Downtown Gardnerville is hope to several eating and drinking establishments that raise taxable sales for the county.
Another winter month saw another decline in taxable sales in several sectors in February in Douglas County.
According to figures released at the end of April by the Nevada Department of Taxation, the county’s 5,511 merchants reported a 7.5 percent drop compared to February 2022.
The $75.58 million raised during the month was down from the $81.68 million in February 2022.
Food services and drinking places raised $10.5 million during the month, down 3.7 percent. Accommodations were actually up 3.5 percent to $4 million. Most of the sales in both categories are raised in the Stateline casino corridor and generally indicate the number of visitors. Amusement, gambling and recreation industries were essentially flat at $1.6 million. All three categories are well ahead of last year overall, with food services and drinking at $91.7 million this year up 12.4 percent.
General merchandise stores are flat overall at $84.8 million with $8 million of that raised in February.
Building material and garden equipment and supplies were down nearly 27 percent from last year at $4.7 million. Electronics and appliance stores were down 17 percent to $1.88 million.
Food and beverage stores were up 6.7 percent to $3.77 million.
Motor vehicle and parts dealers brought in $3.3 million down 21 percent from February 2022.
Nonstore retailers, which include Amazon and other online shopping sources were up 10.5 percent to $7.3 million, making it the fourth highest sector, according to the Nevada Department of Taxation.
Merchant wholesalers of durable goods brought in $9.5 million down 11.8 percent from February 2022.
Gaming numbers from March may indicate that could be another down month for Stateline.
According to the Gaming Control Board, the Stateline casinos brought in $16.7 million during the month, down 34 percent from March 2022.
The casinos are still running 11.2 percent ahead of the previous year going into the final quarter, with $196.25 million in the first nine months.
Casinos in East Fork and Carson City townships were down 4.27 percent during March, with $11.2 million. The two jurisdictions are down 2.28 percent to $98.5 million.
The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation reported Douglas had an unemployment rate of 4.7 percent, with 1,048 jobless workers. That’s down from 5.2 percent in February, but up from last year’s 3.4 percent.
The county’s labor force grew by 599 workers since last year, with 22,420.
