
“The advantage of RFID
is that multiple materials can
be checked in and out, making
it faster for the patron and
for the library staff. This
means we can use our human
resources to better serve
people,” she said.
And personal service has
improved with the new tech-
nology.
Instead of people behind
desks checking books out and
in, there will be more people
on the floor to help patrons
find what they need. With five
RFID stations available, there
is also less of a wait time, she
said.
The new system even
contributed to Carson City’s
recent 7th place designation
as a top technological city
by the Center for Digital
Government in the small cities
division, said John Wilkinson,
director of information tech-
nology for Carson CIty.
On another front, the
Carson City Library was
instrumental in helping to
improve literacy in 2010. The
drive to give every Carson
City student a library card as
part of the Literacy for Life
initiative has yielded some
impressive results.
“Our library card initiative
is going just great,” said Jones.
“We are seeing a really large
increase in library use as a
result.”
During the month of Oc-
tober, there were 2,119 cards
distributed, nearly as many as
were issued in all of 2008.
8 CARSONCITYPROGRESS

carson
Carson Mall mall
By BRIAN DUGGAN
bduggan@nevadaappeal.com
G ood things are hap-
pening at Nevada’s
first enclosed mall,
said Kevin Ray, the property
manager of the Carson Mall.
Five businesses have
relocated to the mall over
the past year from Douglas
County, Ray said. Paradise
Cove Cafe and its adjoin-
ing gift shop opened this
year, too, filling out the
$2 million Carson Cove, a
collection of restaurants on
the mall’s Stewart Street
entrance.
Paul Schat’s Bakery also
is currently adding a tea and
cake shop. Meanwhile, the
mall started to host weekly
concerts this summer.
“I think the biggest thing
we did to really help the
tenants was focusing on
food, and we did it early
enough before the economy
started tanking,” Ray said.
Since coming to work at
the mall about four years
dining destination
Christina Schlosser, of Reno, shops in It’s All About Me cloth-
ing store at the Carson Mall on Friday afternoon.
ago, Ray said his focus has
been to generate events to
attract potential shoppers.
That has meant stag-
ing events like the recent
library book sale or giving
space for local nonprofit
organizations like the
Rainbow Girls to conduct
fundraisers.
“The best thing to do for
any small business is to get
becoming a
people to their door,” Ray
said. “They take it from
there.”
The ongoing effort to fill
the former Gottschalks also
made headway in 2010 after
the department store closed
in 2009. The company’s
former CEO, Joe Levy, has
said he wants to reopen the
Carson City location with
the rebranded store, Gott-
schalk by Joe Levy.
Ray said the Carrington
Group, which owns the
mall, is still in talks with
Levy and other national
retailers about the pos-
sibility of filling the vacant
department store.
Joanne Holmes, a repre-
sentative of the Carrington
Company, said the Carson
Mall has made strides
over the past few years to
Lars Bateman, left, serves customers at the new Paul Schat’s
Bakery in the Carson Mall.
improve its image.
“I think the mall has
turned around in the past
four years,” Holmes said. “It
takes awhile to turn it.”
Ray adds, “It took a lot
of work, a lot of money
and a lot of new shops to
change peoples’ perceptions
of thinking, ‘I have to go to
Reno.’ ”
Holmes said 2010 was
a difficult year for retail
in general, but things are
improving.
“I think a lot of the retail-
ers right now, too, some of
them are looking for expan-
sion, which is hopeful,” she
said. “They weren’t a year
ago.”
Ray said the key phi-
losophy behind the mall is
“buy local.” He points to the
willow chairs and reindeer
made by Willow Bill that
are for sale throughout
the mall or state workers
opening kiosks that sell
gift items to help them get
through the state furloughs.
“Especially now with
the freeway bypass ... what
can you do to enhance the
local community,” Ray said.
“What can you give them
to keep them here in town?
We’re wanting to provide
that and at the same time
we want to grow in such a
way it becomes that destina-
tion for Carson City.”

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10 CARSONCITYPROGRESS

dream it do it
Dream It will promote
careers in manufacturing
in Carson City, said the program was designed by the
Manufacturing Institute in Washington, D.C.
“What it really means to the manufacturing is it’s a
skilled workforce initiative,” Hutter said. “It’s the fact
that we will be training a lot more people in very good
ways to work in not only our factories today, but to pre-
A new initiative, Dream It, Do It is designed to increase the pool pare us so five years from now we have the skilled work
of skilled workers in the community. Here, an employee works force we need.”
inside the manufacturing facility of Carson City’s Ryan Costella, the director of strategic initiatives for
Ametherm Inc. Click Bond, said Dream It Do It is comprised of a mar-
keting program designed to reach students, transition-
By BRIAN DUGGAN
ing workers and military families.
bduggan@nevadaappeal.com
“It tries to rebrand manufacturing in the eyes of all
And the lack of skilled workers in the region has been
a major hurdle for prospective companies considering
Northern Nevada, Hutter said.
“We will have a skilled workforce available for them,”
Hutter said. “That truly helps the community because
young people and people returning to the workforce will
have the ability to be trained.”
Ray Bacon, the executive director of the Nevada
Manufacturers’ Association, said the program will help
Nevada improve its standing in a global economy.
“As manufacturers, the bottom line is that our ability
to compete globally depends on the quality of our work-
force,” Bacon said. “Dream It Do It will help ensure that

B
y next fall, a program that will promote careers
in manufacturing is expected to make its Carson
City debut.
The Northern Nevada Development Authority an-
nounced Carson City would become one of 20 regions in
the country to participate in the Dream It Do It cam-
paign, which is an education and marketing program
designed to increase the level of skilled workers living in
the region.
Nevada is home to nearly 2,000 manufacturers,
employing some 40,000 individuals, according to the
Nevada Manufacturers’ Association.
Collie Hutter, the CFO and COO of Click Bond Inc.,
those people,” Costella said. “It’s not all smoke stacks.”
He said the local manufacturing sector includes jobs in
the aviation, health care and renewable energy indus-
tries.
The program also will implement a certificate pro-
gram for people to obtain at Western Nevada College,
which local and other national manufacturers will
recognize.
Costella said that will help economic development in
the region by showing companies outside of Nevada that
local employers and educators are actively preparing
employees for a more diverse and technical manufactur-
ing environment.
current and new Nevada businesses can thrive right here
in our own back yard.”
Costella said the funding for the program is coming
from organizations such as the Manufacturing Institute
and potentially the Bill and Melinda Gates, Lumina and
Rockefeller foundations.
“What’s happening now is the ground work and
planning process is well underway and all of the major
constituencies are at the table,” he said. “By next fall will
be a great time to launch this marketing campaign.”

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CARSONCITYPROGRESS 11

construction
Builders starting to see uptick in demand
By BRIAN DUGGAN
bduggan@nevadaappeal.com ment not knowing which end is up and I think the last election Mark Beauchamp, co-owner of Shaheen Beauchamp
Builders LLC

W
e sat down with three local builders to check in on
the local construction market. While not out of the
weeds yet, they all indicated that 2011 was looking
more promising than the past year.
Tom Metcalf, owner of Metcalf Builders, Inc.
“Everything I’m hearing right now, next year is definitely
looking a lot brighter than 2010 with the amount of jobs that
we’re looking at and the opportunities to build, starting first
quarter 2011,” Metcalf said.
At the end of 2009, Metcalf said, his company was still finish-
ing projects that were started in 2007 or 2008, which meant
2010 was “pretty bleak” because fewer projects were started
over the past 12 months.
There were exceptions, of course. Metcalf completed the new
Honda and Subaru dealerships as well as the remodeled Carson
Lanes in south Carson City.
And next year his company will work on new gas stations,
hotels and fast food restaurants in the region.
Metcalf is also working on a $7.5 million project in California
on behalf of Gilbane Building Company.
As for local projects, Metcalf said his company will start
work on an apartment complex in Carson City early next year
and will remodel a restaurant in Reno and a South Lake Tahoe
casino.
“I’m starting to see an uptick just recently,” Metcalf said.
“Hotel, retail, possibly some casino work and we’re continuing
to work at the Ormsby House.”
A year ago, Metcalf said his company was looking for work
outside of Nevada given the slow market.
“I didn’t have a positive outlook,” Metcalf said. “Just the
economy in this area and discontent within the federal govern-
has helped give us clarity.”
He adds, “2010 will have its place in the history books.”
Cary Richardson, co-owner of Miles Construction
“2010 was another difficult year, but once again we survived
it with keeping our core employees and core business intact and
we’re actually looking forward to 2011 with some optimism,
which is nice for a change,” Richardson said.
Richardson said Miles Construction has plans to start proj-
ects at the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center next year, many of
them originally slated to start in 2010.
Richardson said companies that have decided to build want to
take advantage of low construction costs.
“There seems to be a sense of urgency from certain owners
that the end of these times is near,” Richardson said.
Many of the projects are not using bank financing, such as
Germany-based Schluter System’s new facility at the TRIC.
Other projects for Miles Construction include TRIC facilities
for Scougal Rubber Corporation and Saginaw Control and
Engineering.
“You’re seeing pockets of the economy that are alive and
well,” he said. “These people are out there and they’re building
buildings.”
He adds, “With the reduction in housing costs it once again
makes this area more attractive to companies that are looking
at relocating. So it’s not all bad. The downturn in the housing
market has its upsides.”
Richardson said Miles Construction will have 30 percent
more projects in 2011 than 2010. So for now, Richardson said
Miles Construction is building a backlog of projects for the
foreseeable future.
“Cautiously optimistic,” he said.
“Well, the start of 2010 really wasn’t too bad for us. The first
quarter, second quarter were good primarily because we were
finishing up some projects from the previous years,” Beauchamp
said.
That work included projects at Carson Tahoe Regional
Healthcare and the $4 million expansion of the Battle Mountain
General Hospital.
“The rest of the year we’ve been kind of filling in with small
projects, improvements for gaming, public works and smaller,”
he said.
The bright spot for 2010 would be the growing backlog of
projects his company is anticipating for 2011, Beauchamp said.
“We’re feeling pretty confident about 2011,” he said. “We’ve
got some good projects in the pipeline, most of them being
medical. We’re hoping the (Carson) City Center project will
move forward and we’re a part of that team.”
He said if the downtown project, which includes a library,
retail, office and a parking garage, moves forward it will boost
the local construction market.
Beauchamp said there likely won’t be a quick turnaround in
the economy despite some green shoots.
“I think we’ll continue to see medical. I think we’ll hopefully
see some manufacturing, distribution,” he said. “I think the office
has got a ways to go before you see a return of any office space
being built. Retail is going to be a little bit of time before you
see retail space being built because of the vacancies.”
As for the lessons learned from this recession:
“You’ve had to get more competitive, you’ve had to reinvent
yourself, it’s important to be diversified, which is one of the
things that we’re thankful for,” Beauchamp said. “We don’t
specialize in one area of commercial building.”

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real estate
Realtor Q&A Realtors adapt business
A conversation with Jenny Lopiccolo, owner
and broker of Coldwell Banker Best Sellers
in Carson City, which merged with Coldwell
Banker Itildo, Inc., of Minden this year.
models to market
By BRIAN DUGGAN
bduggan@nevadaappeal.com

R
ealtor Mike Clark
What’s your take on the general market overview? said the world
My outlook for our residential market is positive going into 2011. of real estate has
We have experienced about a 40 percent drop in average sales dramatically changed since
price since 2006, but the number of homes sold in 2010 compared he first started in the busi-
to 2009 is only slightly less in the ness many years ago.
Carson City and Carson Valley
markets. Prices continued to drop “The whole business
over the past year, about 15 percent, model of going to a real
but we have seen signs in just the
estate office on a Satur-
last two months of greatly increased
activity in the higher price ranges,
day morning and asking
with several pending sales of homes to see property has been
over $600,000. changed,” Clark said.
“Now folks can go online,
Based on those sales, I think that
averages will start to slowly increase 2 or 3 a.m. and look at a
in the coming year. In all three of our piece of property and then
market areas, Carson City, Carson Valley and Dayton, the current they can contact the Real-
listed inventory represents about 10 months’ worth of sales at the tor to handle the transac-
present absorption rate. That’s not a bad number. tion.”
Clark founded Trans-
What’s your advice to sellers? Action Realty two years
We are still seeing a lot of short sales and sales of bank-owned ago, a firm that lets its
properties and there are still some bargains out there. Realistically, agents keep all of their
that is your competition. commission instead of
It is more important than ever to have an experienced Realtor on requiring them to give a
your team, so that you can price your home to sell in this market. cut to the broker. Instead,
Since prices are still trending downward slightly, we advise our sell- they pay a monthly fee to
ers to price aggressively to get ahead of the market trends. belong to the firm (as well
Many of our buyers are hesitant to get into a short sale deal as a flat service charge for
because of the time and effort involved, so a seller who is priced each closing).
right has an advantage over the banks. We track pricing and sales
trends constantly to help our sellers price competitively in the cur-
Clark’s business model
rent market.
isn’t anything new — he
said he modeled Trans-Ac-
tion after an Arizona firm
What if someone’s upside down in their home?
around or at least stabilize,
flatten out, something be-
sides continuing to drop.”
As for the housing mar-
ket, Clark said he’s seeing
more and more short sales
and fewer foreclosures.
“So foreclosures have
taken a back seat to short
sales in this market,” he
said. “It’s probably gone
from 10 to 15 percent two
years ago to about 40 per-
cent of the market now.”
The rise in short sales
is a trend experienced
by Kimberly Seifert, the
owner and Realtor at Lake
Side Properties in Carson
City.
“Surprisingly better
than we thought, so far so
good,” Seifert said of 2010.
“It’s been good. People
are buying. A lot of short
sales and a lot of investors
are picking those up. First he said has a 15 percent Veatch said the local
time home buyers are still vacancy rate. inventory of apartments
and duplexes also has
pretty interested, reloca-
A healthy vacancy rate increased, “and I attribute
tion has been picking up.”
would be closer to 5 per- that to people who have
cent, he said. lost jobs or cut back.”

“
— but he said it is work-
We deal with distressed property owners every day and have
increased training and education for all of our agents to be able to
ing. He recently opened a The whole business model of A three-bedroom rental
2,300 square foot office in home that would have
effectively counsel homeowners who are upside down in value or
who cannot afford their mortgage. Carson City and now has going to a real estate office on a gone for $1,200 a month
80 agents working for the is now worth $1,000, for
Short sales (selling with the banks agreement to accept less
than is owed) can be tricky. If you have an inexperienced agent it
company who serve most Saturday morning and asking to example.
can take months. The key is to work with an agent who has proven
of western Nevada.
experience in closing short sales and has the training to assist the see property has been changed. “Everybody in the real
homeowner with each step of the process. Nationally, about 20 per- estate community has been
If homeowners find themselves in a distressed situation, they
cent of Realtors worked Now folks can go online, 2 in survival mode,” Veatch
for companies like Trans- said. “But keeping a diver-
should get help as early as possible in order to keep the most op-
tions open. Action Realty in 2010, or 3 a.m. and look at a piece sified business plan is go-
according to the National ing to carry us through.”
Association of Realtors. of property and then they can
Advice to buyers The majority, about 70 And as for 2011, Veatch
My advice to buyers is to buy now, do not wait! percent, work for a firm contact the Realtor to handle the said he’s not exactly sure
that takes a commission on the market will stage a
With the combination of historically low prices and interest rates,
this is the time to jump in. When we see cash buyers and inves-
each sale. transaction.” dramatic turnaround in
the rental or sales markets.
tors returning to the market, as we have been seeing the past few - Realtor Mike Clark
months, it indicates that it is a great time to buy your own home. Clark said the down
The fact is that total housing costs are the lowest they have been in housing market has at- But there is a bright
10 years in this area, and the tax advantages of buying over renting tracted agents to his firm. As for next year: “We’re spot: “The one positive
are considerable. going to make it even bet- “As far as 2010 goes scenario I see is the mort-
“It was a way for us ter next,” she said. there was a pretty sizable gage rates may be going
The first time buyers who took advantage of the first-time home
buyer tax credit in 2009 and 2010 got a great deal, but realistically, in this tight economy to increase in rentable inven- up,” he said. “That may get
with the lower interest rates and prices right now, a buyer today actually give agents an Mike Veatch, the broker tory,” Veatch said. “A lot of a lot of people who have
will benefit even more than those buyers did. increase of pay,” he said. at Valley Realty and Man- that comes from folks that been sitting on the fence.”
“The longer you can stay agement, said his company have been trying to sell a
If you have the time and patience a short sale might be a good
in the game the sooner or has seen an increase in the house and decided to rent
option. There are still some great bargains out there.
later the market will turn local rental market, which it out instead.”
CARSONCITYPROGRESS 1

real estate
Tax incentives opened
door for first-time homebuyers
By BRIAN DUGGAN
bduggan@nevadaappeal.com

A
t the start of 2010,
most conversa-
tions with Carson
City Realtors probably
had something to do with
the first time home buyer
tax credit — an $8,000
incentive for Americans to
enter the housing market
for the first time.
“We got lucky with this
house,” Lockett said. “This
doesn’t look like some-
body’s first home.”
“We got lucky
with this house.
Because they bought in
Dayton, they also qualified
for a Nevada Rural Hous-
ing Authority loan that
did not require a down
payment. So the money
they had saved up for the
down payment instead
went to furniture and that
new bedroom.

David Lockett and his “It was always a dream

family in Dayton were
among the beneficiaries
of that tax credit. They
moved into their 2,000
square foot home in Janu-
ary.
While they had been
considering buying a
house even before the tax
credit was announced, the
extra money “definitely
sparked a little more inter-
est,” Lockett said.
On a weekday morning,
Lockett sits at his kitchen
table and grins as he looks
at the home’s vaulted ceil-
ing and the new walls he
and his wife built around
the former dining room to
create another bedroom
for their daughter.
This doesn’t look
like somebody’s
first home.”
-First time home buyer,
David Lockett
Locket, 35, and his
wife Kristi, 31, have been
married 13 years and have
three children. They’ve
been renting since mov-
ing to Carson City, where
Lockett still works as a
machinist. He said work
as been steady and he felt
financially stable enough
to buy the home. Kristi
Lockett stays at home
with the children.
of ours to own a home,”
Lockett said. “But it
wasn’t until, I’d say, the
beginning of 2009 that
we started getting serious
and contacted a real estate
The Lockett family of Dayton.
agent.”
Today, they’re paying
just $50 more per month
on their 30-year fixed rate
mortgage compared to
their monthly rent checks.
They plan on selling the
home in a couple years,
too, assuming the market
begins to improve.
“If I could turn this
house around and make
some money on it, I come
from a family of entre-
preneurs,” Lockett said.
“Making money is in my
blood.”

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 gaming
14
Gaming industry stabilizing
By BRIAN DUGGAN
bduggan@nevadaappeal.com
C ourt Cardinal, the
general manager of
Casino Fandango,
said the Carson Valley
region is holding its own in
the gaming industry.
“Overall, 2010 was a
pretty good year. We’re not
seeing the numbers that we
saw prior to the economic
situation for the country,
but the last couple years
we’ve held our ground,”
Cardinal said.
The 12 month gam-
ing revenue trend for the
Carson Valley through
October is down by about
a half percent, according
to the latest figures from
the Gaming Control Board.
It’s an improvement from
the 10 percent decline the
region recorded in the same
period last year.
Meanwhile, other im-
provements happened for
the local gaming scene this
Silver State Middle School • Grades 7-8
Silver State High School • Grades 9-12
775-883-7900 • www.SSHS.org
Steve Knight - Principal • 3719 N. Carson St. • Carson City, NV 89706
after taking some hard knocks
year, including the open-
ing of the Golden Nickel,
444 E. William St., and
the opening of the Jackpot
Crossing Casino after about
nine months of renovations.
Jackpot Crossing, 1897
N. Edmonds Dr., is owned
by Northern Nevada
Comstock Investments,
which also owns Cactus
Jack’s Senator Club (and its
repainted, waving mascot
Howdy).
The building used to
house the former Silver
Dollar Casino, which
sported a rainbow paint
job. It’s now painted with
desert-inspired colors.
General Manager D. Scott
Tate said 2010 was an op-
portune year to remodel the
casino.
“As a company we enjoy
Carson, we like the people
in Carson, the Carson
form of government and
Planning For The Future
In Education For Carson City
SILVER STATE CHARTER SCHOOLS
Free Nevada Public School
A Carson Nugget cook prepares turkey
for the annual free Thanksgiving dinner
hosted by the casino.
we appreciate that,” Tate
said. “We like the Carson
employees we have.”
CARSONCITYPROGRESS
He added he is
excited about the
changes being
made to down-
town Carson
somewhat,” she said. “Our
demographic, we have a lot
of retirees in Carson City.
Not as many of them are as
affected by the unemploy-
rate at the Courtyard by
Marriott also surpassed
2009 levels this year.
As for his outlook for
City. ment than the younger 2011: “It’s going to be hard
demographic.” to say, especially in the
“We are sup- state capital, facing what
portive of the Cardinal said the restau- the state is facing from a
downtown efforts rants inside the Fandango budget shortfall,” Cardinal
and the changes have surpassed 2009 levels said. “We’re not sure what
that are being and the hotel occupancy to expect.”
anticipated and
the changes that
have transpired,”
Tate said, add-
ing, “In the long
run we believe
in downtown
Carson City.”
Star Anderson,
the general man-
ager of the Car-
son Nugget, said
she thinks the
casino’s revenues
have stabilized.
“We do see the local
economy will affect us Guests dance at the Casino Fandango New Year’s Eve party
ringing in 2010.
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Building Will...
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• Enhance Current School Programs
CARSONCITYPROGRESS 1

downtown
Supporters say project will
By SANDI HOOVER
shoover@nevadaappeal.com
A project introduced
late last year with
expectations for
changing the face of Carson
City’s downtown as well as
its future has nearly come
full circle over the past 12
months.
The idea for the $87.3
million City Center Project
behind the Carson Nug-
get was initially brought
to city officials by Nugget
President Steve Neighbors,
who is also sole trustee of
the Hop and Mae Adams
Trust. He proposed it as a
mechanism to turn around
the city’s retail-sales-tax-
based economy.
The hope is that both
short- and long-term jobs
will be created by the proj-
ect and that the cutting-
edge technology proposed
will infuse the city with
new life and vitality.
Key components of the
plan — a digital media lab,
knowledge and discovery
library and business incuba-
tor — also hold special
deliver jobs, hope
library with a digital media
lab, a public plaza, infra-
structure, a parking garage
and transit hub.
The private development
aspects determined to be
the most feasible are a hotel
with 125 rooms and 5,000
square feet of meeting space
and an office building of
about 50,000 square feet
with tenants to include
the Carson City Business
Resource and Innovation
Center, a business incuba-
tor, retail and other general
purpose office space.
The project, however,
has sharply divided the
community. While it has
been touted by some as the
key to the city’s economic
turnaround, it is seen by
others as a poorly timed
proposition when the city
cannot afford to be taking
risks with public funds.
Bruce Kittess, a member
of the advisory commit-
tee and retired project Artist’s rendering of one of several layouts proposed for the City Center Project.
manager for developers in
the Bay area, said when he

place with Neighbors and
proponents as way to entice
Carson City’s youth to
make the city their perma-
nent home.
A feasibility study pre-
pared by P3 Development
was presented to the public
and the City Center Project
Citizens Advisory Com-
mittee last month. It claims
that the project has the
best chance for success as a
public/private partnership,
which would include $30.9
million of public investment
and $56.4 million in private
investment.
The public portion of
the project would include
a knowledge and discovery
was asked to be commit-
tee member, he was given
parameters.
“My assignment is to
scrutinize and ask ques-
tions, it is not to decide
whether it’s a good project
or not. That’s what the
board of supervisors was
elected to do,” Kittess said.
Kittess, who was one of
the two committee mem-
bers to vote last month
against sending the study
to the supervisors, said he
is still waiting for financial
documentation.
“Maybe this is a little
more complicated than we
thought,” he said. “And I’d
like to point out that some
T
he hope is that both
short- and long-
term jobs will be created
by the project and
that the cutting-edge
technology proposed
will infuse the city with
new life and vitality.
people are so enthusiastic
about the project, they
don’t want to be confused
with the facts.”
Rob Hooper, vice-chair-
man of the committee and
director of the Northern
Nevada Development
Authority, said at the meet-
ing that when he shows
business prospects around
Carson City, the feedback is
positive when he tells them
about the proposed City
Center Project.
“Their eyes light up — it
shows them that the city
is looking to its future,” he
said.
And the digital media lab
proposal elicits even stron-
ger reactions. He said he
believes it will create a posi-
tive ripple effect throughout
the community.
According to the study,
the library would be
partially funded by the
city through a 1/8-cent
sales tax increase. The city
would enter into a 30-year
lease-to-own agreement for
the library.
Neighbors said the rest
of the project would be pri-
vately financed, including
the hotel and events center,
which is the most recent
addition to the plan.
The feasibility study
supports a 125-room hotel
and 5,000 square feet of
convention space behind the
Carson Nugget. It also sug-
gests Nevada’s state capital
could compete for small- to
medium-sized conventions
that currently go to Reno
and Las Vegas.
“We identified roughly
100-plus small conventions
that we could bring to Car-
son City that are currently
going to Reno, Las Vegas
and elsewhere,” Neighbors
said. “That’s part of the
plan for the sustainability of
Carson City.”
P3 had determined that
if the board of supervi-
sors approves the project
by the end of this year and
negotiation agreements are
signed, construction could
start as early as next spring
or summer and be com-
pleted within 32 months. In
addition, the city would not
need to make its first lease
payment until 2015.

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16 CARSONCITYPROGRESS

Dealers experience

By BRIAN DUGGAN
growing sales
bduggan@nevadaappeal.com

F
or Carson City auto dealers, 2010 will likely be remembered And despite the closure of Carson City Nissan, auto dealers say
as the year three refurbished dealerships opened in Carson 2010 was a remarkable improvement over 2009. City officials say
City. taxable sales also got a boost from auto dealers in 2010 and many
Over the past year, Michael Hohl opened his Subaru and Honda are bullish about 2011.
stores and Dick Campagni opened his Toyota-Scion dealership. The
projects broke ground in 2009.

Matthew Hohl, General Manager of Michael Hohl Subaru and Honda

“I think the car business has seen a breath of fresh air,” Hohl said.
The Michael Hohl Automotive Group also owns Carson City’s GM Superstore,
which has seen improvement since the darkest days of the recession in 2009.
“GM has been making profit the last few quarters and we on the dealer level have
seen an improvement on shopping,” Hohl said. “Sales have been up. That trickles
up to the suppliers. The car business has seen a new light. I believe we’re certainly
climbing out.”
As for 2011, Hohl said he is expecting an improvement over 2010, which saw
sales increase by about 25 percent over 2009 levels at Honda and Subaru and double
for used car sales.
“We are going to be more cognizant of our money,” Hohl said. “But I think every-
body has hunkered down enough to realize you can survive where we are.”

Dick Campagni: Owner of Capital Ford Mazda Hyundai and

Capital Toyota Scion
“2010 was obviously pretty interesting,” Campagni said. “When everything hit our
economy we were still pretty positive. We went forward with building our new dealer-
ship and we were quite pleased with that.”
Campagni said 2010 proved to be a good year for sales, adding he did not lay off any
employees over the course of 2010 and hired nine people.
“We were still able to do that so I think my wife and I were very excited by the fact
that we weren’t forced to let any of our people go ... and we were able to continue our
donations,” he said.
As for 2011, “manufacturers are thinking 2011 is going to trend a little higher,” than
2010.
“My expectation is to do better than we did in 2010,” he said.

Stephen Christian, general manager Carson Dodge Chrysler Jeep

“This past year was much better than the year before,” Christian said. “It’s been a
gradual improvement since the beginning of the year.”
Christian said his dealership has experienced a 35 percent improvement in sales
compared to 2009.
“Customers are cautiously optimistic,” he said. “And for a lot of people their cars are
just wearing out, they need to get a vehicle. You reach a point where it’s no longer
feasible to put money into the old car, and a lot of people are there.”
Christian said personal debt is also decreasing, freeing up customers to consider buy-
ing a new car .
“There’s no comparison,” he said. “All we need now is for the real estate situation in
our area to stabilize.”
 airports
CARSONCITYPROGRESS
Carson Airport improvements
By BRIAN DUGGAN
bduggan@nevadaappeal.com
T he past year has
meant many
changes for the Car-
son Airport, including the
completion of its runway
and the ongoing construc-
tion to finish its taxiways.
Airport Manager Casey
Pullman, who joined the
Carson Airport in 2009,
said many improvements
have been realized over the
course of 2010.
“We are a capital city
airport and in 2009 and
2010 it was time for the
airport to start looking like
a capital city airport and
start acting like a capital
city airport,” he said. “And
we did that by improving
our infrastructure by leaps
and bounds. By doing that
we have seen the increase
of additional air traffic and
also based aircraft.”
Besides the $9.6 million
runway upgrade, which
was funded with federal
stimulus money, Pullman
said two aviation-related
businesses opened their
W e would like to thank the Carson
continued support during
our recent renovation.
We wish everyone a
prosperous 2011.
RETAIL CENTER
4600 Snyder Avenue
Carson City, Nevada
775.883.2606
www.carsonlanes.com
Jet Ranch, an 84,000-square-foot private aircraft facility, is
the largest private project at the Carson City Airport.
doors at the airport this
year with others eyeing a
2011 opening.
“We’ve also had an
increase in business jet
activity due to our new
infrastructure and due to
some new hanger devel-
opments at the airport,”
Pullman said, adding the
airport has seen more pilots
moving their aircraft from
the Reno-Tahoe Interna-
tional Airport to Carson
City this year.
Overall, Pullman said
he’s seen about a 5 percent
increase in aircraft based at
the airport, adding the air-
port is almost at maximum
occupancy.
And with that traffic, “It
increases our tax revenue
and with that revenue we’re
able to fund future proj-
and since
WE’RE SO MUCH
ects,” he said.
Other improvements hap-
pened this year, too, such as
a new weather forecasting
system similar to systems
used by other airports in
the region. The system, for
example, will allow a pilot
Spectators look at planes at the Carson City Airport during
the ‘Wings Over Carson’ open house event.
M RE THAN BOWLING…
position it for future
in Chicago to see a detailed
weather forecast for Carson
City three hours in advance.
Pullman said the taxiway
upgrade will be completed
next year and two others
will be rehabilitated.
“The following year we
have plans to begin recon-
struction of our main apron
here,” Pullman said. If
federal funding is approved,
the project would likely last
three years and happen in
phases.
Pullman said the airport
community for their
recorded a 16 percent in-
crease in its annual revenue
in 2010 compared to 2009.
“We’re in a financial
position now for at least the
next few years we’ll be able
to match any project from
the FAA,” Pullman said.
Another potential source
of income may come from
a gravel pile east of the
runway left over from the
upgrade project. A Reno
company has offered to buy
the gravel and haul it to
a processing center to be
used in asphalt.
“With the sale of that
rock that could benefit us
financially, incredibly,” Pull-
man said.
New fueling station for
Silver Springs Airport
The Silver Springs
Airport installed a 10,000-
gallon fuel station this year,
“a significant benchmark”
for the rural airport, said
co-manager Kay Bennett.
To install the nearly
$200,000 fueling station,
17
the airport got grants
from the Federal Aviation
Administration, which
covered about 95 percent
of the costs, with the rest
coming from the Nevada
Aviation Trust Fund and
Lyon County.
“It really takes us into an-
other whole level of service
here,” Bennett said in April.
“Now we’re able to provide
some significant services
that are going to be the
catalyst for more based
aircraft, additional hangars
and give us an opportunity
to attract aviation business
and industry.”
Bennett said the airport,
which sees about 20,000
landings and takeoffs each
year, largely caters to small
plane owners as well as
pilot training programs
in the region. She said the
fueling station could attract
more people to store their
aircraft at the airport as
well as potentially attract
new industry, such as avia-
tion-related manufacturers.
Voted Best
Recreational Activity
in Carson City
18
law
enforcement
Crime-reduction
efforts showing results
By SHERIFF KEN FURLONG
A s we approach 2011, our approach toward fighting
gang activities and violence is showing positive
feedback.
Crime trend tracking has revealed significant drops in
criminal activities where we apply concerted efforts.
Just this past year, our monthly crime rates have dropped
to the lowest levels in the eight years of tracking. The phi-
losophy of attacking crime at the lowest levels is working
to reduce major crime.
There remains a major crack in our
path to success — we currently have
few resources active in our middle
schools.
We must adjust our methods of
doing business (as we did with the
Special Enforcement Team concept)
and step up our presence in the
middle schools.
With Lisa Davis, DARE officer, in
the elementary schools and Deputy Sheriff Ken Furlong
Jessica Rivera at the high school, we
must create solutions to bridge relationships with this par-
ticularly vulnerable group of children.
I am confident in our readiness and actions, and am
pleased with the professional dedication, spirit, and commit-
ment of our staff and volunteers.
Undersheriff Steve Albertsen and I want to thank you all
very much for your past and continued support to build an
even stronger quality of life in this community and the best
Carson City Sheriff ’s Office ever.
DA’s Office successful in
and out of courtroom
STAFF REPORT
D istrict Attorney Neil Rombardo said 2010 was
a successful year for the Carson City District
Attorney’s Office.
Rombardo was named president of the Nevada District
Attorney’s Association in 2010. During his term, the
Association handled a variety of issues related to Dis-
trict Attorneys’ Offices statewide and prepared for the
upcoming 2011 legislative session. The Association took
positions on regulations for “spice,” a synthetic substi-
tuted for marijuana, and a new prescription-only bill for
precursor methamphetamine drugs.
The District Attorney’s Office continued to operate
the Gang Response Intervention Prevention Suppression
(GRIPS) program.
Rombardo said programs such
as the Community Volunteer
Board and Student Attendance
Review Board continue to provide
would-be gang members with
opportunities to change their
lifestyles.
Also, as a part of the GRIPS
program, the District Attorney’s
Office hosted the third annual
Gang Symposium which focused
on advanced gang investigation
District Attorney techniques and was attended by
Neil Rombardo approximately 100 law enforce-
ment officers from across the state.
The District Attorney’s Office also started the Stop
Abuse of the Vulnerable and Elderly (S.A.V.E) program in
2010. The program raises awareness of highly underre-
ported crimes – abuse of the vulnerable and elderly. The
District Attorney’s Office coordinates the S.A.V.E. team,
made up of state and local officials, to review cases involv-
ing vulnerable and elderly victims and develop a plan to
assist the victim with services.
transportation
Roop project brings city closer to
transportation vision
By SANDI HOOVER
shoover@nevadaappeal.com
S
queaking in just under the wire, the biggest street
news of the year in Carson City occurred Dec. 16
with the opening of North Roop Street.
Traffic — on what most people would agree is one of
the city’s most-used streets in town — had been rerouted
for nearly the entire year while the street was widened and
major improvements were made.
North Roop Street closed between North Stewart and
William streets in late January. It has remained closed
throughout the project. During the summer, the road was
also closed between William and Robinson streets to widen
that portion and add a JAC bus stop pull-out.
City Manager Larry Werner said he has had mixed emo-
tions about the project. While trying to figure out how to
get to the health center on Long Street, he was frustrated,
but on the other hand, it was good to see work going on
Jim Grant/Nevada Appeal
A work crew installs steel sculptures on the Fairview Drive freeway overpass.
because it meant people had jobs.
The project included, among other things, sidewalks
and bicycle lanes, utility poles removed and substantial
improvements to a number of underground utilities.
Carson City Supervisor and Regional Transportation
Commission Chairwoman Shelly Aldean said the project
was part of RTC’s overall objective to provide better traffic
on side streets. Punching Stewart Street through to Roop
Street was another part of that plan, as were the Curry
Street improvements.
“It’s a very good feeling to be able to complete a project
that was conceived years ago,” said Carson City Transpor-
tation Manager Patrick Pittenger.
Before the construction project, daily traffic counts on
Roop Street just north of William were about 14,000 ve-
hicles a day, Pittenger said.
“We’ll be measuring traffic next spring to see how traffic
adjusts to the new conditions,” he said.
The $4.1 million project came from a combination of
RTC and utility funds.
No major road projects are planned for 2011, but Phase
3 of Roop Street — between Washington and Fifth streets
— is now in the design phase.
Werner said that with the freeway opening to Fairview
Drive, negotiations with the state included turning over
several streets to Carson City on July 1.
At that time, the city took over Carson Street from
Arrowhead Drive to Fairview. It also took over Stewart
Street as well as East William from Carson Street east to
the freeway.
“It all becomes a piece of the puzzle to reclaim our down-
town so that people are going to the downtown rather
CARSONCITYPROGRESS
than through it. This allows us to look at skinnying down
Carson Street to make it more pedestrian and business
friendly so that people can slow down when they’re driving
there,” Werner said.
Meanwhile, the state has been installing freeway art.
Motorists traveling on the Carson City Freeway can
now see a bit of the city’s history reflected in steel cutout
sculptures over bridges on Fairview Drive and East Fifth
Street.
Carson City’s History in Motion is a plan to blend
landscape, art and history into the interchanges and grade
separations of the north leg of the freeway.
The themed idea builds on the Nevada Department of
Transportation’s vision for the entire Highway 395 cor-
ridor, which is intended to celebrate Carson City’s history.
Designs are visible from both directions.
The cattle drive design over Fifth Street features steel or
aluminum panels in the shapes of horses, riders and cattle,
said NDOT spokesman Scott Magruder. Panels are at-
tached to the existing pedestrian fencing and are life-sized.
Fairview Drive art will feature early settlers sharing
pine nuts with Native Americans, he said.
“Three percent of the total budget for state highways
goes to aesthetics. Federal enhancement dollars are ear-
marked to go to landscaping,” Magruder said.
Carson City is in the process of wrapping up final design
details for seven other locations along the freeway north
of Fifth Street, and planners expect to go to bid sometime
around spring, said Carson City Park Planner Vern Krahn.
The themes are:
• Highway 50 interchange: V&T
• Carmine/Northridge grade separation: Stagecoaches
• College Parkway interchange: Comstock Lode
• Northgate/Emerson grade separation: Pony Express
on south side, ranching on north side
• Arrowhead interchange: 1919 Transcontinental Motor
Convoy
• North Carson interchange: Eagle Valley
Carson City received about $2.2 million for improve-
ments to the freeway corridor with $1.7 million secured
through federal funding. The city also received $500,000
through the NDOT’s Community Match Program for the
project.
CARSONCITYPROGRESS 19

family entertainment
Carson Lanes off to a

good
start
By BRIAN DUGGAN
bduggan@nevadaappeal.com
Eugene Burger, owner of Carson Lanes, which underwent a $5 million expansion this year.

C arson Lanes completed its $5 million redesign in

2010, opening new restaurants, a coffee shop and
arcade all tied together with a new façade.
Owner Eugene Burger shared some thoughts with the
Nevada Appeal about the project:
When you bought the bowling alley in 2002 were you
already planning on revamping Carson Lanes?
No. My original thought was to demolish and build
What does this project mean to you? What do you
think it means for the people of Carson City?
The project means a long term commitment and invest-
ment for our family. Our intent was and is to provide a
venue for Carson City families that provides entertainment,
good food, day care, etc. in a safe, clean, atmosphere that is
also affordable.
How has business been for Carson Lanes this year? The
restaurants and arcade?
We are providing live music in the lounge on Friday
nights to provide an upbeat atmosphere for relaxation.
Wednesday nights we have country line dancing, Thurs-
day nights swing dancing, Saturday nights salsa dancing
early and Karaoke later in the evening, all doing well. The
Carson Day Care is also doing very well.
Five years from now, how do you envision Carson
Lanes?

w
apartments. We would and do envision Carson Retail Center with its

o !
Carson Lanes is operating at previous levels. Johnny family venues being the place of choice for all Carson City

n
From the initial idea to the ribbon cutting, how long

N
Rockets is doing well, Wally’s (Pizza) and Genoa Candy families.

pe
did this project take? Do you mind sharing the overall
and Coffee are currently operating below budget targets.

O
cost? What else is left to do?
Construction took about 19 months for a cost of some
$5 million, which included the building, venue designs and
restaurant equipment. The original plan is now complete.
We are looking at various rearrangements and reorganiza-
tion to mitigate this problem.
Arcade and billiards are above target budgets.
Any other comments?
It has been a wonderful experience going from vision
to completion, given that vision is perfect until you add
people.

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 bicycling
0
bike On the path to
Key part of plan is to
friendly
improve cycling conditions
in Carson City
By TERI VANCE
tvance@nevadaappeal.com
C arson City could become the first in the state to be
certified as a Bicycle Friendly Community.
Muscle Powered, a group dedicated to increas-
ing biking and walking in Carson City, received support
this year from the Board of Supervisors to make a formal
application to the League of American Bicyclists.
City officials are in the process of drafting the application.
Better bicycling routes in Carson City would not only
benefit residents here, Muscle Powerd asserts, but also
would attract visitors and new business.
“It’s probably one of the biggest benefits in encourag-
ing businesses to relocate to the area,” said Dan Allison,
project manager for the effort. “Employees want a bikeable
and walkable community. It’s often second on the list, right
below salary.”
Leaders in other cities that have been awarded the desig-
nation report a better outdoor image to market to tourists.
It also would serve those living here, said Marcus Mar-
chegger, treasurer of Muscle Powered.
“I used to live in a Bicycle Friendly Community, and I
loved it,” he said. “You could put the whole family on bikes
go out to eat or safely get anywhere downtown. It was
much more fun than driving.”
To be considered for the designation, the city would have
to commit to making Carson City more bicycle friendly.
Economic Development
is not a Spectator Sport!
2010:
12 New Companies Relocated
Over 300 New Jobs Created
Economic Impact of $484million
2011:
WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED
Creating a strong economy
for future generations
call 775.883.4413
or email us today at:
nnda@nnda.org
704 W. Nye Lane #201
Carson City, NV 89703
www.nnda.org
CARSONCITYPROGRESS
increase mountain bike trails
in the area.
Potter would take the lead in building a 5-mile trail to
connect two sections of trails in Kings Canyon and Ash
Canyon.
“It puts us in a better position,” he said. “We already have
a nice little network of trails, and that’s great for quality of
life, but to bring in tourism, we’d have to extend that.”
With the connector trail, he said the city could offer 17
miles of mountain biking in the west Carson City hills.
Eventually, he said, the trails could link up to surrounding
trails like the Tahoe Rim Trail and the Flume Trail.
Already, Carson City trails are increasing in popularity,
Marchegger said. It used to be all riders knew each other.
Now, he said, he sees new faces all the time, even cyclists
That would mean more bike lanes, reduced traffic speeds
and more bike racks throughout the city. coming down from Lake Tahoe.
“They’re jonesin’ to ride, but they can’t because there’s
“We’re putting in more bike racks. We want the city to
put in more bike racks and businesses and corporations to too much snow,” he said.
put in more bike racks,” Allison said. “We’d like every com- Carson City Transportation Director Patrick Pittenger
mercial or public corner in downtown to have a bike rack, said it’s going to take some time.
so no matter where you go there’s one nearby.” “If you talk to officials in cities like Davis (Calif.), they
One of those burdens is being assumed by Jeff Potter, will tell you it takes decades. It’s about taking the time and
a member of the board of directors. With support of city being opportunistic, and doing what we can within budget
planners, Muscle Powered is moving forward with a plan to — and it’s about progress,” he said.
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 outdoors
CARSONCITYPROGRESS
Recreational opportunities
range from rafting to fishing to ice skating
By SANDI HOOVER
shoover@nevadaappeal.com
C arson City’s Parks and Recreation Department continues to set itself apart
as forward-thinking in its approach to offering unique opportunities to the
city’s residents.
In addition to the usual array of team sports and special classes, there are plenty
of extraordinary activities, many of which moved forward this year.
Rafting:
The scenic but under-appreciated Carson River Canyon,
extending nearly nine miles from Deer Run Road to the
Santa Maria Ranch in Lyon County, has in recent decades
become a place for illegal activities, homeless camps and
trash dumping, but all that is likely to change in the next
few years.
A convergence of efforts — including open space pur-
chases, whitewater rafting and plans to extend the V&T
Railroad — may turn the canyon into an extraordinary out-
door recreation/tourist attraction.
“We’re starting to gain some momentum with this,” said
Carson City Parks and Recreation Director Roger Moel-
lendorf. “The aquatic trail is something to really be proud
of, and the sheer beauty is incredible. I hope it changes atti-
tudes that it’s not OK to dump old cars and trash out here.”
The Carson River Aquatic Trail, which winds through
the canyon, is poised to become a destination for whitewater
river enthusiasts.
“Carson City became an official Nevada whitewater raft-
ing and kayaking destination ... when officials cut the ribbon
to open the first developed facilities for boaters to put in
and take out of the Carson River,” said Chris Chrystal,
media relations manager for the Nevada Commission on
Tourism.
The 9.3-mile stretch of river from Morgan Mill Road
River Access Area just west of Deer Run Bridge, which
just opened this year, to the take-out at Lyon County’s
Santa Maria Ranch features numerous Class II/III rapids
appropriate for intermediate to advanced skills for kayakers
and rafters.
For those interested in a more leisurely float down the
river — but not through the canyon — rafting operators
offer a 3.3-mile Class I/II Float from Carson River Park to
Morgan Mill Park. The trip takes about 1-1/2 hours.
“These are interpretive tours where we talk about things
like history of the area, birding and history of the Carson
River,” said Pat Fried of Great Basin Sports.
Fishing:
The first net full of fish was tossed into Carson City’s
newly completed urban fishing pond on Sept. 10 by local
conservation activist C.K. Baily.
Baily was instrumental in getting the idea of an urban
fishing pond off the ground more than 10 years ago. He
spent countless hours raising funds for the project, ac-
cumulating nearly $475,000.
The board of supervisors voted this month on a rec-
ommendation from the Parks and Recreation Commis-
sion to name the new attraction the Baily Fishing Pond.
Most of the trout stocked by the Nevada Department
of Wildlife range in size from 6-10 inches, said Carson
City Park Planner Vern Krahn.
Children under the age of 12 can fish for Carson City.
free. Adults and children 12 years and older
are required to have a current Nevada fishing
license with a trout stamp. The limit is three
fish.
The one-acre pond at the base of Clear
Creek just south of Bodines is accessible from
Fuji Park’s parking lot. It is fairly shallow
— about 15 feet at its deepest point, Moel-
lendorf said.
The pond offers docks and rocks from
which anglers can cast their lines. There is a
handicap accessible floating fishing pier and a
nearby parking area. There are also handicap
portable restrooms nearby.
The pond is open for fishing from dawn to
dusk seven days a week.
Krahn said sagebrush and rabbit brush are
planted on the upland banks, as well as dog-
woods, willows, serviceberries, alders, junipers and cedars.
Around the pond and in the water are a variety of grasses,
sedges and rushes.
Clear Creek is being diverted in and out of the pond to
keep it fresh, but it also has a groundwater source.
Ice skating:
The Arlington Square Ice Rink opened for its third
season last month in the parking lot across from the Carson
Nugget. It is now operated by the Parks and Recreation
Department.
The rink was planned and operated initially by the
city’s Office of Business Development. Critics have been
concerned about the amount of money it took the city to
subsidize the operation and believed that the city spent too
much money on equipment during the 2009-10 season.
Moellendorf said of the total expenditures last season,
$32,822, went toward the purchase of two large tents, por-
table light towers with a public announcement system and
eight portable heaters.
The city paid $127,000 to subsidize the rink, $8,000 less
than the anticipated $135,000.
This year, the rink is 40 feet longer than last year when
8,222 skaters took to the ice. Joel Dunn, operations manag-
1
Kris Wickstead skates with his daughter, Shelby, 3, during the
opening night at the Arlington Square Ice Rink in downtown
er for the Parks and Recreation Department, said that this
year, he hopes to attract 10,000 skaters to try out the new
larger rink, two large warming tents and brand new skates.
But none of the operational details are of much concern
to the many families and skaters who use the rink every day
and enjoy its amenities.
The rink will be open through Jan. 22.
Equestrian trails:
The Parks and Recreation Commission is working on
a plan for Lakeview Park which would include a trailhead
located at the end of Hobart Road in Lakeview Estates.
Many homeowners in the area are opposed to horses
using the park, but the the 40-acre park site provides a
trailhead and access into public lands.
The area is a popular equestrian site, particularly with
the All State Trail Riders.
Open space:
Whether it’s fishing, walking, bicycling, horseback rid-
ing, rafting or viewing wildlife, Carson City residents don’t
have to leave the city to find plenty of outdoor recreation.
Ever since the mid-1990s when voters approved the
Quality of Life Initiative, Open Space Manager Juan Guz-
man has been working behind the scenes to acquire thou-
sands of acres to be set aside for the enjoyment of residents
and visitors.
In April, the board of supervisors approved the purchase
of the 368-acre Jarrard Ranch on the Carson River Road for
more than $3.7 million.
The purchase was a complement to the prior acquisition
in 2007 of the adjoining Andersen Ranch. The two proper-
ties are known as Buzzy’s Ranch, named for previous owner
Buzz Andersen.
“This is one of the pieces of property that has been
defined as significant because it’s so visible on Carson River
Road. And because of its expanse of green, the scenic value
is really good, too,” said Open Space Manager Juan Guz-
man.
“Because of its proximity to the river, it’s a place where
people can recreate, whether fishing, walking, horseback
riding or bicycling. There is no motorized use there,” he
said.
The Jarrard purchase will connect to the Silver Saddle
Ranch and Riverview Park, Guzman said.
The city is purchasing 405 acres owned by John Serpa
in the Carson River Canyon east of Deer Run Road, and
a purchase of 470 acres owned by Don Bently is also in
the works, which connects to the Serpa property and runs
almost to the Lyon County line.
22 CARSON CITY PROGRESS
CARSONCITYPROGRESS 

renewable energy
Going green saves on green
By F.T. NORTON
ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com

P .J. and Patrick Degross took a big leap of faith this

summer that seems to be paying off.
Like so many in Carson
City and across the nation,
the Degrosses decided to
install solar panels, going
green for the environment
and keeping the green in
their wallets.
Since the August installa-
tion, their electric bills have
been a steady $8.54 a month
to cover the use of the
power company’s grid.
Previously their monthly
electric bill ran between
$80-$115 per month.
“We’re saving $1,200. My
husband said it makes us a
little more independent, it
makes us green, it gives us
back more money,” she said.
The total cost was in the
range of $30,000 she said,
but the couple received a
$10,000 rebate from the
power company and a 30
percent prepaid tax credit.
In other green projects
around Carson City:
• The Carson City Plan-
ning Commission recently
approved special-use per-
mits for the construction of
photovoltaic structures at
area schools.
The structures are part
of a district-wide project to
construct 195,000 square
feet of solar panels at five
schools. The nearly $11
million installation cost
will be reduced to $975,000
after rebates from the power
company, said Tony Turley,
finance director for the Car-
son City School District.
A conservative estimate is
that the school district will
save $400,000 in energy
costs annually.
• A row of photovoltaic
solar panels that now line
the second story of the
parking garage behind the
state legislative building in
Carson City.
The project, supported
with part of the $8 million
in federal stimulus given
to the state for renewable
energy improvements, in-
cluded replacing fluorescent
lamps with LED lights in
the parking garage, which
will save the state about
$30,000 a year in energy
costs. The solar panels will
save $7,000 each year.
The annual power sav-
ings for the lighting and
solar projects are estimated
to be 300,000 kilowatt
hours and 60,000 kilowatt
hours respectively.
Jim Groth, director of Nevada State Office of Energy, dedicates the solar panels for the
• A 1.2 megawatt of solar
Legislature Building.
panels are above a parking
lot at the Office of the Adju- feed unused energy back son City’s corporate yard Carson City received
tant General for the Nevada into the power grid. on Butti Way. The panels $538,000 from an Energy
National Guard. will feed 60 percent of the Efficiency and Conserva-
Over the next 20 years,
Chief Warrant Officer III the energy savings are ex- energy for the facilities and tion Block Grant. It also
Tom McElroy, the project pected to be in the millions, result in $23,000 in annual will receive a solar rebate of
manager, said the solar pan- McElroy said. savings. $150,000 from NV Energy,
els will completely power In addition, the project said Deputy Public Works
• A 125 kilowatt solar
the facility in prime condi- will result in the removal Director Darren Schulz.
photovoltaic system of 572
tions when skies are clear of 118 metric tons of CO2,
panels were installed on the
and the temperature in the and in fixed energy rates for
roof of the truck shed Car-
70s. The facility also will 20-plus years.

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4
northern nevada
development
New approaches to authority
business development
By BRIAN DUGGAN
bduggan@nevadaappeal.com
M embers of the Northern Nevada Development Authority
have spent the last year establishing a new committee struc-
ture. And it appears their efforts have paid off.
Nine companies have relocated or expanded their opera-
tions in the region over the past 12 months with the help
of the NNDA. The relocations and expansions have meant
about 450 jobs created in the region, including an additional
636 family members also moving to the region.
The NNDA estimates these new jobs have added $62.8
million in local spending, $1.7 million in local tax revenue
and $666,420 going to state coffers this year.
Based on discussions with companies already in the
region or considering a move, the NNDA estimates that by
2012 more than 900 jobs will have been created for about
$283 million worth of economic impact by the companies.
Today, the NNDA has built nine committees comprised
of nearly 190 area professionals with expertise in banking,
business feasibility, commercial real estate and others. All
are volunteers and meet frequently to further a single mis-
sion: Create jobs by giving any company considering the
region the resources necessary to make a move.
Many in the organization say this system is a unique
model for any economic development agency.
“I sometimes feel like I’m working full-time on NNDA
deals, but that’s a good thing,” said Andie Wilson, vice
chairwoman of the commercial real estate committee. “The
reality is the only people who sit on our committee are
people who are willing to make the sacrifice.”
Project Dave
“We no longer have members, we have investment part-
arts
Carson City’s
& culture
By JOHN SHELTON
Executive director, Brewery Arts Center cultural transformation
T hree years ago,
Carson City re-
ceived accolades for
being listed by Business-
Week.com as the No. 3 best
place for artists in America.
The distinction comes, in
part, from Carson City’s
natural role in presenting
and preserving statewide
culture as the capitol city
of Nevada. The presence of
Carson City’s museums, its
artistic diversity, historical
heritage, access to local arts
groups and college-based
arts programs, all contribute to promoting a receptive envi-
ronment for artists to live and work in Carson City.
Like many Nevada communities already set up for, but
dependent on a vibrant tourism economy, Carson City is
beginning to understand the need to diversify its economic
base across other industries. Working alongside gaming
and government, new business is sought that not only sup-
ports increased tourism, but also encourages participation
by the resident populations that move here. In recent years,
Reno and Las Vegas, faced with similar concerns, have
ners,” said NNDA Executive Director Rob Hooper, who
calls the process “open source economic development. We’re
all coming together to play together.”
When a company contacts the NNDA, a member of the
commercial real estate committee, largely comprised of
brokers with more than five years experience in industrial
properties, will be assigned to the company.
That means they’ll know its identity and have direct con-
tact with the company, a unique mechanism for economic
development, Hooper said.
Because these conversations are kept private — only
one member on the committee will know the identity of
the company — the NNDA gives code names like “Project
Dave” so the company’s intentions of relocating are not
leaked prematurely, and risk the deal.
Bruce Robertson, the chairman of the commercial real
estate committee, said he’s been impressed by the commit-
tee’s brokers — normally competitive outside of the NNDA
— willingly giving another committee member a company
if they aren’t the right fit.
“And it’s happened with other brokers on the commit-
tee multiple times,” he said. “It is about bringing jobs to
Northern Nevada.”
Open Source
Other committees are focused on helping companies
already in the region improve their business models, like
the business and professional services committee, which is
looked toward expanding the development of their cultural
resources as a way to more fully define their communities
to residents, as well as a means to diversify beyond their
existing tourism based economy.
Many of us here in nearby Carson City are already aware
of and participate in Reno’s Artown festival, its summer
arts celebration offering many events free to the public
throughout the month of July. Over the years, Artown has
become a centerpiece of Reno’s community pride. It has be-
come an essential tool in the community’s effort to rebuild
its downtown core, drawing more than 350,000 residents
and tourists into the city center. However, Artown grew
out of a modest beginning that started as a marketing
program developed out of the success of the McKinley Cul-
tural Center and the development of the Reno City Arts &
Culture Commission. The Commission now allocates over
half a million dollars annually in support of arts develop-
ment, production and public art installations citywide.
Likewise, Las Vegas is seeing the benefits of its invest-
ment in the arts. Based on a recent study by Americans for
the Arts, Las Vegas now understands the $204 million an-
nual impact it receives from its nonprofit arts sector alone.
This realization has spurred a commitment to build the
$470 million Smith Center downtown, while also enhancing
the city’s cultural corridor, creating adaptive re-use of its
historic downtown post office and courthouse, and trans-
CARSONCITYPROGRESS
Rob Hooper is the new executive director of the Northern
Nevada Development Authority.
chaired by Tom Taormina, who has worked as a business
management consultant for 20 years.
So far, the company has directly worked with one North-
ern Nevada company, Patmont Motor Werks in Minden,
which makes the Go-Ped. The process, he said, is time
consuming but worth it.
“What sucks people into giving their time like that? Our
motto is do well while you’re doing good,” Taormina said.
“What’s in it for me is, hopefully, I’ll do some consulting
work, but that’s not why we did it to start with. It’s to fill a
vacuum.”
For Stevan Lyon, the chairman of the feasibility analysis
committee and a financial adviser with Waddell & Reed, the
last five months have meant developing a system to give
businesses an idea of how much they may (or may not) save
by moving to the region.
The committee is made up of financial planning experts,
accountants and logistics experts who are given access to
the business costs for companies who approach the NNDA
for help.
“We’re not sugar coating it in any way shape or form, and
in some circumstances pieces of the puzzle look better in
another state and so we’ll include that data in the analysis,”
Lyon said. “But when you look at the overall big picture this
state, especially the northern part, has a lot to offer.”
forming its historic Fifth Street Elementary School into an
intellectual marketplace.
As cultural investment in Nevada presents tremendous
opportunity for economic stability and growth, Carson City
itself seems poised for similar cultural investment given the
community’s intent on constructing a new public library,
re-envisioning its main street profile, forming its own
Cultural Commission, and developing a coordinated arts
advocacy effort hosted by the Carson City Arts & Culture
Coalition. Additionally, the community has long supported
it own local arts agency, the Brewery Arts Center, which
is itself moving forward with providing more arts support
services to artists, patrons and community arts groups.
The Center will soon be looking to expand its operations
through the development of an outdoor arts “campus” that
will adjoin its two existing facilities on adjacent city blocks,
opening up its new interior plaza for festivals, fairs and
amphitheater programming.
Perhaps Carson City can spark its own economic resur-
gence through effective use of the artists and cultural re-
sources that are already an apparent part of the community.
As Nevada’s capitol city, its only fitting that Carson City
should strive to be the example for how cultural tourism
and arts development can work towards setting a standard
of excellence in the arts in Nevada.
CARSONCITYPROGRESS 

education
Thanks to voters, schools to get
By TERI VANCE
significant improvements
tvance@nevadaappeal.com

C arson City voters approved the 10-year rollover bond

in this year’s election, with 55.39 percent voting for it.
“It’s a great vote of confidence from the communi-
ty,” said Carson City School District Superintendent Richard
Stokes. “It goes to show what I’ve always believed — that
Carson City is really a community-minded place of future-
minded people.”
Unlike previous bond issues, it’s not for a certain amount
of money. Instead, it asks voters to approve a fixed tax rate of
43 cents per $100 of a home’s assessed value over a 10-year
period.
It will be divided into three phases over the next 10 years,
with the first addressing “high priority” needs.
In this $25 million phase, every school in the district will
receive improvements, ranging from heating and lighting
upgrades, to increased handicap accesses and heightened
security.
By upgrading outdated mechanical systems, Stokes said,
the district will save money over the long run.
“We believe that by changing some of these things, we can
save at our elementary schools alone $25,000 to $30,000 in
energy costs,” he said.
Those projects are expected to begin in 2011 and be
completed in 2012. He anticipates the total savings from the
projects in the first phase to save the district $375,000 a year.
The bulk of the work would be done at Empire Elemen-
tary School and Eagle Valley Middle
School.
The plan is to remove portable
classrooms at each of the schools to
save the $6 per square foot it costs to
maintain them. Estimated operating
costs of a brick-and-mortar building is
$3 per square foot.
General redesigns are also part of
the plan, finding a way to increase
gymnasium and cafeteria size at Eagle
Valley, both of which are too small to
accommodate the school’s population.
Changes would be made at Empire
as well, moving the front office closer
to the entrance to increase security.
“It will allow school officials to
Portable classrooms at Empire Elementary will be replaced with more efficient
know who is in the building at all brick-and-mortar classrooms.
times,” Stokes said.
The second phase will be $10 million to
begin in 2013 and be completed in 2014. It The rollover bond allows for a “pay-as-you-go” compo-
is expected to address needs at Pioneer High School and in nent that the district would use to provide upgrades begin-
career and technical arts at Carson High School. ning in 2011 through 2020.
Officials estimate they will have $500,000 per year for the
The third phase of the bond will be designated to up-
program.
grade technology throughout the district.

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6 CARSONCITYPROGRESS

health care
Carson-Tahoe prepares for
changing health care landscape
By BRIAN DUGGAN
bduggan@nevadaappeal.com

T o say 2010 has been

an active year for local
and national health
care providers would be an
understatement.
And for Carson City’s hospital, Carson Tahoe Regional
Healthcare, the past 12 months have included a number
of acquisitions and preparation for the changes that are
expected to emerge out of the federal health care overhaul.

Ed Epperson, the president and CEO of CTRH, said the

recent acquisitions of health care firms like Sierra Nevada
Cardiologist Associates is a result of market pressures and
regulatory incentives to improve networking among local
health care providers.

“I think that what we’ve done is really stepped up the

amount of networking that we do with other health care
providers,” Epperson said. “And that can be in the form of
employment of some physicians that we did not employ
before. It can be partnering or acquiring an entity that’s
providing medical service, it can simply be strategic deci-
Ed Epperson, CEO of Carson Tahoe Regional Healthcare, speaks to community members at the Carson Tahoe Cancer Center
sions.”
during a celebration of the transfer of the center to Carson Tahoe Regional Healthcare. Jim Grant/Nevada Appeal
The overall mission, Epperson said, is to improve ser-
vice while driving costs down. eventually be placed on creating “accountable care orga- he said. “It did nothing to deal with the malpractice and
nizations,” which are a consolidation of local health care defensive medicine, and yet that is a very significant part
“That was a major pillar of the new health care law,” he providers that would be able to share patient and financial of the cost that is out of control.”
said, adding CTRH had been lagging behind other regions information.
in the number of physicians it employs relative to other
local health care providers.

“ Specialists had a great incentive to move ancillary services from the

Nationally, about 55 percent of physicians were em-
ployed by a hospital in 2009, up from 50 percent in 2008
and about 30 percent in 2003, according to the Medical
Group Management Association. In Carson City, Epper-
son said about 10 percent of the physicians in the commu-
nity are employed by the hospital, up from none two years
ago.
Epperson said the major trend driving local consolida-
tion has been falling Medicare reimbursements, which
make up a substantial portion of health care payments.
Medicare is the government-run health care program for
the elderly and disabled.
“So obviously we’re way behind the curve,” he said. “But
we’re moving in that same direction.”
Epperson said the number of physicians employed by
the hospital may double over the next year, although he
adds, “We’d rather see physicians stay independent.”
About a decade ago, it made more financial sense to
a practicing doctor to start a specialty practice. But as
Medicare payments started to fall, partially driven by
more people using medical services, the trend started to
reverse, Epperson said.
“Specialists had a great incentive to move ancillary ser-
vices from the hospital to their own facility. Now it’s gone
the other way,” he said. “And this has nothing to do with
the health care legislation, this is from the regulatory side
of Medicare.”
As for the health care legislation, more emphasis could
hospital to their own facility. Now it’s gone the other way. And this
has nothing to do with the health care legislation, this is from the
regulatory side of Medicare.”
-Ed Epperson, Carson Tahoe Regional Healthcare CEO
Epperson notes this trend is still in the regulatory pro- Meanwhile, there are other social problems such as peo-
cess — which includes anti-trust and patient privacy laws ple forced to stay in hospitals because of family problems
— and will take time to work itself out. despite having no medical reason for being in the hospital.
Epperson said there are usually one to five patients like
He adds more stress will be put on the system in the this in the hospital at any given time.
next few years as an estimated 30 million people obtain in-
surance under the new health care law, which includes an Other issues include end-of-life care, which became a
individual mandate to obtain health insurance (a measure volatile debate during the lead up to the passage of the
that will likely be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court). federal health care overhaul.
About half of the newcomers will get coverage through
Medicare or Medicaid, the health care program for the “Every doctor I’ve ever talked to about this says no one
poor. wants to talk about the rationing of health care, but the
fact is health care is rationed in this country. Most of our
Epperson said another trend is health care providers rationing probably happens because of a lack of access,”
transitioning to electronic records, which could improve Epperson said.
efficiency and reduce the possibility of duplicating tests.
There are other plans for the hospital next year, Ep-
But the health care overhaul is still working itself person said, including a women’s health program and an
through the legal and regulatory environment, which inpatient mental health clinic for the elderly.
means the system will continue to change, Epperson said.
“None of us can remember ever seeing so much in mo-
“We’ve got a problem in our country of how we finance tion at one time,” he said.
health care, the health care law was very incomplete,”
CARSONCITYPROGRESS 7
28 CARSON CITY PROGRESS

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Congratulations to
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We look forward to
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