Rick Nelson, Mark IV Capital Senior Vice President

FERNLEYS’ FUTURE IS LOOKING EXPANSIVE

Forty-seven hundred acres in Fernley, Nevada are the beginning of a whole new employment industry which is currently employing over 2800 construction related employees.  After 36 years with the Marines, Genoa resident Rick Nelson “failed” retirement and took a position as the Senior VP with Mark IV Capital and has been busy ever since helping the Victory Logistics District project in Fernley stay on track.

The project began in July of 2019 with the acquisition of 4300 acres for approximately $45 million.  Subsequent land purchases in 2020 and 2022 have brought the total acreage to about 4700 acres.  Four buildings have been built so far totalling over 1.8 million square feet.  Tenants currently include Redwood Materials and Mark IV.  Plans are for tens of millions more square feet for logistics, advanced manufacturing and data centers.  Microsoft has purchased 300 acres for their data center.

With all of the building projects comes infrastructure and employment training needs as well.  A road connecting I-80 to I-50 includes an overpass over I-80, currently under construction.  An industrial Track Spur from UPRR is underway into Victory.  Power for the Victory Logistics District will take place with a 1.8gigawatt power plant, including a pipeline from Winnemuca for natural gas.  Initial power will be natural gas, however long term planning is considering solar and geothermal as well as small fusion reactors to handle additional power needs are projected within the project.  Plans are being made for sewer, storm water and electrical as well as additional police, first responders, a new high school, two middle schools and four elementary schools.  A 40,000 square foot Center of Excellence for Workforce will be built to focus on training high school students for successful careers in construction, HVAC, aerospace, computing and chip building.

In the works is the acquisition of BLM property to the north which will be used to build housing for the new workforce (estimated at 25,000) as well as other needs such as retail and services (Including a level 1 trauma center).  The Emigrant Trail, running through the proposed housing area, will be kept intact. 

Rick Nelson was a speaker at the Minden Rotary Club this month.  For more information on the Victory Logistics District, go to https://victorylogisticsdistrict.com/.

Local celebrity Bob Connor is part of a video for Douglas County on why you should be interested in being an election worker.  Check it out on the Douglas County Facebook page!

The Rotary Club of Minden is happy to welcome the following new members:

• Ric Casper is a graduate from Carson City High (but is quick to add his 3 kids all graduated from Douglas High).  He attended BYU as an undergraduate and Yale Law School.  He worked for the US Attorney's office for 4 years before coming back home and working for the Douglas County District Attorney's Office.
• Loral Langemeier from Live Out Loud Publishing.  Loral has 2 kids (Logan age 25 and Tristan age 18).  She is a graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan, has an MA from Omaha and is a writer.  AND she's dating President Graham.
• Eric Barter from Bad Boys Bail Bonds (Past President from the Rotary Club of Arcadia).  See the October 23rd newsletter for Eric's craft talk.
• Daniel Crawford, sponsored by Howard Vipperman. It was said he is the first native American to become a member in the Rotary Club of Minden. He is a Douglas County native, spent time in Diamond Valley, graduated from school in Douglas, served on tribal council, works for Washoe Native TANF as the project and resource specialist, and attended Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence Kansas.  Craft talk about his current occupation done at the December 4th meeting!

We look forward to hearing the rest of the craft talks soon and getting to know you better!

2/8 Super Bowl Pancake Breakfast (8am-12pm)- DC Community Center.  See Pat to be added to the signup sheet that was passed around on 1/8.  Tickets are $10 per adult or $7.50 per kid and benefit the pickleball program at the community center.

3/7  UNR basketball game - club social!  Plan on attending the Gold and Silver (newly remodeled) for dinner before!

3/27   Gotta Dance fundraiser for the Suicide Prevention Network with tickets going on sale beginning Dec. 8th. They’re expected to sell out quickly - and President Graham will be one of the dancers!

4/9   District Foundation Dinner at Mercantile.  Make your EREY (Every Rotarian Every Year) contribution!  Login to your account at www.rotary.org.

5/1-5/3   District Conference at Grand Sierra Casino.  Register HERE

5/16   Rotary Club Minden's 5th Annual Giving Cup @ Genoa Lakes

6/9   Rotary Club Minden's 100 Year Anniversary Celebration @ CVI

January 15th:  Dr. Robin Titus from Nevada State Senate
January 22nd:  Betsy Cooksey from Mongolian travel and fund raiser
January 29th:  No midday meeting at the COD Casino; Club Social, 5:00 at the Carson Valley Country Club Clubhouse Restaurant

February 5th:  Public Restroom Company - Field trip (meeting at their facility)
February 12th:  Sharla Hales.  County commissioner. 

February 19th:  Blayne Osborn, State Representative

February 26th:  No midday meeting at the COD Casino; Club Social, 5:00 at the Carson Valley Country Club Clubhouse Restaurant

March 19th:  Courtney Walker from Douglas County Stormwater Program Manager