|
The most likely use that has been pitched for the site would be for building a new data center, which would be familiar territory at the industrial park. Switch, for example, just finished construction of the world's largest data center building, the first of many at the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center as part of its plans to build the largest data center campus in the world at the same location. Just a few miles away is Apple's growing data center campus, which is located at rival Reno Technology Park just across Interstate 80. Rackspace US also applied to build a facility near the Apple data center.
Another use that has been floated for the property is to serve as a test track for Google parent company Alphabet's Waymo driverless car initiative. In 2011, Nevada became the first state to pass a law authorizing self-driving vehicles, which was followed by Gov. Brian Sandoval test driving a Google robot car at the state capital of Carson City a month later in July. Nevada is also pushing for legislation at the ongoing session of the Nevada Legislature to make it easier for companies to test and set up driverless fleets in the state.
Google's addition would be another feather in the cap of Northern Nevada, which has seen an influx of technology companies entering the area after the state placed increased focus on economic development after the recession.
The arrival of several data centers, as well as Tesla and Panasonic's joint battery manufacturing facility, is further diversifying a region that used to be primarily known for distribution and logistics outside of gaming and tourism. The greater Reno area, for example, also hosts distribution facilities for Amazon, Walmart, Petsmart and Zulily.
"Our phone started ringing off the hook the minute the Google deal hit the media," Lance Gilman (developer of the industrial park) said. "We had a call within 24 hours from one of the biggest software companies in the world wanting to take a look at us."
TRIC is bigger than Reno.
Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (TRIC) is 160 square miles -
the City of Reno is 106 square miles. It is located in Storey County, Nevada approximately nine miles east of the Reno-Sparks area on the 1-80 freeway.
|
