There has been talk, hope and street name changes to turn Reno’s downtown area into more of a university town, with over 20-thousand students, faculty and admin craving more of a community, walkable feel.
That was the idea initially circulated for Uncle Junkee, now decamped into the Reno Public Market, despite its short lived Virginia street location getting matching grant money as part of the ReStore Reno initiative.
Can you imagine a row of actually affordable thrifting, an independent cinema, a grocery store, bookstores, cafes, vibrant galleries, maker spaces and healthy restaurants all along Virginia street with more regular buses going up and down? It could easily become a daytime attraction, with students stopping in and out, going to and from classes, providing continuity from Midtown to campus.
Instead, during daytime hours, in downtown it’s still mostly a decaying casino strip, with a largely down and out clientele, empty buildings, and victims of gambling now panhandling or trying to survive just outside high desert mirages sucking people in, while Midtown is increasingly on the too pricy side for most of us for many of its offerings.
Now the city of Reno is extending over $60 million in public money to a billionaire so he can host men’s basketball games at his GSR casino for his pockets, an 80 minute walk away from campus.
Those who are in favor say the Tax Increment Financing known as TIF is not that big of a deal for Reno, despite its current budget woes. Why then was there such a cavalry of opeds, social media posts, suits, ties and athletic jackets at the Council meeting pleading for that public assistance to have the billion dollar project begin?
The grasp of the casino overlords on the fate of Reno is still tight, from the motel demolishing and parking lot creating Jeffrey Jacobs to Alex Meruelo, to the Board of Directors for the Downtown Reno Partnership, whose website pointedly indicates the seat representing residents is now vacant.
After the Great Recession and then the pandemic there were multiple opportunities to mold the direction Reno and its core downtown was going. Instead, it still seems very much casino directed, inside dark doors through stinky, gaudy carpets with the occasional outdoor show or festival, while the casinos flood enabling elected officials with campaign contributions.
Tickets at the new J Resort’s Festival Grounds for its Drifters show this past weekend started at $99 for Saturday plus a 14% booking fee, hardly affordable at all.
The promised revitalization of Reno remains a partial gentrification with casino oversight that feels nothing like an organic or sustainable revival in terms of having a thriving, communal, walkable, livable, exciting and attractive downtown area.