People: Yes, some actually want to live here
By Mikalee Dahle, Outpost contributor
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The retiree |
But this typical town has an atypical side -- a side that has earned it a perhaps undeserved reputation. The neon may glow 24 hours a day in Reno, but the city has more to offer than around-the-clock casino action and prostitution available on select street corners. There is a quiet side to Reno that goes unexplored in popular thought. And many still believe that Reno is a dead-end town, a place where desperate people go -- and leave -- as soon as possible.
Once a city known for providing "the cure" to unhappy couples looking for a quickie divorce, Reno has evolved into a community that embraces its residents. Popular opinion paints a picture of a tourist trap -- a transient community composed of casino workers and gambling addicts. But the area is experiencing rapid growth accounted for by an increasing population of three distinct demographics: College students, retirees and those coming to the area for employment opportunities.
What was once a transient community now serves as a stable place for students, business people and retirees alike. In fact, population figures readily exhibit indications of a fast-growing community: According to the Executive Summary of the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, the Reno/Sparks area has dramatically expanded from 97,050 residents in 1970 to 218,650 in 1996.
The University of Nevada, Reno, takes credit for part of this increasing population. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, the college system in Nevada grew at the second-fastest rate among the 50 states between 1984 and 1994. UNR, the older of the state's two universities, accounted for some of that growth.
The Academic Master Plan for UNR asserts that "the long-term trend has been and will be one of growth more rapid than is found in most of the country." Last year alone, the university's enrollment increased 4.9 percent. Jan Brown, director of Institutional Analysis at UNR, said the data forecasts for the next few years show a similar trend.
"Projections indicate a steady rise in numbers in the immediate future -- not dramatic, but steady," she said.
The structure of the university has changed to fit these growing needs: The Academic Master Plan also reveals that funded research has more than doubled since 1989. And the university is receiving recognition on a national scale, recently being ranked one of America's Best Colleges in a 1995 edition of "U.S. News and World Report."
A strong retirement community also contributes to the growth of the region. The 1990 Bureau of the Census Report reveals that the age group older than 55 now comprises 20 percent of the population of Reno and Sparks for a total of just more than 57,000 residents. This figure shows a steady climb since the 1980 census statistics, when 18 percent of the state's population was 55 and over, totaling 35,682 residents.
Contributing to the allure of the area for retirees: Favorable climate, abundant community resources including transportation and health care, varied housing options that are more affordable than neighboring regions like the Bay area, and a wide variety of arts and entertainment. A recent profile in the national publication "Where to Retire" named Reno and Sparks "...one of the state's fastest-growing areas, luring retirees in particular with senior-sensitive services and well-priced entertainment."
The economic picture in the Reno area is also favorable for those in business, attracting more people every year. Economic Update, a local research guide published by the Nevada Research and Analysis Bureau, revealed that Nevada led the nation in job growth in 1996. Job growth for the first quarter of 1997 was more than three times the national average.
Specifically, Reno provides "...a combination of tax benefits, business-friendly laws, location, and lifestyle," according to the Economic Development Authority's executive summary. These tax benefits include an absence of corporate income tax, personal income tax, unitary tax, inventory tax, franchise fees, franchise tax on income, and estate taxes.
The 1996 Economic Development Report, published by the authority, indicates that in the last year, 24 new companies and 28 expanding companies took advantage of these benefits, resulting in more than 1,875 new jobs for the Reno/Sparks community. A low unemployment rate reflects the area's promising labor climate, serving as a draw for business people to the region.
The September 1997 statistics reveal an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent in the Reno Sparks Metropolitan area, below that of Las Vegas and significantly below the national rate of 5.2 percent for the same period.
The numbers paint a picture of a prosperous city with a diverse composition. The numbers speak for themselves. And so do the people.
It is the close of a typical day in a typical town. Shirley reaches out of the taut sheets to click off the radio and turn out the light. Kelle says goodnight to her roommate. And Kevin kisses Stephanie, reaching down and patting the temporary home of their unborn children. Somewhere, undoubtedly, a tourist makes a pact with a slot machine to play until he wins big. Somewhere, undoubtedly, a prostitute is leaving the room of a client in a seedy motel. But these are scenes that go largely unnoticed by the residents of Reno -- the people who proudly call Reno their home.
copyright 11/15/97 Nevada Outpost http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost
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