by the students of the university of nevada, reno’s
TRANSCRIPT
By the Students of the University of Nevada, Reno’s College of Business
11 April 2014
This report and its associated recommendations were developed
by the following student consulting team:
First Name Last Name Contact Information
Chelsea Capurro [email protected]
Alixzandra Collaro [email protected]
Shauna Dye [email protected]
Alec Garcia [email protected]
Patrick Harris [email protected]
Jessica Loomis [email protected]
Holly Mahe [email protected]
Maria Martinez [email protected]
Theodor Meek [email protected]
Madeleine Poore [email protected]
Andrea Tibaduiza [email protected]
Alejandra Vega [email protected]
Abbie Walker [email protected]
Jim McClenahan Faculty Advisor, [email protected]
Table of Contents
1. Introduction and Scope of Work ........................................................................ 2
2. Executive Summary ........................................................................................... 3
3. Situation Analysis ............................................................................................... 4
4. Brand Development ........................................................................................... 5
Community Perception and Engagement
Existing Business Relations
Attracting New Businesses
5. Community Perception and Engagement
Recommendations .............................................................................................. 6
Communication
City Beautification
Cultural and Event Enhancement
Education
6. Existing Business Relations Recommendations ................................................ 12
City and Business Partnership Improvement
7. Attracting New Businesses Recommendations ................................................. 13
Entry Process for Businesses
New Business Opportunities
Workforce
Relationships with State Government
Advertisements to Outside Businesses
8. Epilogue ........................................................................................................... 18
9. Appendix .......................................................................................................... 19
Figure 1 – Newsletter
Figure 2 - Websites
Figure 3 - Logos
Figure 4 - Solar Foundation
Figure 5 – Billboards
Figure 6 – Scope of Work
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Introduction and Scope of Work
In October 2013, officials from the City of Fernley met with a group of University of
Nevada, Reno students and presented the challenge to develop a marketing plan to rebrand the
City in order to achieve its business and population growth goals. The City provided a specific
set of deliverables which is seen in the appendix. The group of 12 students from the College of
Business brings varied skill sets, experience and fields of expertise, allowing them to work
effectively toward obtaining a shared objective: to rejuvenate the image of the City of Fernley to
its residents, businesses and potential businesses. As part of the rebranding, the group determined
it was necessary to take a holistic approach; encompassing the City’s overall resources,
opportunities and challenges.
As with any project of this scope, it is necessary to gather a vast amount of data to attain
an in-depth understanding of the internal situation facing the City of Fernley. To begin the
research, the students sent out surveys, analyzed data, conducted focus groups, and met with
community members as well as local businesses. From the research phase, it was determined that
the marketing plan would focus on three main areas: to improve the community, expand existing
businesses and attract new businesses.
Task 1: Research
Survey
Focus group
Personal interview
Community Members
Business Stakeholders
Task 2: Plan Development
Set Objectives and Goals
Brand
Recommendations
Visual Identity
Messaging
Product Development
Marketing
Evaluation
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Executive Summary
On October 1, 2013, the City of Fernley formally presented an opportunity to rebrand the
City to a group of students at the University of Nevada, Reno in the College of Business. The
City asked for specific items to be addressed in the plan including brand development, product
development, public relations, organizational support, and measuring success.
The students began a comprehensive analysis surveying the City’s history, demographics,
past and current marketing strategies, and a current assessment of the business environment. An
online survey was distributed to local businesses and a focus group was administered in
February, 2014, with 13 business owners and participants.
From the analysis and research, the class found three areas of specific focus to improve.
These areas can be divided into Attracting New Businesses, Existing Business Relations, and
Community Perception and Engagement (see below). Complimentary and creative
recommendations were developed to address these challenging sectors. The goal of these
recommendations is to make Fernley more attractive to business looking for relocation, increase
connectivity within the community and improve the perceived image of Fernley to internal and
external stakeholders.
The data uncovered Fernley’s current reputation is tarnished in several areas. This is
partly due to lack of connectivity and communication throughout the City. This vulnerability
hampers business efforts, event planning and trust. However, Fernley’s distinct strengths:
friendliness and community, still thrive and are resources that will rebuild the City’s image,
brand and infrastructure.
Key recommendations to accomplish this task include the renovation of the City website,
beautification of the City, development of City-wide events, workforce development and pursuit
of state financial incentives. Given the successful implementation of the recommendations over a
three year period, the City of Fernley is predicted to improve economic activity, increase its
business population, and become a competitive city in northern Nevada.
Community Perception and Engagement
1. Improve communication and connectivity of community
2. Clean and beautify city
3. Improve culture, arts, and entertainment district
4. Improve education
Existing Business Relations
1. Improve partnerships between city and businesses to increase involvement of businesses
in local events
Attracting New Businesses
1. Analyze entry process into city for new businesses
2. Actively seek out new business opportunities
3. Educate workforce
4. Improve relationship(s) with state government
5. Advertise to future potential businesses
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Situation Analysis
The City of Fernley’s current situation is wrought with many challenges that once
overcome, will give way to opportunity and prosperity. One of the major challenges is lack of
communication between the community, businesses and City officials. After data collection, the
group developed a SWOT analysis, which provided a snapshot of the internal strengths and
weaknesses, as well as the external opportunities and threats faced by Fernley. Looking at the
internal aspects, some of the strengths include a positive environment in which to live, available
flat open land with close proximity to rail and Tahoe Reno Industrial Complex (TRIC) allowing
great potential for business growth and employment. In contrast, some of the weaknesses include
lack of a skilled labor force and education/training institution to produce one. Furthermore, there
are many financial challenges, inconsistent business practices, and competition from Reno as
well as other smaller surrounding communities such as Fallon and Yerington facing Fernley.
A snapshot of the SWOT analysis is presented below:
Strengths
Flat available land
Friendly
Affordable
Close to rail and freeway
Family friendly
Safe
Small
Low traffic
Proximity to Tahoe-Reno industrial
complex
Weaknesses
Education and labor force
Communication
Aesthetics
Pricing of existing property too high
Water too expensive, not plentiful
Permit process inconsistent
Limited choices for consumers
Funding challenges within city
No focal point, meeting place
Process to open business in city not
streamlined
Attracting new businesses
Opportunities
Access to transportation
Proximity to Burning Man
Outdoor recreation
Business friendly
Capitalizing on Reno/Sparks event
Building a vibrant downtown district
Young workforce
Threats
Competition from neighboring areas
for residents and businesses
Freeway through TRIC to Silver
Springs, potentially bypassing
Fernley
Margins tax
Other smaller cities with more
known reputations—Fallon,
Yerington
WNC potential shutdown
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Brand Development
Fernley is a small town with an eclectic group of people who genuinely care about their
community and who believe that their city should be viewed as friendly and welcoming, as said
in the focus group and the online survey. Fernley has open land, close access to numerous cities
via railway or road, and a variety of activities available, including four-wheeling, hunting,
fishing, and hiking. Preservation of the City’s history is imperative. Therefore, the brand
elements of Fernley should emphasize friendliness, cohesiveness, community, and business
growth opportunities. To accomplish this, unique recommendations were developed (Appendix,
Figure 1).
Community Perception and Engagement
The City of Fernley will construct a cohesive community where visitors and residents can
experience an attractive, relaxing, and family oriented atmosphere. The people of Fernley should
have strong communication channels and be well informed of what is happening in their
community. The town should have a “small-town” feel, though it should be inviting to new
companies, arts, and varied lifestyles. As a result, Fernley will become a stronger community
with a support system for their Fernley pride.
Existing Business Relations
The existing businesses within the City of Fernley should have a central focus on open
communication and engagement with city officials, other businesses, and community
organizations such as The Chamber of Commerce. Existing businesses are critical stakeholders
in the community and have the ability to generate rapid, positive change by implementing key
recommendations. Improving communication with businesses, city government and residents
will promote cohesiveness among the stakeholders.
Attracting New Businesses
The Fernley brand will be critical for attracting new businesses for potential relocation to
the Fernley area. In order to attract new business, the City must first recognize the opportunities
it has available, including proximity to rail, interstate freeway, buildable flat land, affordability
of housing, and opportunity for company growth. A Sherwin Williams Human Resources
representative said that after eight successful years in Fernley, the company plans to expand
operations within the next five years. This demonstrates economic growth and success are
attainable in Fernley.
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Recommendations
Community Perception and Engagement Recommendations
Fernley’s community is unique and should be fostered and encouraged so visitors can
more easily see the benefits of living and working in Fernley. The suggestions below should help
to strengthen Fernley’s “small-town” feel by increasing communication between residents, city
government, and business with improved city websites, newsletters, and the utilization of social
media. The introduction of cultural events, such as Burning Man and Fernley Days, and
additional city beautification efforts will help engage the community and encourage new visitors
and potential residents. Improving education through workforce development will help ensure
Fernley has the resources for long term growth.
Communication
Community was the second favored feature of Fernley in a focus group. However, lack of
communication and connectivity within the community was also cited as a problem by the focus
group and online surveys. To facilitate communication between the business sector, government,
and citizens of Fernley, the following is recommended: a newsletter, a renovated website, usage
of social media, and a new logo for the City. All of these efforts can be achieved through an
internship run by the City or local business, with assistance of the University of Nevada, Reno.
An intern will be able to work on all aspects of the following recommendations for minimal cost.
Newsletter
To facilitate communication, the City of Fernley should develop a newsletter (Appendix,
Figure 1). The newsletter, “Fernley Focus,” will be printed with the water bill to reduce costs and
ensure delivery to every home and business location. Broken into three sections, the newsletter
will feature a page for government commentary, a page featuring Fernley businesses and an
outstanding citizen, and a final page with a community calendar. The calendar will also have
links to the new online community calendar. Produced on a monthly basis, the newsletter will
provide a better form of communication between businesses, the city government, and citizens of
Fernley. An intern will gather content from all the stakeholders.
Website
Communication can be better facilitated in the City of Fernley with a renovated website
that is more user-friendly, informative, and welcoming. The goal of the website should be to
inform residents, business leaders, and visitors of ongoing events, news and information about
the City of Fernley. The website should attract prospective businesses and residents. Examples of
similar websites for cities can be found in the Appendix, Figure 2. An example of the renovated
Fernley website can also be seen in the Appendix, Figure 2.
An easy way to begin the website renovation would be by updating the existing tabs on
the home page to:
“Our Community” – demographic and historical information with pictures of the town.
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“Residents” – welcome message to new residents, opportunities to get involved for new
and existing residents (community engagement program), as well as any public services
and emergency practices in the city.
“Business” – what makes Fernley attractive, start a business, job opportunities, economic
and community development.
o SilverFlume prominent and easy to identify.
“Government” – leadership, departments, agendas and minutes.
“Events” – what is happening in the City? Include pictures of events and residents, add
up-to-date calendar that shows all community events. This will also feature a new
calendar that features events throughout the City. Local businesses can submit new
events that will be added to the calendar.
“Online services” – utilities, fees/fines, permits. This section will also include an online
forum and suggestion area where current Fernley residents can submit concerns about the
City and/or recommendations for improvement.
Social Media
With the advent of technology and social media, the City of Fernley can take better
advantage of Facebook and Twitter. Currently, the City’s Facebook page has 1,900 likes
(approximately 10% of the population).
The City could use Facebook as a tool to attract future businesses and residents. This can
be done by promoting the activities and events available in Fernley. Additionally, current
Fernley residents can be engaged. Residents can post reasons why they love their town, share
pictures, promote community events, and job opportunities. Any negative comments on
Facebook should not be ignored or deleted, but should be addressed and resolved by the City.
These tactics for Facebook can also be utilized for the City’s Twitter page. Frequent
updates, posts, and tweets of at least once day will keep the community engaged and maintain
Fernley’s online presence at little-to-no cost.
New Logo
Included in the Appendix, Figure 3, there are 6 potential logos that build on the brand
image of Fernley. Based on polling and audience review, the most favored logo is #3. The logo
design was implemented into several mock advertisements and promotions to demonstrate the
logo’s versatility. Additionally, several taglines were developed to support the logo. Favored
phrases were “The Gateway to Nevada” and “Great Companies, Greater Community.” Both
taglines promote Fernley’s importance in Nevada and foster the image of community and
business success.
When chosen, the new logo and tagline should be featured in all ancillary items
distributed from the city government. It should be included in all marketing, promotional, and
business-related materials, which includes packets, stationary, business cards, recruiting
documents, newsletters, signs, etc.
City Beautification
The feedback provided during the focus groups and surveys was that Fernley needed
more of a centralized downtown and that the current Main Street needed a degree of renovation.
While the City of Fernley has a current initiative to beautify Fernley, the recommendation is to
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ensure that the efforts involve the community and are sustainable; becoming something people
look forward to participating in yearly.
The following events are suggested:
Extreme Makeover: Fernley Edition
Take part in 150 years of Nevada and show Nevada pride by improving
the City with annual, City-sponsored clean-up day
Kickoff event for annual (semi-annual) community cleanups
Get news organizations – Mason Valley News/RGJ, media to cover
Involve local schools (for grade incentives), churches, civic organizations,
and local businesses
Promote involvement of business teams
Teams with most poundage of trash wins free catered lunch/ice cream
Get local sanitation/garbage involved for pickups
Annual Repair Downtown Fernley Day
Day of fixing downtown with volunteers helping with routine
maintenance
It is recommended the business community start a nonprofit, similar to or a possible
extension of Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful, to help fund and continue ongoing efforts to
keep the area attractive.
A community garden run by the public schools is suggested to be placed along historic
Main Street. This effort will help beautify the Main Street area and will involve school children
in the overall effort.
Cultural and Event Enhancement
Burning Man
The Burning Man event, which brings in more than 68,000 people, is an economic driver
for the state of Nevada and more prominently, Northern Nevada. The City of Fernley currently
has a connection to the Burning Man event through the festival’s Board of Directors, but could
benefit more from the travelers. To create a better connection with Burning Man, it is
recommended that the City of Fernley create a partnership with the Black Rock Arts Foundation.
Any of the following recommended events would provide economic impact for Fernley
as Burning Man attendees travel through the City. A portion of event proceeds could be donated
to the Black Rock Arts Foundation. In return, the foundation will help advertise associated
events in Fernley with their newsletter that is distributed to over 100,000 readers, entitled, “The
Jackrabbit Speaks.”
The following are recommended events that the City of Fernley could put on with the
Black Rock Arts Foundation:
Art Map
The art map would be a large geographic map of the City of Fernley showing all artistic,
historic, and unique aspects of the City. This map can be part of the new art piece installations
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from prior Burning Man festivals. Prior art pieces from Burning Man can be featured as part of
the map, but its prevalent feature will be the various destinations throughout Fernley. This should
be located on either side of Fernley where the most Burning Man attendants will be able to see it.
Fourth of Juplaya
Every Fourth of July, Burning Man attendants from the local and surrounding areas have
a small get-together in the Black Rock Desert. The City of Fernley can take advantage of this by
offering opportunities for travelers to stock up on supplies, rest, and/or eat before or after their
time in the desert. Also, this is an opportunity to collaborate with Reno’s Artown, since it will be
occurring in July as well.
Trash Collecting
When attendants are finished with the events of Burning Man, their city laws mandate the
removal of all trash. The City of Fernley can attract a sizeable crowd by offering to dispose of
this trash for the attendants at $5 per bag. As previously offered, a portion of the proceeds from
the trash collection will go to the Black Rock Arts Foundation, while the rest would supplement
the City of Fernley.
With this partnership, Burning Man would encourage their participants to dispose of their
trash in Fernley instead of the other locations. This will also bring more people into the City of
Fernley following their event.
Dust-Off Event
The Dust-Off Event will allow Burning Man attendants to clean up, dust off, and enjoy
what Fernley has to offer. The event will take place following Burning Man and allow visitors to
clean their belongings, themselves, and their vehicles for a small fee. A showcase of local artists
and food can also be set up at the event to entertain visitors as their belongings are cleaned.
Fernley Days
Fernley Days would be an event that is unique to Fernley and to the surrounding areas
that celebrates Fernley’s history and culture. The goal of this event is to draw business, residents,
and community leaders together and to attract visitors to see all that Fernley has to offer.
The findings from the focus group indicate that one of Fernley’s strengths is that Fernley
has the small-town, close-community feel, however, a weakness it lacks one large city sponsored
event that would allow the community to more easily gather and celebrate together. The
surrounding communities all have unique and distinct events that draw crowds. Fallon has the
Cantaloupe Festival, Yerington has Night in the Country, and Virginia City has the Rocky Mt.
Oyster Festival and Camel Races.
The recommendation is to create an event that is unique to Fernley and one that
celebrates its history and culture. The event is suggested to last over a week and should expand
on a currently successful event, i.e. July 4, and should combine some of the current yearly
events. By combining multiple events into one and allowing the event to be over a week, creates
multiple options for attendees and vendors, and could attract additional residents and visitors
from surrounding communities.
Suggested current/past events to include in Fernley Days:
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Fernley Jr Rodeo - Could involve the local 4H clubs at the high school and the local
Fernley Rodeo Association.
Fernley High school craft fair - this could help to attract the local artists to participate
in the function.
Nevada gun fighters - previously presented during a multicultural fair in 2009.
Fireman’s ball at the Firehouse - a past event that was successful in raising money for
a non-profit organization.
Rail days - another former event (sponsored by Fernley Preservation Society) to
include tours of the Fernley Railway Depot and the old one room school house on
Main Street
Fernley Golf Classic
New events to incorporate that revolve around the Western Fernley Theme:
Farmers market/Flea Market
Cowboy poetry night
Invite local country singers as a precursor to Yerington’s Night in the Country late
July
Develop an event that includes the Fernley race track
Wigwam and Native American artifact museum
To help market the event and provide an identity, a mascot that is unique to Fernley is
suggested: a Railroader, since the story goes that Fernley was founded by someone from the
railroad.
Because there are already funds allocated for the current event, additional costs could be
kept low. Business sponsorships could provide additional funding.
Funding possibilities
Lyon County Room Tax Board - To advertise the resources of Lyon County related to
tourism: http://www.lyon-county.org/index.aspx?NID=220) (currently funding
Yerington’s night in the country)
Grant through - The Fernley Convention & Tourism Authority
Fernley Preservation Society – current sponsor of Rail Days
Local Business sponsorship
Fernley Rodeo Association
Showcase Local Art
To improve the art culture within the community the City of Fernley should showcase art
from locals within the official buildings around the city. Showcasing the local artists will show
anyone visiting official buildings within the City that Fernley is proud of its residents and the
artwork they are producing. The artwork showcased should be all different forms of artwork
including paintings, photographs and sculptures. To be showcased, local artists should apply
through the City, and if selected, their artwork should be displayed for at least three months at a
time. If not enough artists are applying to have their art showcased, the artwork should be rotated
within a building to increase its exposure.
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Surrounding Area Event Tie-Ins
Fernley’s close proximity to Reno, Fallon, Sparks, Yerington, and other local towns is a
great opportunity for the City to capitalize on their events. For example, the City of Fernley can
use Reno’s Air Races, Hot August Nights, Rib Cook-off, Balloon Races, Street Vibrations, and
Artown, as an opportunity to bring tourists to their city. Associated Fernley events should be
planned before or after the ongoing event in another city. Examples can include the Fourth of
Juplaya, which draws crowds from the Burning Man Event, or a Chili Cook-Off to pull crowds
from the Sparks Rib Cook-Off.
Education
One of the recommendations for the City of Fernley is to better develop the education at
the high school level, so that the City is able to better provide educated, skilled employees to
both work and live in the City.
In order to provide more skilled employees, the City of Fernley can provide more support
towards the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program at Fernley High School. In order to
fund this and better network students to employers in the City, Fernley High School, in
conjunction with the City of Fernley can develop a corporate sponsorship program. This program
would ask for a donation from companies in Fernley to develop the CTE career cluster of their
choice, as well as provide 10 hours of instruction, or company engagement to the students.
There are many career clusters that the CTE program has to offer; however, there is
potential to sponsor the creation of three new programs. The first program is a small business or
entrepreneurship development career cluster. This career cluster would feature courses including
"Introduction to Economics," "Small Business Accounting," "Management," and "Marketing and
Buyer Behavior." These courses would allow students to better understand entrepreneurship and
small business development. This cluster could seek corporate sponsorships from the Nevada
Small Business Development Center, the Fernley Chamber of Commerce, the Economic
Development Association of Western Nevada, as well as Entrepreneurship faculty and students
from the University of Nevada, Reno's College of Business.
Another career cluster to be developed would be a technology cluster. This technology
cluster would allow students at the high school level to be involved in courses including
"Database Systems," Network and Community Security," and "Cybersecurity." Allowing the
technology career cluster to partner with companies such as EE Technologies or International
Game Technology would promote connections between students and local businesses, as well as
allow the companies to train students to work directly for a technology company upon
graduation.
The final career cluster that Fernley High School can develop is a supply chain
management or logistics career path. This cluster would include classes that would help develop
a student's understanding of supply chain or logistics planning and it would incorporate
"Introduction to Supply Chain Management," "Master Planning," and "Scheduling and
Planning." The supply chain management and logistics planning career cluster would have the
opportunity to seek sponsorships from major companies including Amazon.com, UPS
Worldwide Logistics, or Ozburn-Hessey Logistics (OHL).
Apart from growing the Career and Technical Education program at Fernley High
School, the City of Fernley should facilitate bringing Fernley businesses and guest presenters
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into the high school to promote business in Fernley and explain the benefits of working and
living in Fernley. Apart from bringing in guest speakers, the City would also help host multiple
career fairs at the high school for graduating seniors and juniors to learn more about the
opportunities that exist in the City of Fernley.
Existing Business Relations Recommendations
Continued communication and involvement between existing business and city
government is vital to foster the current business community to ensure long term growth. There
are many parallels and similarities to the recommendations seen in the “Community” section.
City and Business Partnership Improvement
Recommended actions for this partnership will be to create an open forum with business
on the new website and develop a virtual recommendation box for the City. An open forum will
facilitate communication between all businesses along with community officials. This can be a
blog with open comments. A blog allows people to spread the word about events, ask for help or
volunteers, or express any concern that they may have. Other people will be able to see this and
can easily respond to any comments.
The development of a recommendation box for the City can show the people that Fernley
is working towards making things better. What can help make this successful is to pick a one
recommendation per month and implement that recommendation. This will show people that
their voices are being heard and that action is being taken. A way to keep track of these requests
is through GoogleDocs. On this document they can list concerns, create recommendations, and
demonstrate action.
The previously mentioned CTE training recommendation will benefit existing businesses
as much as it will attract new businesses. Developing a more skilled workforce will help
businesses expand current offerings and assist them with future growth opportunities.
Engagement with the community is among the highest priorities of existing businesses.
Like residents, businesses must take pride in their community and occasionally make extra
efforts to show civic pride where budget cuts may prevent the City from acting. Business
sponsorship of events, such as cleanups and smaller events in Fernley can push these events into
successful, regional events that attract positive attention to Fernley and build positive brand
equity.
As seen in the Education section under “Community,” basic technical skills are
important. Many of the recommendations in the plan are technically based. Although computer
ownership is estimated to be somewhat low in residences, it is not in businesses. Providing more
information digitally will challenge existing businesses initially. They may need some support
as they start. Moving to digital processes is an outward sign that the City of Fernley is moving
forward and is a viable place to conduct business in the future.
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Attracting New Businesses Recommendations
At the core of any economic development plan is the need to attract new enterprise to the
City. The following sections will highlights the current issues with the entry process based on
survey results of existing businesses. This section also identifies roadblocks that are hindering
the ability of the City to attract businesses, specifically with regard to the available workforce.
Several potential businesses and industries have been identified as potential recommended for
the cities consideration.
Entry Process for Businesses
In the effort to attract new business, the City of Fernley must take a closer look at the
entry process for new businesses. The Fernley website references Business Support Services and
an Economic Development Team to “proactively meet the needs of the business community,
providing a one stop service guiding businesses through the regulatory process.” Based on the
survey information collected from Fernley business owners, the entry process is not as friendly
as the City website states. From focus groups conducted during our research participants said,
“Businesses have wanted to locate in the past, but the spaces were priced too high for employers
to rent. They also believe that the process to enter is too difficult.” The last area of concern is
communication. Communication between the City and local business is a critical process that
must be improved to support not only existing businesses but new businesses as well.
Cities deter businesses when they have excessive site costs, a slow review process, and
when they rely too heavily on subsidies as a means to attract investment rather than as a tool to
close deals. In order to attract additional businesses to the Fernley area, it is critical to streamline
and standardize the entry process for all businesses, big and small. Building and permitting
processes need to be simplified and turnaround time should be decreased. The Fernley Economic
Development team truly needs to become a one stop shop, championed by the City and the
Chamber of Commerce and dedicated to the big picture of economic development. As the pilot
City for the SilverFlume, Nevada’s business portal, Fernley can be the first to simplify the
business entry process and use it as a selling point when courting potential businesses.
New Business Opportunities
The business potential in Fernley is extensive based on its location, geography, and
Nevada’s beneficial tax structure. Several new business opportunities have been identified as
potential matches for the City of Fernley, including wind and solar power, logistics/distribution
and recreation. The amount of land available in and around the City provides a critical asset for
companies. Not only does this resource provide affordable options, but also the possibility for
companies to expand as their business grows.
Renewable energy is a market where large areas of land, especially flat land, are required
and where federal assistance is offered to public and private entities. The City should capitalize
on this available market directly or by partnering with a private entity. Due to the budget
constraints of the City at this time, a public private partnership would be the best course to
develop this potential market. The Solar Foundation, sponsored by the U.S. Department of
Energy (see Appendix, Figure 4), provides guidance for cities and municipalities to determine if
their site is suitable for solar energy. The City of Fernley should investigate the acreage it has
available to dedicate to green energy project.
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According to the Solar Foundation, once a municipality has a clear understanding of
which sites under their control are appropriate for solar development, the next step is to solicit
bids by issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a developer who will develop, install, finance,
interconnect, operate, and maintain the solar energy system and related equipment. In addition,
developers should be responsible for identifying and negotiating a power purchase agreement
with the entity that will buy the electricity produced by the system. Kingman, Arizona is an
example of a city that has utilized this method as an economic development tool. Boulder City,
Nevada had approved a plan with a solar partner, which according to City officials was estimated
to contribute $12 million dollars in revenue annually. This deal recently fell through for the City
when the selected solar partner failed to secure funding, but could have been a significant
economic driver had an appropriate partner been selected. The City of Fernley should further
investigate the several state and federal resources available to assist in the development of green
energy.
The accessibility to road and rail makes Fernley a natural choice for logistics and
distribution. The presence of companies like Amazon, Sherwin Williams and others in Fernley is
a testament to this. In order for the City to attract new business and compete with the Reno area
and the logistics center located at USA Parkway, Fernley must differentiate itself. As mentioned
in the entry process section above, Fernley must make it easier than its competitors to setup and
do business. A real understanding of the state’s SilverFlume program will be a valuable asset.
The additional pieces of the puzzle required to build Fernley’s logistics and distribution
capabilities and compete with other locations are focusing on the development of a more
qualified workforce. This idea will be expanded upon in later sections. By creating an educated
and business friendly environment and leveraging the cost benefits of the more rural landscape,
companies will be more willing to consider Fernley.
A consistent theme encountered during our research was the addition of a movie theater
to the City of Fernley. While this would be a great step toward economic development, the close
proximity of Fernley to Reno and the grand opening of a new IMAX theater at the Legends
facility in Sparks make this an unlikely possibility given the City’s current population. If the City
does wish to pursue this option, the best way to proceed would be to request an RFP to determine
the interest level of different companies to open a small two or three screen movie theater in
Fernley. While a movie theater may not be built in the near future, this does create an
opportunity for the City government to connect with the local community. The City could
organize and provide a movie theater experience at City Hall or at a local public venue once a
month or as they see fit. The University of Nevada adopted a similar idea a number of years ago
where new movies would be screened on the lawn at no cost to students or the public. Whether
the City decided to provide this service for free or charge a small fee, this could be a relatively
inexpensive opportunity to meet the needs of citizens and connect with the community.
Lastly, recreational tourism provides a potential for economic growth for the City.
Fernley is located in the heart of the west, renown for outdoor activities, and only minutes from
Pyramid Lake, a location known for world class fishing of the Lahontan Cutthroat trout. The
City should investigate partnering with local business and conservation groups to creating an
atmosphere that caters towards outdoor enthusiast. Many small Nevada cities have embraced
these possibilities and infused their local economies. Battle Mountain has created an annual
chukar hunting competition, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has a large banquet in Ely
every year. Fallon has an annual Duck’s Unlimited Dinner. While these events may be small at
first, they provide a platform to promote Fernley and attract people to the town.
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Workforce
Throughout the research, local businesses commented that the lack of a qualified
workforce was one of the main downfalls to being located in Fernley. If new businesses come to
Fernley, it is vital that they have a qualified workforce. One participant of the focus group noted
that while the quantity of workers is available in Fernley, they could not find enough workers
that had the potential to be trained and succeed in their company.
In order to improve the quality of workers, significant enhancements to workforce
development will have to be made in Fernley. In a case study conducted by the University of
North Carolina, the City of Morrilton, Arkansas, was similar to Fernley in many ways. Morrilton
was close to a large urban center, 50 miles from Little Rock, Arkansas, and it was only 2 miles
from the interstate highway. The City was founded in the late 1800s and its economy was based
in farming and industry. However, when the two largest employers in the City shut their doors,
the City was faced with high unemployment and an unskilled labor force.
In response, Morrilton established a training program that taught the laid-off workers
basic computer software and technology skills. Within six months of the training centers
opening, the town had recruited a banking call center and then, within a year of the two large
companies closing, they had recruited two other businesses (Telex Communications with 200
employees and Semco with 135 employees).
Another great initiative Morrilton took was partnering with the Fort Smith Branch of the
University of Arkansas to develop a basic management training program. The program helps
train current employees and gets them ready for management positions so the companies are not
forced to hire outside of Morrilton.
In many instances, Fernley is ahead of the competition. For example, Fernley already
owns a computer lab within City Hall and with the new initiative to apply for grants; the City of
Fernley can truly make the computers a vital training tool for its residents. Investing in Fernley’s
workforce is a key factor to attract new businesses to Fernley.
One of the large businesses interviewed as part of the focus group mentioned that they
like being in Fernley and want to expand, but without the guarantee of a skilled labor force, they
fear that they may not be able to. The City of Fernley should work with the University of
Nevada, Reno, or the community colleges to identify regional workforce training needs and
develop a training program in partnership with existing and new businesses in order to cater the
program to the needs of the employers.
Relationships with State Government
While the City of Fernley does not have a vast array of economic development resources,
the city can work closer with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. There is a large,
untapped fountain of resources at the State level that Fernley needs to help educate potential
businesses about. The resources for the state are also resources for Fernley.
There are several resources and programs being offered by the Governor’s Office of
Economic Development, including rural community development, procurement outreach,
Nevada film office, incentives, and financial resources. Each of these resources offer financial
assistance to Fernley and will bolster the economy.
The Rural Community Development Division of the Nevada Governor’s Office of
Economic Development (GOED) helps community development throughout rural Nevada and is
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tasked with enhancing the quality of life in rural Nevada. The Rural Community Development
Division administers the State and Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
Program and Fernley is one of the local government agencies that can apply of the State CDBG
funds. These funds can be used for activities such as acquisition of property for public purposes,
demolition, construction or reconstruction of streets, neighborhood centers, recreational
facilities, public services, assistance to nonprofit entities for community and economic
development activities and assistance to private, for-profit entities to carry out economic
development activities, including assistance to micro-enterprises. In the past Fernley has applied
for these funds and should continue to use them as a resource.
The Governor’s Office of Economic Development also offers procurement outreach
through its Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). The PTAC can help businesses
with education, marketing, technical assistance, support documentation, ecommerce, and
networking assistance when applying for state contracts. The PTAC offers all of these services
without charge. The City of Fernley can use these as a recruitment tool for new businesses to
show all of the resources a business could have at its disposal. Fernley also needs to educate its
existing businesses about these unique resources.
The Nevada Film office is another unique part of GOED and while it is not new, there
has recently been some new legislation passed that has made this office even more effective. In
the 2013 Nevada Legislative Session, a film tax credit bill was passed. The bill was passed to
help attract the film industry to Nevada and one of the great features is that it offers higher
incentives when filming takes place in a rural area. The incentive is a transferable tax credit on
15% of the cumulative qualified production costs, 12% on wages, salaries and fringe benefits to
non-resident above the line personnel and 12% on wages, salaries and fringe benefits to non-
resident below the line personnel through December 31, 2015 (reduced to 10% in 2016, and 8%
in 2017). There is also a plus 2% bonus of the cumulative qualified production costs if below the
line residents are more than 50% of the total below the line personnel and another 2% of the
cumulative qualified production costs if more than 50% of the filming days occurred in a Nevada
county in which of each of the two years immediately preceding the date of application, qualified
productions incurred less than $10 million of direct expenditures which will benefit the rural
counties in the state, including Fernley.
The State, through the Governor’s Office of Economic Development can also offer a
wide array of incentives. These incentives include sales and use tax abatements, modified
business tax abatement, personal property tax abatement, real property tax abatement for
recycling, Train Employees Now (TEN-matching grants of up to 75% for training programs for
eligible employees), and Silver State works employee hiring incentive. In addition to the
incentives, there are also financial resources available to companies in Nevada including
industrial development revenue bonds, the Silver State Opportunities Fund, Nevada
Microenterprise Initiative, Nevada Small Business Development Center, and the State Small
Business Credit Initiative. All business can apply for these incentives and financial resources,
and they are a great addition to the recruiting plan for Fernley to use.
Advertisements to Outside Businesses
Two recommendations for advertising to potential businesses are to develop a brochure
featuring Fernley’s advantages and to sponsor meeting events to bring in business to explore
Fernley. A professionally created brochure gives credibility to the city and helps reinforce its
professionalism and commitment to economic development. A brochure can be sent out along
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with a feature online that people can engage for more information is suggested because it is
professional, accessible, and delivers a powerful message about Fernley. It is easier to catch the
attention of a potential employer and they are more likely to read it if it looks professionally
done. After being engaged with the brochure, they may want to know more and go online to find
out more information. This is where having a feature online with more details comes into play. It
is easy to access and most people will do their research online before going anywhere else.
Organizing a tour of what the town has to offer along with going over business details is
a nice touch that shows companies Fernley is there to help. This way people get a first-hand
experience and letting them get a feel for the town can help them make a decision. This meeting
event can involve anything; it is up to the person organizing it and can be changed and altered to
fit the potential company. This can even become a large event where more than one company
can attend and see all that Fernley has to offer. Tours should be offered and engaged around
efforts of regional economic development agencies such as EDAWN, NNDA whose role it is to
attract new businesses to the region. These agencies should be kept apprised of the changes
happening in Fernley so they can properly communicate to site selectors and businesses
exploring relocation to Nevada. Although these agencies are aware of Fernley, continual
engagement with them assures Fernley will not be forgotten.
Billboards
One way to increase the city’s attractiveness to visitors and current residents is through
billboard advertisement. Examples of this can be seen in other rural Nevada cities, such as Elko
and Winnemucca. Billboards can be used to attract visitors and cross state traffic to a revitalized
downtown Fernley. Examples of billboards to be used by Fernley can be found in the Appendix,
Figure 5.
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Epilogue
Throughout this economic development plan, key recommendations have been made to
accomplish the task of renovating and revitalizing the City of Fernley. These recommendations
include renovation of the city website, the beautification of the City, development of city-wide
events, education development, and pursuit of new business and financial incentives. No one
recommendation alone will provide the sought benefit for the City, but with commitment and a
long term goal of economic development, the City of Fernley over the next three to five years is
predicted to garner more finances, increase its business population, bolster itself economically,
and become a competitive city of Northern Nevada.
Year 1
Overhaul the City Website, Logos, brochures, etc.
Research the current business entry process and ensure that ongoing communication
occurs during the SilverFlume Pilot program
Pursue business sponsorship for CTE, events and beautification efforts.
Begin workforce and education overhaul by utilizing the cities current resources
Investigate possible tax incentives to attract new business
Year 2
Continue ongoing efforts for SilverFlume program
Further develop continuing education plans and workshops for workforce
Introduce Fernley Days with new events
Introduce beautification events
Begin pursuing new business
Year 3
Aggressively pursue new business opportunities through city office, Economic
Development Authority of Western Nevada and GOED
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Appendix
Figure 1 – Newsletter
SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR BUSINESS, AND YOUR HOME WITH FINESSE AND FOCUS.
WWW.CITYOFFERNLEY.ORG
A MONTHLY PUBLICATION BY THE CITY OF FERNLEY
Ph
oto
by
Jerr
y M
ansk
er©
20
10
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FINE FORMwith Fernley’s City Hall
SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR BUSINESS, AND YOUR HOME WITH FINESSE AND FOCUS.
WWW.CITYOFFERNLEY.ORG PAGE 2
Note from Council
Economic Opportunities: Fernley is "Open for Your Business" and a great place to live, work and play. Fernley presents an attractive friendly, small-town lifestyle with no corporate, personal income, unitary, or inventory taxes. Located just 30 minutes from the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area, Fernley is home to the 5,000-acre Crossroads Commerce Center as a location that is fully prepared for a wide variety of businesses. With an abundance of industrial/office/commercial space and immediate proximity to major interstates and railroad access, there are new opportunities and many reasons for businesses to move to Fernley. Education: Lyon County Schools provide great opportunities for our youth to receive the best education possible. Academically, our students are performing at or above the levels of students in the surrounding urban and suburban school districts. History: Whether it be the Historic Newlands Project, the Wig WamRestaurant and Native American Museum, the Fernley Raceway or nearby Lakes Lahontan and Pyramid, those in the spirit or rich history know that
Issue 1, Volume 1, Year 2014
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FANCY FREEwith Fernley’s Business District
Featured Fernley Business
SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR BUSINESS, AND YOUR HOME WITH FINESSE AND FOCUS.
WWW.CITYOFFERNLEY.ORG PAGE 3
Biography of Fernley Citizen
SPIRIT of
FERNLEY:Name
Housing Opportunities: On the residential front, the population of Fernley grew 120% from 2000 through 2006, according to the Nevada State Demographer. Whether it is in the form of apartments or condominiums, traditional single family homes or farm, ranch or horse property, Fernley has something to offer to everyone at affordable family prices. We invite you to discover why Fernley is such a great place to live, work and play. Transportation: Fernley is located in Lyon County at the confluence of three other counties: Churchill, Washoe and Storey. Highway 95 A (north & south) terminates here in Fernley and therefore provides quick and easy access to Interstate 80 (east and west) and Highway 50 (east and west) to access central Nevada. Fernley is literally in the heart of all the activities and excitement that is abundant in Northern Nevada. Quality of Life: Isn't that what it is all about? The City of Fernley is one of the safest in the region. As a community, we all know that working together and character counts, and that we need to make sure that all of our neighborhoods are living up to its highest potential. Thanks to a city wide effort, whether it be Neighborhood Watch, the schools, our corporate neighbors or the many fraternal and civic organizations, we are pulling together to put Fernley’s best foot forward.
Issue 1, Volume 1, Year 2014
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FEBRUARY
POST EVENTS ON CITY CALENDAR AT WWW.CITYOFFERNLEY.ORG/CALENDAR
WWW.CITYOFFERNLEY.ORG PAGE 4
Issue 1, Volume 1, Year 2014
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
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Figure 2 - Websites
www.westofwells.com
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www.galenatimes.com
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Figure 3 - Logos
Logo #1 Logo #2
Logo #6
Logo #4 Logo #3
Logo #5
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Figure 4 - Solar Foundation
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Figure 5 – Billboards
*The rights to these pictures are not owned and therefore cannot be printed.
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Figure 6 - Scope of Work
The Marketing Plan will include the following:
Tag lines and key marketing messages
Graphic concepts to reinforce the brand
Style guide to address identity usage
Advertising elements to be used in marketing efforts
Recommendations to leverage websites and social media pages to reinforce the brand
Partnerships with businesses, neighboring communities, local organizations to reinforce
the brand
Mechanisms for outreach to the identified market of potential investors with the brand.
Marketing Plan Draft
The recommendations are developed based on the above findings, interaction with the
community, research and brand direction. For every recommendation made in the Marketing
Plan, the class will include approximate implementation costs, step-by-step instructions, possible
funding sources, implementation timelines and the rationale for each recommendation. The plan
will include budgets for product development initiatives, and general budget guidelines for the
marketing strategy. It will include “next steps”, timelines, measures to identify whether it is
working, project “to do” lists and resources for implementation.
The Marketing Plan shall include:
Introduction and Scope of Work
Executive Summary
Situation Analysis
Brand Development:
Branding defined
Identity design, logo, slogans and key phrases
Brand recommendations, including timelines, approximate cost, possible funding
sources and a rationale for each recommendation
Brand Development Committee – brand champions and roles defined.
Product Development:
Public sector projects
Private sector projects
Business District recommendations
Partnering organizations and roles defined
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Timelines
Approximate costs, funding sources
Marketing:
Brand-building defined
Marketing recommendations for print, electronic outreach
Marketing partnerships
Organizational recommendations, timelines
Three year marketing plan
Organizational:
Define roles and make recommendations by organization
Budgets and possible funding sources by organization
Implementation timelines by organization.
Supporting Documents:
Projects by funding sources
Review of past and current studies and plans
Public comment and interview summaries
Brand feasibility analysis
Measurables:
Follow-up and metrics defined
Updates to the plan
Public education