Future of business in Carson City

Larry M. Osborne, chief executive officer of the Carson City Area Chamber of Commerce, recently discussed business issues in the capital city.

Are we getting a new auto mall?

Osborne: I believe Carson City has a good chance of seeing an auto mall developed in the community over the next couple of years. If not a full auto mall, at the very least an expanded and refurbished "auto row" along South Carson Street with some additional dealerships and expanded auto-related services.

What will happen if we lose the auto mall?

Osborne: I don't believe we will "lose" the automall to another area. If it's not developed in Carson City, I don't see an auto mall being developed elsewhere in this region, at least not on the scale that Carson City is contemplating. There will almost certainly be some auto dealership developed in surrounding counties, but not as an auto mall.

Can you say anything about auto mall locations, or proposals on the table?

Osborne: If an auto mall is to be developed in Carson City the logical location would be along the freeway - good visibility, easy access - these are qualities the dealerships would be looking for. Now that the NDOT (the Nevada Department of Transportation) lawsuit has been settled, the Lompa property would be an excellent area for consideration.

What's more important in Carson City right now, the manufacturing sector or retail sector?

Osborne: They are both equally important sectors, but each for different reasons.

Manufacturing creates primary jobs - generally well-paying jobs with benefits, and manufacturing is like a "money factory." They purchase raw materials, create products from those raw materials and sell those finished products, bringing dollars into the community.

Retail is the sales-tax generator that is essential to local government funding, as well as being a major employment sector.

Both manufacturing and retail are coming out of a national downturn and we are now beginning to see increased activity in both.

What do you see for business in Carson City's future?

Osborne: I believe Carson City's business future is bright. We are seeing more retail development in Carson City. New retail and office businesses are opening up, and other businesses are expanding.

The new regional medical center construction is proceeding rapidly and that will create a whole new economic sector for Carson City, a high-tech, medical care sector - one of the fastest growing markets in the country.

The medical center will bring support services and facilities to Carson City as well as creating quality employment opportunities that will attract families from across the country.

The freeway will continue to attract retail and service businesses to build along the corridor, just as it already has.

The few empty stores along the corridors is not because of our local or regional economy but because of individual circumstances over which we have no direct control.

We will also continue to see commercial development occurring in the adjacent counties, but that can also benefit Carson City by bringing in new retail development that we don't have in Carson City and that will attract more consumers to the area and keep shoppers in the local area rather than traveling to Reno or Sacramento.

And the growing residential development that will occur in the neighboring counties, simply because they have more land available, will continue to make Carson City a major retail center.

What can Carson City officials do to help business?

Osborne: The best thing that Carson City officials -- staff and elected -- can do is to keep this community a business-friendly place, where businesses can easily locate and open and where existing businesses can grow and expand.

We have a business-friendly climate now and we need to work to continue that atmosphere. As our community grows we sometimes see friction and conflicts that can result in regulations, ordinances, etc. that are not necessarily in the best interest of the business community.

We need to work to resolve those issues without creating an overly-regulated negative business climate. That is an area where the Chamber is most heavily involved with the city.

What do you expect will happen to business taxes in the next legislative session?

Osborne: I expect there will be some "tweaking" and revising of the business tax laws that were passed in the last session, simply to make them clearer and more understandable.

I don't expect major changes and I do not expect there will be a push for any new or expanded taxes. The state should have a budget surplus going into the next session and while I'm sure there will be an attempt by some tax-and-spend elements to go for additional spending, I believe the legislators will know better than to go down that path again.

Where do you shop?

Osborne: With members of the Carson City Area Chamber of Commerce, of course.