Cordish unveils sweeping plans for downtown Reno

Thursday, April 27, 2000 | 10:21 a.m.

The Baltimore-based Cordish Co. unveiled the plan Wednesday to casino executives, arts groups, small businesses and the public.

It said the key is to create enough attractions and open space to encourage people to walk downtown, not just stay in their cars or at the blackjack table.

"Not everyone is going to like what we propose," said Blake Cordish, vice president of the Cordish Co., hired last fall by the city of Reno to create a master plan for a 35-block area downtown.

"It requires a tremendous amount of financial resources, as well as human resources. Its a big, big project."

A big question that Cordish and politicians didn't address is where the money will come from for this multi-million dollar vision that will rely on eminent domain to knock out some existing properties.

Only the $60 million downtown events center, which is expected to draw conventions, live entertainment and other uses, has committed funding sources via a room tax increase and private contributions from downtown stakeholders.

"I think its a great master plan," said Mayor Jeff Griffin, who has seen various stages of the plan in recent months. "Now we have to figure out if that meets everyone's needs, and we have to figure out how to pay for it."

The final master plan, which will include a more detailed financial analysis of the events center, will be completed and submitted to City Council in June.

The Cordish plan also calls for a science center and planetarium across from the Circus-Circus hotel-casino parking garage, a 2,400-seat performing arts center at the site of the Pioneer Theater and a 150,000-square-foot events center downtown.