Tesla still has a year before beginning to manufacture batteries at its new Reno facility, but the ‘Tesla effect’ has already become the talk of the town. After the Silver Rush of the 1850s and the gaming market surge a century later, Tesla Motors $5 billion Gigafactory is the most awesome thing that ever happened to Northern Nevada.
‘Tesla effect’ can be seen everywhere
Riverwalk District, a farm to tablet Campo restaurant in the city, is giving away 10% discount to Tesla employees. Similarly, the Siena Hotel and Casino is promoting the “Tesla Triple Spin Wheel” and rewarding winners Model S Sedans, says a report from Bloomberg.
Furthermoew, Tesla employees are already relocating from San Francisco Bay Area to Reno and enrolling their kids in the local schools. The new Whitney Peak Hotel is serving as the unofficial headquarters for visiting Tesla workers. Last month, a direct flight was started from New York by Jet Blue Airways, and the company stated that the route is already well subscribed..
Last year, when Tesla was seeking a suitable location for its battery factory, Reno was not even on the list. Tesla instead was looking to lock-in San Antonio as their final destination. However, when the EV firm finally turned its focus on Reno, it saw the many unique advantages, including easy accessibility by rail or Interstate 80, the city has to offer.
Reno needs more companies like Tesla
The EV manufacturer is building the factory in an industrial park east of town, which provides the city that boasts to be the “Biggest Little City in the World,” a once in a blue moon opportunity to create more jobs and growth and transform Reno’s image from a downmarket Las Vegas.
Moreover, it’s not just Tesla that has chosen Reno as a hub for its dream project, various other tech platers like Apple and Amazon have already started building data centers and distribution warehouses in the city. Las Vegas-based developer of data centers, Switch is also constructing a facility near Reno, and is assisting in funding the University of Nevada at Reno’s innovation center downtown. Reno is hoping that the Gigafactory will lure in other manufacturers that run their operations for longer than tech firms, who often shut down their data or customer service centers when their business model changes.
