Carson City: Economy

Major Industries and Commercial Activity

Carson City has a growing and diverse economy, with a population that increased by 64 percent between 1980 and 2000. It is the regional retail and commercial center for northwestern Nevada, which is devoted to irrigated farming, livestock raising, and mining of silver and other minerals. It draws from a trade area of about a quarter of a million people with 14 percent of the city's employees working in the manufacturing industry, making it the state's leading city in that category. The city's retail and commercial growth are also expected to continue at a healthy rate.

Since gambling was legalized in 1931, tourism has also been important to the Carson City economy, and the resort city is drawing increasingly more visitors. The service industry is by far the largest in the city representing 30 percent of the local workforce, which includes hotel, gaming, and tourism workers.

As the seat of state government, which meets in the city for two months every two years, and a center for federal government, the government sector employs about one out of four city residents and is the second largest industry.

Taxable sales totaled over $860 million in 2003 with nearly half of that from car and other retail sales. The cost of doing business is about 10 percent less than in Nevada's metropolitan areas, and land and labor costs are also lower. Carson City serves as one of the health care hubs for the region, providing hospitals and multispecialty clinics.

Items and goods produced: calculators and computers, refurbished aircraft turbines, retail display furniture, plastic moldings, plumbing supplies, fiberglass light poles, aerospace components, and welding accessories

Incentive Programs—New and Existing Companies

Local programs

Carson City is able to save employers time and money through the major project review process, and a local one-stop shop that issues building permits. According to the Northern Nevada Development Authority, Nevada does not offer short-term incentives to attract business. It relies instead on having no corporate taxes and no personal income taxes or inventory taxes to make its cities very competitive. In addition, accessible government, a thriving business climate, and sensible regulations also draw business.

State programs

The State of Nevada administers Small Business Administration loans. The Nevada Development Capital Corporation (NDCC) provides more than $3 million from Nevada banks, utilities, and mining companies and other firms to help finance growth opportunities for new and existing businesses. It provides flexible financing to small Nevada businesses that do not qualify for more conventional financing.

The Nevada Revolving Loan Fund (NRLF) offers loans of up to $100,000 to for-profit businesses in need of gap financing to complete business projects. The Nevada Industrial Development Revenue Bond Program makes loans available to qualified manufacturers who are buying land, building new facilities, and purchasing new equipment. The Micro Enterprise Loan Fund works with the Community Business Resource Center (CBRC) to help provide economic self-sufficiency for entrepreneurs through training, technical assistance, and access to credit.

Job training programs

Western Nevada Community College works closely with area businesses in providing specialized training courses for employees. Nevada's "Train Employees Now" program has customized industrial training programs to assist new and expanding businesses in training new or potential employees. Eligible businesses contribute 25 percent of the total training costs. Working to ensure that companies have an adequate workforce is the Job Opportunities in Nevada (JOIN) that offers training and educational opportunities for job seekers; Nevadaworks assists employers in developing employees' skills.

Development Projects

In 2003 the city held a groundbreaking for the new Carson City Freeway that will provide another north-south option for local travelers. The challenging and long-discussed project is estimated to cost nearly $70 million; the 4.8-mile northern half is scheduled to open in 2006. The Carson City Senior Center more than doubled in size to 33,000 square feet with its July 2004 expansion. In the summer of 2004 the Comstock Casino debuted its 9,500-square-foot 100-slot facility and 2002 saw the Ormsby House Hotel & Casino's revival with $20 million in renovations. With a growing population comes an increased need for medical facilities, which will be addressed with the opening of the $132 million Carson-Tahoe Regional Medical Center in late 2005.

Economic Development Information: Carson City Community Development Dept., 2621 Northgate Ln., Ste. 62, Carson City, NV 89706; telephone (775)887-2180; fax (775)887-2287

Commercial Shipping

With a strategic location on two major highway corridors, more than 60 local, regional, and national carriers provide trucking services in Reno. Shipments from Carson City are able to reach nine western states on a next-day basis. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroads provide regional freight service.

Labor Force and Employment Outlook

Nevada and Carson City's abundant availability of skilled workers and the area's moderate salaries have made the area attractive to new businesses. Training programs supported by the state and pro-business policies have helped make Nevada the fastest growing state in the nation with an anticipated 15 percent increase in the workforce by 2010. Local wages are reasonable because the cost of living remains reasonable in Carson City. Nineteen percent of the local residents hold college degrees, and 82 percent have earned high school diplomas.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Carson City area labor force, 2004 annual averages.

Size of nonagricultural labor force: 31,800

Number of workers employed in . . .

manufacturing: 3,100

trade, transportation, and utilities: 4,300

professional and business services: 2,300

leisure and hospitality: 3,900

government: 10,500

Average hourly earnings of production workers employed in manufacturing: $14.60 (Nevada average)

Unemployment rate: 5.8% (January 2005)

Cost of Living

The following is a summary of data regarding several key cost of living factors for the Carson City area.

2004 ACCRA (3rd Quarter) Average House Price: $329,876

2004 ACCRA (3rd Quarter) Cost of Living Index: 110.2 (U.S. average = 100.0)

State income tax rate: None; no corporate income tax

State sales tax rate: 6.5% (food and prescription drugs are exempt)

Local income tax rate: None

Local sales tax rate: None

Property tax rate: $2.63 per $100 assessed value

Economic Information: Carson City Area Chamber of Commerce, 1900 S. Carson St., Carson City, NV 89701; telephone (775)882-1565; fax (775)882-4179; email ccchamber@carsoncitychamber.com. Nevada Department of Business & Industry, Office of the Labor Commissioner, 675 Fairview Dr., Ste. 226, Carson City, NV, 89701; telephone (775)687-4850; fax (775)687-6409

Carson City: History

Gold Leads the Way

For nearly 4,000 years before the coming of white settlers, the Washoe Indians occupied the land along the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range that borders Nevada and California. In 1851 a group of prospectors decided to look for gold in the area that is now Carson City. Unsuccessful in that attempt, they opened up a trading post called Eagle Station on the Overland Stagecoach route. It was used by wagon trains of people moving westward. The surrounding area came to be called Eagle Ranch, and the surrounding meadows as Eagle Valley. In time, a number of scattered settlements grew up in the area and the Eagle Ranch became its social center.

As a growing number of white settlers came to the area and began to develop the valleys and mountains of the Sierra Nevada, the Washoe people who for so long had occupied the area were overwhelmed. Although lands were allotted to individual Indians by the federal government starting in the 1880s, they did not offer sufficient water. As a result, the Washoe tended to set up camp at the edges of white settlements and ranches in order to work for food. It would not be until the twentieth century that parcels of reservation land were established for them.

Many of the earliest settlers in the Carson City area were Mormons led to Eagle Valley by Colonel John Reese. When the Mormons were summoned to Salt Lake City, Utah, by their leader, Brigham Young, many sold their land for a small amount to area resident John Mankin, who later laid claim to the entire Eagle Valley. In time he subdivided the land and sold tracts of it.

Birth of Carson City

In 1858, an ambitious New Yorker named Abraham Curry, along with three partners, bought most of Eagle Valley, including the ranch and trading post. Curry was correct in his prophecy that the western part of Utah Territory was soon to become a state, and he had the present-day site of Carson City surveyed. He promoted Eagle Valley, a fertile though rather deserted place, as the site of the future state capital.

Soon Major William M. Ormsby also became an enthusiastic promoter of a town that did not yet exist. He named it in honor of legendary mountain man Kit Carson, whose name was also borne by a nearby river. The town was laid out with wide streets and had a four-square city area that he named Capitol Square, but that later came to be called the Plaza.

In 1859 the rich (chiefly silver), was discovered mere miles from the site of Carson City, setting off a rush to the area. Curry sold his claim to the Comstock for a few thousand dollars, but those who bought it became millionaires. Still, Curry is remembered in the name of the mine, the Gould and Curry.

By 1860 the town's population stood at 500 people. Soon Abe Curry took steps to have Carson City named territorial capital. He argued that it was close to the main lines of travel in the region. On November 25, 1861, Carson City was named the permanent capital of Nevada Territory and the Ormsby County seat. A plaza was established at the site for future public buildings.

Carson Named Capital of New State

Just one year later, the population of the town had nearly doubled. The year 1862 saw Carson become a station on the Pony Express and the eastern end of a telegraph line from San Francisco. Soon the town became a freighting and supply point for many mining and ranching communities in the central and southern part of Nevada.

About this time, both Carson and the entire surrounding area were having problems with cattle rustlers, claim jumpers, and other outlaws. As a result, the legislature passed laws designed to establish order. When the new legislature could not find a site large enough to accommodate its numbers, Abe Curry offered it the use of his Warm Springs Hotel, a rather primitive building located near the Carson River. In the early days a canvas curtain was used to divide the Nevada senate from the state assembly.

In October 1864, Nevada became a state, and Carson City was chosen to serve as the state capital. By then, Curry owned a sandstone quarry, a brickyard, a saloon, and the Great Basin Hotel. When a courthouse was needed, Curry again came to the rescue. He sold his Great Basin Hotel to the State of Nevada and it was used as a courthouse and legislature building into the 1870s. Because it was two miles out of town, Curry transported the legislators in Carson's first horse-drawn streetcar.

The Early Years of a Capital City

A few years later the Warm Springs building was converted into a territorial prison and Curry became its first warden. Prison labor used local sandstone to construct many of Carson City's early buildings. In 1870, a branch of the U.S. Mint was built in Carson and Curry was appointed its first superintendent. The mint processed the rich ore found in nearby mines. In rapid succession, Curry resigned that position, lost a bid to become Nevada's lieutenant governor, and built the huge stone roundhouse and shops for the Virginia & Truckee Railroad. This became America's richest short-line railroad, connecting the Comstock mines with mills on the Carson River. In 1873 Curry died of a stroke.

During those early years, Nevada's legislative business was punctuated by fistfights, vote-buying, and other acts of political corruption. In 1872, a State Capitol building, a large square stone structure with rafters made of hewn logs, was completed. That same year saw the completion of a 52-mile railroad linking Carson City to Virginia City, and other lines were to follow. In 1880, the population stood at about 8,000 people.

As a New Century Dawned

During the last decades of the nineteenth century, Carson City experienced boom and bust cycles common to the area. With the decline of the nearby mines, the population too began to decline. Railroad traffic through Carson City came to a halt when the Southern Pacific Railroad built a branch rail line that bypassed the city. That, and the departure of the rootless, restless miners, resulted in Carson City's settling down into a quiet community. In the late 1800s Carson City became home to the Stewart Indian School, which educated thousands of native American children between 1890 and 1980, teaching them English and the ways of the white people.

In 1897, Carson City became the focus of worldwide attention when it became the site of a world heavyweight championship fight in which Britain Bob Fitzsimmons won over "Gentleman Jim" Corbett. A motion picture of the fight, the first of its kind, thrilled audiences, despite its bluish tint and flickering images. But soon after, between 1890 and 1900, the population of Carson City dropped from nearly 4,000 to just over 2,000 people.

Carson City in the Twentieth Century

Carson City's fortunes gradually declined through World War I and with the coming of the worldwide economic downturn known as the Great Depression. By 1930, the population had declined to only about 1,500 citizens, a quarter of what it had been 50 years earlier. Then in 1931 state legislation was enacted that permitted gambling in the area and provided for speedy divorce and simple marriage procedures. These moves brought more tourists into the area.

Soon the population began to grow again, reaching 2,478 in 1940, doubling to 5,163 by 1960, then tripling that figure by 1970, when the population stood at 15,468 people. In 1969, Ormsby County was merged with Carson City, and government services were consolidated. The population doubled again in 1980 to 32,022 then jumped by 20,000 more in 2000.

Today, as the site of a state prison, the Nevada Gaming Commission, and a variety of state department headquarters and federal agencies, the small city is economically thriving and serves as the power center of Nevada. The city's planners are set to complete a comprehensive 20-year "master plan" by the end of 2005 that will address a variety of needs—growth, housing, economic factors, and environmental issues among them—and propose action steps and long-range strategies for success. The business climate is diverse and expansive and is driven by a highly educated workforce and prime open land for future development. Pleasant weather conditions throughout the year draw visitors to outdoor activities in addition to the wide array of entertainment options. A new freeway scheduled to open in 2006 will support an increase in travel throughout the city and to nearby vacation destinations.

Historical Information: Nevada State Library and Archives, 100 N. Stewart St., Carson City, NV 89701-4285; telephone (775)684-3310 or (775)684-3360; fax (775)684-3330; email nslref@clan.lib.nv.us. State of Nevada, Department of Cultural Affairs, Division of Museums and History Office, 708 N. Curry St., Carson City, NV 89703; telephone (775)687-4340; fax (775)687-4333

Carson City: Recreation

Sightseeing

The Carson City Chamber of Commerce provides an illustrated map with details about various local historic sites.

Tours in a horse-drawn surrey are available. The Governor's Mansion, a 1909 example of classic southern Colonial design, is on the 2.5-mile Kit Carson Trail, a blue line painted on the sidewalk that takes visitors past a variety of historic sites. The route passes 60 historical homes, churches, and buildings featuring Victorian architecture. Also along the route are several museums. Visitors to the State Library and Archives Building can peruse its rich collection on Nevada history and view the original Nevada Constitution.

Historical homes that highlight the tour include the Bliss Mansion, an 1879 15-room mansion with seven marble fireplaces; the 1859 Roberts House, a Gothic revival structure that was moved to the city from its first site in Washoe City; and the 1876 Chartz House.

The silver-domed State Capitol, rebuilt during the 1970s, features portraits of Nevada governors, Nevada artifacts, and Old (Nevada) Supreme Court and legislative chambers that are open to the public when not in use. The Federal Building, once the federal courthouse, a post office, and a state library, and now the Paul Laxalt Building in honor of a popular Nevada politician, houses the state Tourism Commission.

The Nevada State Museum, inside the old Carson City U.S. mint, has displays on the history of the area, an exhibit that illustrates the process of making coins, a realistic mock underground mine, and an exhibit showing bears, bobcats, and other animals native to the area. The Fire Museum displays a century's worth of fire-related memorabilia, including goggles, helmets, hose carts, and Currier & Ives prints of New York fires. The Children's Museum offers displays and activities for the younger set such as 25 hands-on exhibits and a walk-in kaleidoscope.

The Stewart Indian Cultural Center houses the Cassinelli arrowhead collection, traditional basketry, grinding rocks, Great Basin artifacts, and the Indian School collection, as well as a gift shop. The Dat-So-La-Lee Museum features memorabilia of the famed Nevada basket weaver of the same name. Her original baskets, worth up to $250,000 each, remain on display at the Nevada State Museum and in other museums throughout the country.

Focusing on Nevada's rich railroad heritage, the Nevada State Railroad Museum's collection contains more than 60 pieces of rolling stock, including 6 steam locomotives, and more than 50 passenger and freight cars, many of which once operated on the famous Virginia and Truckee line. The museum also contains an assortment of exhibits relating to railroading in Nevada. At the Great Basin Wildlife Center, opened in 1992, visitors can observe coyotes, foxes, eagles, raccoons, a mountain lion, and a black bear, as well as geology and botany displays.

A short drive from Carson City is Virginia City, site of the legendary Comstock Lode mining operation, which produced both gold and silver. Virginia City provides a glimpse into the days of the Old West. The booming mines there spurred the construction of quartz reduction mills along the Carson River and helped Carson City become a thriving commercial center beginning in the 1860s. Today's shops, saloons, museums, and rides on the Virginia & Truckee Railroad are fun for visitors old or young. Major sites in Virginia City include the Nevada State Fire Museum, with memorabilia from the Comstock Era; the mining and silver artifacts displayed at the MacKay Mansion; the antiques on display at the ornate 1886 home known as the Castle; and the Territorial Enterprise, a newspaper office that gave famous writer Mark Twain his start in journalism.

Carson City draws visitors with its 11 major gambling casinos, Best Western Carson Station Hotel-Casino, Best Western Pinon Plaza Hotel Resort, Cactus Jack's, Carson City Nugget, the Carson Horseshoe Club, Casino Fandango, Comstock Casino, Ormsby House Hotel & Casino, Silver Dollar Casino, Slotworld, and Slotworld's Cabaret.

Arts and Culture

The King Street Gallery, a showcase of the Nevada Artists Association, displays the works of over 75 local artists. Western Nevada Community College Art Gallery features works by local and regional artists. The Great Basin Gallery features fine contemporary art from Nevada and the region.

The Proscenium Players, Nevada's second-oldest year-round theater company, present dramas and comedies at the Brewery Arts Center, which also features other performing groups. The Renaissance Projects theater company also presents productions throughout the year. Affiliated with Western Nevada Community College, the Western Nevada Musical Theatre Company stages plays and musicals on campus.

The Carson City Symphony, renamed in 1998 from Carson City Chamber Orchestra, presents five annual classical concerts. Residents also enjoy the music of the Carson Chamber Singers who perform occasional concerts.

Festivals and Holidays

September calls for a trip to nearby Virginia City for the annual International Camel and Ostrich Races. Begun as a hoax, the event is now one of the most popular in the state. Since 1997 September has also been the time for the three-day Salsa y Salsas family celebration with food, entertainment, and dancing. October's special events in Carson City include the Nevada Day Parade and four-day celebration, the La Ka Le'l Be Nevada Day Pow Wow, filled with arts, crafts, dancing, the Chili Cook-Off, the High Desert Sierra Jazz Festival, and the Ghost Walk tour of homes decorated for Halloween. The December holidays are ushered in by the Silver & Snowflake Tree Lighting ceremony with caroling, and the Victorian Christmas Tour of houses on the Kit Carson Trail.

March is the month for the Mother Earth Pow Wow and the Cowboy Jubilee & Poetry Evening, which features cowboy poets and barbecues. March also features a traditional St. Patrick's Day parade. April brings the Eagle Valley Muzzle Loaders Spring Rendezvous. June's big events are the Downtown A-Fair, and the Stewart Indian Museum Pow Wow, as well as A Taste of Downtown, which features a food tasting from the city's restaurants along with live music and dancing. The Kit Carson Rendezvous and Wagon Train event, also in June, features a mountain man encampment, trader's row, an Indian pow wow, and mock gunfights, all in celebration of Nevada's history. Independence Day in July is hailed by a four-day celebration with the traditional fireworks and Silver Dollar Car Classics, a street dance, and music concerts.

Sports for the Participant

Included within about 600 acres of city parks is Mills Park, which offers tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pools, a mini-golf course, and a children's one-mile train ride. The park is also the home of the Carson City Skateboard Park that provides a skateboard area with platforms, ramps, and spectator seating. Centennial Park has several soccer and softball fields, tennis courts, a public golf course, and shady picnic sites. Residents and visitors can make use of the "Divine Nine" golf courses within the city limits. Horseback riding is also popular in the area, especially on the Mount Rose Wilderness trails. At the edge of town is an old hot springs where bathers can soak in a 100° F spring water pool, and make use of hot tubs, massage facilities, and an adjoining restaurant and motel.

Sports enthusiasts enjoy hunting for birds and big game such as elk, deer, antelope, and bighorn sheep. In addition, the city is only 45 minutes from several prime skiing areas at nearby Lake Tahoe.

Shopping and Dining

The once shabby block that houses the landmark St. Charles Hotel has been transformed into a delightful collection of shops and restaurants. Other major shopping areas include various downtown blocks, as well as Eagle Station Shopping Center, Southgate Shopping Center, and Silver City.

Diners in Carson City can choose from among 40 restaurants with American and ethnic cuisines, including Basque, Asian, Southwestern, and Italian. The Carlson House is a popular modern restaurant set in the wonderfully restored 1876 Rinckel Mansion, the city's second-oldest residence, with service offered in the garden during the summer months. Adele's French restaurant is set in a lovely Victorian house near the town center, while nearby Silvana's features Italian dishes. Breakfast lovers enjoy the hot cakes at Scott's and the hearty omelets at the Cracker Box or Heidi's Dutch Mill Restaurant.

Visitor Information: Carson City Convention & Visitors Bureau, 1900 S. Carson St., Ste. 100, Carson City, NV 89701; telephone (775)687-7410 or (800)NEVADA-1; fax (775)687-7416

Carson City: Education and Research

Elementary and Secondary Schools

Carson High School is one of the top-rated schools in Nevada. Since 1999 it has shared in a $5 million joint-use project with Western Nevada Community College named the Jim Randolph High-Tech Center. Providing about 230 computers, it assists students in preparing for careers in electronics, automated technology, drafting, business, and allied health.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Carson City public school system as of the 2003–2004 school year.

Total enrollment: 8,798

Number of facilities

elementary schools: 6

junior high/middle schools: 2

senior high schools: 2

other: 1

Student/teacher ratio: K, 21:1; 1-2, 15:1; 3, 17:1; 4-5, 24:1; 6-8, 25:1

Teacher salaries (2000–2001)

minimum: $26,220

maximum: $51,242

Funding per pupil: $6,669

Five schools provide private, religion-based education in the city and enroll approximately 600 students.

Public Schools Information: Carson City Schools, 1402 W. King St., Carson City, NV 89703; telephone (775)283-2110; fax (775)283-2092

Colleges and Universities

Western Nevada Community College is a two-year public institution that offers about 50 associate degree programs, as well as basic education and job development skills programs. It enrolls more than 6,000 students at its campuses in Carson City, and in Fallon and Douglas counties. The college offers diverse degree and certificate programs, schedules evening and weekend as well as daytime classes, and provides small class sizes and one-on-one counseling opportunities for students.

Libraries and Research Centers

Carson City Library, built in 1966, offers over 116,000 volumes, 200 periodical subscriptions, and 3,200 audio tapes. The library has a collection on Nevada history and a large print section.

Western Nevada Community College opened the 34,000-square-foot New Library & Student Center on its Carson City campus in January 2004. Other libraries in the city include the Nevada State Library & Archives, the library of the Nevada State Museum, and the Nevada Supreme Court Library.

Public Library Information: Carson City Library, 900 N. Roop St., Carson City, NV 89701; telephone (775)887-2244

Carson City: Population Profile

Metropolitan Area Residents

Carson City is an independent municipality, thus not part of any county or Metropolitan Statistical Area.

City Residents

1980: 32,022

1990: 40,443

2000: 52,457 (of which, 27,102 were males and 25,355 were females)

2003 estimate: 55,311

Percent change, 1990–2000: 29.7%

U.S. rank in 2000: 680th (State rank: 9th)

Density: 365.9 people per square mile (2000)

Racial and ethnic characteristics (2000)

White: 44,744

Black or African American: 946

American Indian and Alaska Native: 1,259

Asian: 930

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 76

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 7,466

Other: 3,391

Percent of residents born in state: 23.8% (2000)

Age characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 3,289

Population 5 to 9 years old: 3,495

Population 10 to 14 years old: 3,473

Population 15 to 19 years old: 3,196

Population 20 to 24 years old: 2,946

Population 25 to 34 years old: 6,766

Population 35 to 44 years old: 8,370

Population 45 to 54 years old: 7,724

Population 55 to 59 years old: 2,949

Population 60 to 64 years old: 2,412

Population 70 to 74 years old: 4,096

Population 75 to 84 years old: 2,950

Population 85 years and over: 791

Median age: 38.7 years

Births (2003)

Total number: 721

Deaths (2003)

Total number: 656 (of which, 1 was an infant under the age of 1 year)

Money income (1999)

Per capita income: $20,943

Median household income: $41,809

Total households: 20,237

Number of households with income of . . .

less than $10,000: 554

$10,000 to $14,999: 499

$15,000 to $24,999: 1,473

$25,000 to $34,999: 1,689

$35,000 to $49,999: 2,560

$50,000 to $74,999: 3,299

$75,000 to $99,999: 1,728

$100,000 to $149,999: 1,129

$150,000 to $199,999: 257

$200,000 or more: 245

Percent of families below poverty level: 6.9% (34.4% of which were female householder families with related children under 5 years)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: Not reported