Nevada Briefs - August 2004

Nevada Briefs

NCOT Awards $1 Million in Rural Grants

The Nevada Commission on Tourism (NCOT) has approved $1 million in grants to help rural communities promote attractions, adventures and special events that draw visitors and feed local economies. Each grant requires a local match in cash, labor or materials. Some of this year’s grants include:

$20,000 to the Fallon Convention and Tourism Authority to market bird-watching and wildlife activities.

$5,000 to the Winnemucca Convention and Visitors Authority to bring the National Finals Senior Pro Rodeo to the region.

$18,300 to the Moapa Valley Chamber of Commerce to advertise Moapa Valley on billboards near St. George, Utah.

$10,000 to the Elko Convention and Visitors Authority to host a media tour to promote off-road adventures.

$5,000 to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Tourism Office to produce brochures and posters to promote Pyramid Lake.

$10,000 to the Tonopah Convention Center to advertise the community as a stargazing destination in astronomy publications.

Plans Announced for Medical Campus

Las Vegas-based LAI and LandBaron Investments will break ground before the end of the year on a major medical campus at the I-215 Beltway between Durango Drive and Sunset Road. The $60 million project will include 200,000 square feet of Class A medical space, as well as a 110-bed rehabilitation and long-term acute-care facility, Southern Nevada Rehabilitation Hospital. The medical campus is planned to complement three new major medical centers in southwest Las Vegas (Spring Valley, Southern Hills and San Martin Hospitals) by providing post-acute-care services, including home health, in-home hospice care and outpatient rehabilitation. Southern Nevada Rehabilitation Hospital will be headed by Chris Vito, former CEO of HealthSouth’s Henderson Rehabilitation Hospital. The private facility is targeted to open in the fourth quarter of 2005.

Nevada Companies Receive Safety Honors

RR Donnelley was recently honored as a recipient of the state’s Voluntary Protection Program VPP Star. RR Donnelley, the nation’s largest printer, employs 400 people at its Reno facility, which produces, prints and distributes newspaper and magazine inserts. Manufacturers earn VPP status by working with employees to achieve a safety program that is exemplary and a lost-workday incident rate far below the national average. Two other firms have been recognized by the Safety Consultation and Training Section (SCATS) of Nevada’s Division of Industrial Relations for successful completion of the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). The no-cost SHARP program assists small employers (those with fewer than 250 employees) to develop and implement safety and health programs. Successful SHARP participants receive a two-year exemption from OSHA’s regularly scheduled inspections. The companies recognized were Ralston Foods and Basalite Concrete Products. Ralston Foods, based in Sparks, manufactures and sells cereals and cereal-based snack mixes. Basalite Concrete Products, in Carson City, manufactures and distributes concrete products, including concrete block, to a multi-state region.

Strong Nevada Job Market Predicted

Nevada employers expect to hire at a healthy pace during the third quarter of 2004, according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, conducted quarterly by Manpower Inc. From July to September, 38 percent of Nevada employers who were interviewed indicated they plan to hire more employees, while only 2 percent intend to reduce their workforce. Another 53 percent expect to maintain their current staff levels. Seven percent were uncertain of their hiring plans. Reno employers showed a more positive outlook than their Las Vegas counterparts, with 47 percent predicting an increase in hiring, versus 30 percent in Southern Nevada.