Storey establishes development agency

Storey County, home to the sprawling Tahoe Reno Industrial Center, is launching its own economic development authority.

The new authority will market Storey County to potential new and expanding employers in the region and will act as a conduit for applications to the state government for economic-development incentives.

The county previously participated in the Northern Nevada Development Authority, which is headquartered at Carson City, and also worked with the Reno-based Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada.

Pat Whitten, Storey County manager, said last week the county government believes it can provide economic development services efficiently and quickly to companies looking at sites at Tahoe Reno Industrial Center.

The 110,000-acre industrial park along Interstate 80 east of Sparks accounts for about 65 percent of the land area of Storey County.

The county's fast approvals process already is a major selling point for projects at the center.

But Whitten said Storey County doesn't expect to go it alone.

"We plan to work with all the economic development agencies. We're not turning away from anyone," he said.

Mike Skaggs, executive director of the Nevada Commission on Economic Development, said it's not unusual for rural counties in the state to operate independent economic development agencies.

He said state staffers will help get Storey County up to speed on the applications process for incentives, and he said the independent economic agency will further cement the county's reputation as a friendly location for industrial development.

"They're a well-oiled machine," Skaggs said.