Reno’s Economic Reality Check: Jeremy Aguero’s Blueprint for Fiscal Resilience
Economist Jeremy Aguero delivered a sobering yet practical roadmap for Reno’s fiscal future, tackling income inequality, housing costs, debt burdens, and the urgent need for more innovative governance
Economist Jeremy Aguero delivered a sobering yet practical roadmap for Reno’s fiscal future, tackling income inequality, housing costs, debt burdens, and the urgent need for more innovative governance
Oct 30, 2025
A Sobering Look at Reno’s Fiscal Future
Economist Jeremy Aguero delivered one of the most consequential presentations in recent Reno City Council history on October 29, 2025. This wide-ranging economic analysis doubled as a reality check for both city leaders and residents.
Aguero made clear that while the U.S. economy remains strong on paper, with record-high GDP and continued investment, Reno faces a more challenging path: widening income inequality, mounting household debt, and a cost of living now 3% higher than the national average.
“My presentation is not a report card,” Aguero said. “It’s a foundation for the work ahead.”
Here is the recording of the October 29, 2025, City Council meeting. The presentation by Jeremy Aguero starts at minute 16.
The National Picture: Growth with Fragile Confidence
Across the nation, growth persists — but so does anxiety.
Inflation has eased somewhat, but still acts as a “regressive tax,” disproportionately hurting younger and lower-income households.
Consumer confidence remains as low as it was during the Great Recession.
Only 40% of Americans can cover a $1,000 emergency expense.
Household wealth may total $160 trillion, but the top 10% hold two-thirds of it. The result: financial strain that trickles down to cities like Reno, where families are feeling the squeeze of higher housing and transportation costs.
Reno’s Local Economy: Strong Numbers, Weak Foundations
Aguero described Northern Nevada’s economy as “mostly positive” but showing signs of stress.
Taxable retail sales have started to decline.
Housing prices remain high and out of reach for most families with a median income.
Saving for a home now takes roughly 33 years at current rates.
The solution, Aguero argued, isn’t more subsidized housing; it’s higher-paying jobs, especially in healthcare and the trades. Economic diversification, he warned, means little without fiscal diversification to support it.
“Growth pays for growth in the short term,” he said, “but creates fiscal challenges in the long term.”
The Policy Gaps: Where Reno Must Adapt
Aguero didn’t mince words about Reno’s structural limitations. Under Nevada’s Dillon’s Rule, cities can only act where the state explicitly grants authority, making regional collaboration essential.
Among the top policy challenges he identified:
PERS liabilities that threaten long-term fiscal health.
Infrastructure funding gaps in transit, airports, and utilities.
A need to modernize government operations and shed “legacy structures” that no longer fit today’s city.
He also urged leaders to evaluate economic development incentives, such as tax increment financing (TIF), through a clear lens of fiscal and social return on investment, rather than just focusing on short-term growth.
Technology, AI, and the Future of Work
Aguero noted that technology and AI now account for approximately one-third of U.S. GDP growth. Yet he warned that innovation cuts both ways: automation may improve efficiency, but it can also deepen inequality and erode middle-class stability.
His message is that cities must invest in human capital — including workforce training, trade programs, and education — or risk being left behind.
“AI can improve government efficiency,” Aguero said, “but it should never replace human judgment.”
Fiscal Responsibility and “Good Government”
Aguero’s framework for “Good Government” rests on three pillars:
Fiscal Discipline: Balance budgets without one-time fixes. Maintain reserves and protect bond ratings.
Economic Policy: Support local businesses, encourage entrepreneurship (especially among Gen Z), and build resilience through public-private partnerships.
Service Quality: Focus on core functions — public safety, infrastructure, and community trust — with measurable outcomes for every taxpayer dollar.
Council Takeaways: The Road Ahead
Council members raised concerns about energy costs, food insecurity, and affordable housing, prompting Aguero to stress that many economic levers, such as interest rates and federal aid, are beyond local control. Still, he argued, Reno has agency where it matters: planning, partnerships, and prioritization.
He emphasized that quality of life is the ultimate metric. Clean streets, safe neighborhoods, and transparent budgeting aren’t just civic ideals — they’re economic advantages.
“Have a plan. Work the plan. Move it forward,” he concluded.
Final Thoughts: Reno’s Crossroads
Jeremy Aguero’s message wasn’t doom and gloom — it was a call for discipline and courage. Reno’s future, he implied, depends on whether its leaders can align economic ambition with fiscal realism.
If the city follows his blueprint — focusing on talent, efficiency, and transparency — it can thrive even amid national uncertainty. But if not, the same forces fueling today’s growth could quickly become tomorrow’s fiscal reckoning.
In this article, I have summarized Jeremy Aguero’s presentation. In a subsequent article, I will outline what the city council can do, what they cannot do, and how they must work with other agencies and governmental bodies to achieve results.
Downtown Soccer Fields are the New Neon Line Distraction but Where is the Infrastructure?
A City Hall pivot, a disappearing neighborhood, and a promise of tournaments but nothing else. Jacobs Entertainment does another slight-of-hand play in West Reno.
A City Hall pivot, a disappearing neighborhood, and a promise of tournaments but nothing else. Jacobs Entertainment does another slight-of-hand play in West Reno.
Oct 28, 2025
Let’s rewind to Wednesday afternoon inside Reno City Hall. Jacobs Entertainment is at the podium again. Not to explain what happened to the housing they promised. Not to show progress on all the land they leveled.
The presentation was about the continuing remodel of the J Resort. They gave an update on the art installations and talked about charging stations and the concerts at the Glow Plaza and Festival Grounds, but beyond that, not much.
Then they pivoted, and the rest of the presentation was about proposed youth sports and playing fields. Twelve new youth sports fields! Lacrosse too! Tournaments! Visitors! Energy! Tourism! Heads in beds!
Councilmembers smiled politely. Local media wrote glowing headlines. It felt like a pep rally. But outside, a few blocks away, the flattened remains of what used to be a neighborhood sit behind fences. The lots are empty. The promises are too.
This is the moment where residents are supposed to forget what came before. We’re supposed to pivot right along with Jacobs. Accepting the buzz of shiny new possibilities, but without much in the way of a plan.
Jacobs Promised Housing. People got displaced
Three years ago, the sales pitch was different.
Jacobs would bring new housing to downtown. More residents. More life. More community. The West 2nd Street neighborhood would be reborn into a dignified, modern, and vibrant community.
So tenants were bought out or pushed out. Buildings were bulldozed. Motels vanished almost overnight. And then… nothing. Except for the 245 Arlington Apartments. No housing. No mixed-use buildings. No rebirth.
Just parking lots, a Glow Plaza, and a Festival Grounds waiting for events that draw fewer people than promised.
Jacobs Neon Line: Promises Unfulfilled in West Reno
Where are the results for Phase One
If Jacobs wants applause for Phase Two, they should show results for Phase One:
• Where is the housing?
• Where is the neighborhood?
• Where is the follow-through?
Reno has been burned before by big visions that never quite materialize. We shouldn’t let “kids playing soccer” become a shield that protects a developer from accountability.
Promise anything loudly enough, and some people will stop asking whether you ever delivered the last thing you said.
Jacobs Entertainment may see this as a pivot. Residents deserve to see it as a pattern.
The $2 Billion Mirage: Has Jeff Jacobs’ Downtown Reno Vision Stalled?
Now They Promise Playing Fields
The presentation was full of exciting phrases:
“Walking distance of J Resort,”
“Land secured for four sites,”
“Twelve fields in six years.”
What’s missing is:
• Exact parcel listings,
• Economic analysis,
• Land acquisition transparency,
• Explanation of public access rules.
No One Answered These Questions
Why will teams come when Reno isn’t a youth sports destination? There are other well-known destinations such as Grand Park (Westfield, IN), opened in June 2014, Publix Sports Park + Frank Brown Park (Panama City Beach, FL), opened in 2019, and Cedar Lane Regional Park (Harford County, MD), opened in 2008, and many more, see this article, Six Youth Sports Facilities Producing Major Economic Impact.
How can Jacobs hold tournaments without supporting infrastructure beyond simple sports fields? It’s not likely. Other venues have field houses, event centers, locker rooms, showers, and toilets, which are necessary for tournaments.
How will Jacobs ramp up attendance so quickly when other destinations have taken years to attract tournaments? They won’t. It takes years. They won’t have enough fields for a major tournament for several years.
What is the income potential from the sports fields? They haven’t done projections beyond throwing out a few numbers, and I won’t since there is too much information missing to do a credible job.
Will the sports fields sustain Jacobs’ development in Reno? It’s not possible to determine, as Jacobs doesn’t provide any income projections and doesn’t publish its accounting records.
Jacobs says Trust us
They want the City to give public legitimacy to a plan that is little more than a concept slide deck. Reno can’t keep trading commitments for colorful renderings.
Let’s be clear: youth sports are great. Soccer fields are needed. Lacrosse players deserve space, too. “Trust us” is not a development plan.
Until a road map exists, this isn’t a development plan. It’s marketing.
It might work out for local teams to practice and play, but national tournaments!
How Reno Lost Its Opportunity for a Modern Neon Line Resort
City staff didn’t speak. Council flew blind
This was supposed to be an accountability check-in.
The City Council was entitled to know whether Jacobs had:
• Complied with conditions of the Glow Plaza permit
• Met housing and community development benchmarks
• Honored timelines written into the Development Agreement
When the City can’t assess performance, a developer can redefine “progress” however they want. That’s how “housing” quietly morphs into “hotel-driven soccer tourism.”
This might be the most alarming part. At the October Council meeting, Jacobs chose the agenda item. Jacobs gave the presentation. Jacobs controlled the narrative.
When the City asks for nothing, a developer can claim anything.
Reno City Council Meeting 10-22-25
You can watch the Jacobs presentation at 1:30 in this meeting recording.
The Story That the Local Media Missed
The headlines all sounded the same:
“Jacobs bringing youth sports boom to Reno!”
“Positive investment downtown!”
“Great news for families!”
No one asked:
• Why this pitch arrived only after the housing plan stalled
• Why rough ideas are treated as guaranteed outcomes
• Why the City didn’t get a staff analysis
• Why does every Jacobs promise arrive with a camera crew before a development plan
Cheerleading is cheaper than journalism, and that is what the local press does.
Reno can Love Youth Sports and Demand Good Governance
This isn’t about opposing sports fields. This is about requiring the same basic performance standards that every homeowner, small business, and nonprofit in this City must meet daily.
Jacobs has a 20-year Development Agreement. We are 3 years into the plan, and Jacobs is 8 years into the Neon Line project. Let’s get this right.
The City and the public should ask for:
An economic analysis of the project and its impact on Reno.
A parcel map of all 12 proposed fields
A detailed timeline for construction
A maintenance and access plan guaranteeing local usage
A fundamental public oversight role before major pivots are endorsed
Kids deserve fields. Residents deserve results. Reno deserves both.
Because every time a developer promises Reno the world, the public deserves to know whether they’re showing us a future or a mirage.
Inside Hillary Schieve’s $417,000, 2022 Campaign Machine for Mayor of Reno
Where the Money Went: A look at what takes to get into the Mayor’s Office in Reno. Candidates take notice as the 2026 election approaches and people wonder why.
Where the Money Went: A look at what takes to get into the Mayor’s Office in Reno. Candidates take notice as the 2026 election approaches and people wonder why.
Oct 27, 2025
When Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve ran for re-election in 2022, her campaign raised $340,954.94 and spent $417,827.81.
That level of spending isn’t just a line on a report. It tells a deeper story about how Reno’s most recognizable politician built, financed, and sustained her brand through a small circle of consultants, marketing firms, and PR specialists who profited handsomely.
Note: the difference was “in kind” donations.
A Campaign Built on Media, Not Volunteers
Schieve’s financial filings show that nearly every dollar spent went to professional consultants and advertising firms. There were no signs of a grassroots operation — no reimbursements for canvassers, phone banking, or community field staff. However, union workers might have done this work.
Instead, her campaign was engineered as a public relations enterprise, designed to shape perception and control narrative to mobilize voters.
Where the $417,827 Went
$159,245 (56%) went to consulting firms.
$199,075 (44%) went to media production and advertising buys.
Less than $2,000 — about 0.5% — was spent on digital tools, fees, or operational costs.
Just $6,500 (1.5%) was used for event hosting and hospitality.
In Total, 99 cents of every dollar flowed to professional vendors.
The Consultants Who Got Paid
Two names dominate Schieve’s ledgers: Changing Dynamics and Fong Menante Media.
Changing Dynamics, a Reno-based consulting and public relations outfit, received $159,245 during the campaign. Payments peaked in the final two quarters of 2022 — $45,465 in August and another $113,780 between October and December. These figures suggest full-service control of Schieve’s communications, crisis management, and campaign strategy.
Fong Menante Media, another Reno firm tied to regional political advertising, earned roughly $146,860, handling video production, media placement, and branding materials. The company’s work spanned spring through fall — nearly half of the campaign’s visible media budget.
Tissot Solutions, a Las Vegas compliance and data consultancy, was paid nearly $19,000 for voter analytics and filings.
Add in Three Sticks Productions, Kimera Collective, and Lamar Advertising, and the combined media ecosystem behind Schieve’s image accounted for over $358,000 — or 90 percent of all expenditures.
The Rise of Riley Sutton, and Changing Dynamics, Reno’s Most Connected Political Consultant
Lavish Events, Elite Venues
Though small in proportion, the campaign’s hospitality expenses reveal the social dimension of Schieve’s political style.
She hosted gatherings at Rum Sugar Lime, The Emerson, and Potluck Nevada — all upscale Reno venues known for craft cocktails and curated aesthetics.
Catering by Roundabout Catering added another $3,372. These weren’t grassroots rallies in community centers; they were polished networking events attended by the city’s professional class.
Political Alliances and Reciprocity
While Schieve’s campaign drew heavily from large donors, it also distributed small contributions to political allies — $500 each to Assemblywoman Sarah Peters and local Democrat Alex Goff, and $250 apiece to Mariluz Garcia and Adam Mayberry.
These outlays, while minor, show a deliberate alignment with the Washoe County Democratic establishment — the same circle that has backed Schieve’s policy agenda and her recent endorsements. It’s the Jessica Sferazza clique.
The Vanishing Grassroots
For all its scale, Schieve’s campaign reported just $3,407.85 in donations of $100 or less — less than one percent of total fundraising.
The absence of small donors tells a story of insulation. The campaign relied not on voter enthusiasm or neighborhood outreach, but on a small network of high-dollar contributors and consulting retainers that turned her mayoral run into a polished, closed-loop PR operation.
Mayor Schieve: Promises, Claims, but Missing Facts
Overspending and Optics
By the end of 2022, Schieve had outspent her fundraising by nearly $77,000, which was made up of “in-kind” contributions. Her ending fund balance was $15,503 — pocket change compared to what she’d paid her consultants.
The financial pattern matches the political one: optics first, accountability later. Every quarter, the campaign spent about $150,000, almost as if on autopilot.
Her team maintained the same cash-burn rhythm through spring, summer, and fall — while fundraising lagged.
Possible Conflicts Worth Watching
Both Changing Dynamics and Fong Menante Media have operated within Reno’s civic ecosystem — occasionally overlapping with city projects, promotional events, or nonprofits supported by the Mayor’s office.
If either firm held city contracts or subcontracted for publicly funded initiatives during or after Schieve’s campaign, the overlap would raise potential conflict-of-interest concerns. The lack of disclosure surrounding these relationships is part of what makes campaign finance transparency so vital in local politics.
🧴 Mayor Schieve and Doctor Hovenic: Spooge, and Scrutiny
A Mirror of Schieve’s Mayoral Tenure
Schieve’s campaign finances mirror her tenure at City Hall:
Image-driven,
Consultant-managed,
Light on grassroots participation,
And closely tied to an inner circle of professional communicators.
Where other candidates invest in field operations or voter contact, Schieve invested in optics. Her campaign functioned less as a political movement and more as a personal brand-maintenance enterprise, carefully curated by the same PR network that now shapes narratives for some of Reno’s other candidates.
The Wild and Crazy Legacy of Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve
The Takeaway - Candidates Take Note
In Total, Hillary Schieve’s 2022 campaign spent over $417,000 — more than any mayoral contender in Reno’s modern history — with nearly every dollar going to PR and media consultants.
The campaign’s financial trail reveals not a grassroots machine but a media apparatus, one that blurred the lines between city politics and professional image-making.
It’s a reminder that in Reno, public relations often substitutes for public engagement — and that the cost of maintaining political control can be measured not only in votes but in invoices. It’s no wonder that voters feel left out.
Inside Reno’s HEAT Sting: What It Reveals About Sex Crime in Reno
While the local news focuses on a police commander being arrested, I explain how the sting worked, the state of trafficking, and the implications for Reno.
While the local news focuses on a police commander being arrested, I explain how the sting worked, the state of trafficking, and the implications for Reno.
Oct 23, 2025
The Headline Facts
Over two days in mid-October, a regional task force targeting sexual exploitation of minors arrested 13 people in the Reno area—including Thomas “Tom” Robinson, 52, a former Reno Police Department deputy chief who retired in January 2024. As of Sunday, October 19, Robinson is out on $30,000 bail in a move that has angered many people in Reno.
According to police and local reporting, suspects contacted undercover detectives—who were posing online as minors—to arrange sexual encounters and then arrived at a northwest Reno residence, where arrests were made. Robinson was booked on soliciting a 17-year-old for prostitution and attempted child abuse for sexual exploitation and remained in custody as of the latest reports.
The operation was run by the Regional Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) unit with multi-agency partners. Authorities emphasized a “major concern” that this may not have been the first time some of the arrestees engaged in such behavior, noting that contacts were initiated over “various online platforms as well as social media.”
Sting Operation Reno 911 YouTube Video
Sex trafficking was an issue in Reno when this comedy episode of Reno 911 was made in 2008. It shows a sting operation, where people are lured to a location and they attempt to engage in prohibited activity with an undercover agent, similar to what happened this time for real.
Who was Arrested, and the Range of Alleged Conduct
The sweep netted a mix of charges that show both “demand” (buyers soliciting minors) and more severe alleged conduct, including luring, attempted sexual assault, attempted kidnapping, attempted child abuse for sexual exploitation, drug charges, and pandering. Several cases involved supposed victims described as 14, 15, 16, and 17, and at least one scenario where a suspect believed they would meet a 9-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy. (In reality, all “minors” were undercover.)
How the Sting Worked (and why it keeps working)
HEAT’s documented model blends reactive case referrals with proactive online operations: monitoring social media and “private chat rooms,” setting up undercover personas, and conducting “supply/demand” operations to intercept buyers and identify victims. The unit partners with the FBI and ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) and runs regional operations across Northern Nevada. In short, investigators go where exploiters look for minors—public networks, messaging features, classifieds, and invite-only chats—then mirror the communication patterns offenders expect.
Why do suspects—including someone with law-enforcement experience—still get caught? Interviews and case histories from similar stings point to a recurring mix of overconfidence, impulsivity, and the deceptive realism of undercover profiles. Even when a suspect “knows stings exist,” cognitive bias (”it won’t be me,” “I’ll be careful”) and the promise of a willing minor can overpower caution—especially once a meeting is arranged. HEAT’s own playbook stresses that it proactively mirrors the online settings where grooming and solicitation occur, then controls the environment for safe arrests and evidence preservation.
Is Reno Facing a Broader Exploitation Problem or a Few Bad Cases?
The arrests are not a one-off. In October 2024, a prior HEAT operation similarly led to 13 arrests on child-sex and exploitation charges, suggesting a sustained enforcement tempo—not a sporadic surge.
Context indicators also hint at systemic risk:
Nevada’s child well-being ranks among the worst in the nation. The 2025 Kids Count snapshot again placed Nevada near the bottom (47th–48th range across key dimensions). Poorer child outcomes often correlate with vulnerability to exploitation (though rank alone doesn’t prove causation).
Northern Nevada hosts persistent trafficking/exploitation activity. Local nonprofit analyses estimate thousands of women and girls are advertised for sex online statewide at any time, with roughly 1,500 in Northern Nevada and an estimated ~300 children being exploited in the region at any given moment (methodologies vary and are debated, but the order of magnitude is sobering).
Regional infrastructure is evolving to respond. Alongside RPD’s HEAT, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office launched the HERO unit in 2024 to dismantle trafficking networks and support victim recovery. Another sign agencies view this as an ongoing, not episodic, threat.
Taken together, the pattern of arrests, the state’s child-well-being headwinds, and the standing of multiple dedicated units imply a meaningful, persistent problem—one that requires both demand-side enforcement and victim-centered services.
What the Robinson Arrest Means for Public Trust
When a former deputy chief appears on the same docket as alleged child-sex offenders, the optics amplify public alarm. Fair-process caveats apply—charges are allegations—but the case raises challenging questions:
Internal culture & accountability: How does a long-serving senior officer get to this point? Did colleagues notice warning signs?
Retiree risk: Do former officers, confident in their knowledge of tactics, underestimate stings?
Deterrence vs. displacement: Do high-profile arrests deter buyers—or merely push them to more encrypted, insular venues?
Those are answerable only through court records, internal reviews, and longitudinal data. For now, the Robinson arrest underscores that status does not immunize anyone from exploitation risk—or from scrutiny.
What the Platform’s Angle Tells Us (without naming specific apps)
Officials and reporters did not publish the platforms used in the October operation—a common practice to protect active methods and prevent offender adaptation. But HEAT’s public materials are explicit: social media, private chat rooms, and online classifieds/messaging are core to both grooming and buyer contact. Expect continued use of Direct Messages, closed groups, and invite-only spaces, with hand-offs to encrypted messengers once initial contact occurs.
Reporting & resources
Community members who encounter suspected exploitation should contact local units (HEAT/HERO), the National Human Trafficking Hotline, and ICAC lines. Nevada-specific hotline data show thousands of trafficking cases identified over time; timely tips are often how cases begin.
A Shocking Lack of Awareness in the Department
On 10/23/2025, on 2 News Nevada, in an article titled Reno Chief of Police talks about former Deputy Chief arrest Reno Police Chief Kathryn Nance’s comments reveal a troubling lack of awareness about serious misconduct within her own department. By her own admission, she “had no inkling or thought” that former Deputy Chief Thomas Robinson was capable of such predatory behavior. Nance’s surprise underscores a deeper problem of internal blind spots and insufficient oversight—especially considering Robinson held one of the highest positions in the department. Her statement that the incident made her “rethink a lot and wonder if [she] missed something” raises questions about how a senior officer could allegedly engage in such acts without triggering any red flags, and whether a culture of misplaced trust allowed it to go unnoticed.
The Bottom Line
The Reno sting is part of a clearer picture: online-facilitated child exploitation persists in Northern Nevada, and demand-side enforcement is now routine. The arrest of a former deputy chief is shocking. Still, it mainly reinforces what HEAT has been telegraphing for years: that offenders come from every background, the internet is the front line, and proactive undercover work remains one of the few tools that reliably interrupts that pipeline. Sustained progress will depend not just on arrests but also on prevention, services, and transparency that match the scale and sophistication of the problem.
How Reno Lost Its Opportunity for a Modern Neon Line Resort
Eight years later, the only glimmer comes from empty lots, chain-link fences, and a rebranded hotel that still carries the bones of the 1960s Sands instead of a new resort.
Eight years later, the only glimmer comes from empty lots, chain-link fences, and a rebranded hotel that still carries the bones of the 1960s Sands instead of a new resort.
Oct 22, 2025
Today, a required two-year progress report on the 20-year Neon Line District Development Agreement is before the City Council. Here’s a look at what could have been.
A Half-Billion Dollar What-If
When Jeff Jacobs of Jacobs Entertainment bought the Sands Regency in 2017 for about $30 million, he promised to transform the west end of downtown Reno into a glimmering “Neon Line District.”
Eight years later, the only glimmer comes from empty lots, chain-link fences, and a rebranded hotel that still carries the bones of the 1960s Sands instead of a new resort.
Jacobs has now spent over $500 million—an astonishing sum that could have built an entirely new resort from the ground up. Instead, much of that investment sits on dirt.
Despite the dramatic renderings, the J Resort does not look like this. It’s the worn-out old Sands Regency with a new paint job and some new carpet.
The Original Opportunity
The Sands once held roughly 800 rooms, built in awkward stages from the Johnson Administration through the Reagan era.
Renovating it was always going to be costly: asbestos removal, dated wiring, structural oddities, low ceilings, and plumbing that barely met modern codes.
By 2017, the smarter play would have been clear to most developers: tear it down and build new.
Construction-cost studies show a modern 800+ room full-service casino resort could have been built for roughly $400–$550 million, including structured parking and amenities—about what Jacobs has already spent.
💥 What the J Resort Flood Reveals About the Sands Remodel
The Sands buildings are old and decrepit. The renovation was a disaster. They ran into all sorts of problems.
What Jacobs Did Instead
Rather than focus on one flagship project, Jacobs went on a buying spree:
Purchased more than 100 parcels between West Street and Keystone Avenue.
Demolished 17 motels and other structures, leaving tracts of bare ground.
Installed sculptures and LED art pieces to brand the area as the “Neon Line District,” his own made-up marketing name.
Announced phase after phase of investment, each emphasizing vision over execution, with nothing much getting built.
Today, those properties remain largely undeveloped, fenced off, and producing no tax revenue or tourism draw.
Meanwhile, the J Resort—the renamed Sands—remains fundamentally the same footprint, with cosmetic upgrades and a few art installations. It’s a facelift, not a transformation.
The Cost of Sprawl
Jacobs’ rebuild of Sands cost between $400 to $500 million. A new 800-room integrated resort could have been built by 2022 for the same amount. The Neon Line Strategy, which cost over $500 million, is full of empty lots amid rising public skepticism. Had Jacobs concentrated his capital, Reno would have a new resort rivaling the Grand Sierra and Peppermill—a modern, energy-efficient resort with conference space, rooftop venues, and retail frontage capable of pulling tourism.
Instead, the city has an expensive land bank, and a developer is publicly seeking public funding to complete what private promises began.
Jacobs Neon Line: Promises Unfulfilled in West Reno
Jacobs promised everything and then didn’t deliver.
Political and Community Fallout
City officials, especially Mayor Hillary Schieve, hailed Jacobs as Reno’s savior. But by 2025, residents were calling the cleared corridor “Jacobs Desert.” Affordable motels vanished, and nothing replaced them.
The optics are unmistakable: a billionaire developer holding the city’s west end hostage to “market timing” while taxpayers wait for results.
At the 10/22/2025 Reno City Council meeting, two agenda items reveal the status of the city’s deal with Jacobs Entertainment. The first is a required two-year progress report on the 20-year Neon Line District Development Agreement, which granted Jacobs up to $3.9 million in city credits for infrastructure and pedestrian improvements; so far, less than a quarter of that has been used, and key public features like streetlights, signage, and walkways remain unbuilt. The second is the annual Glow Plaza operations report, the only opportunity for the public to hear how Jacobs’ downtown entertainment venue is being managed under its conditional use permit. These items test whether City Hall intends to hold Jacobs accountable for tangible progress or continue a pattern of acceptance without results.
🚨 New Jacobs TIF Proposal: $21M Ask Tied to Affordable Housing, Festivals, and a Bigger J Resort
Jacobs needs tax incentives to proceed with “affordable housing.”
A Developer’s Calculus
From a business standpoint, Jacobs’s move is speculative. Owning contiguous land grants him control. Land values might rise through the removal of blight. By waiting, he can time construction for lower interest rates or negotiate tax-increment financing. But that’s speculation, not redevelopment. Reno didn’t need a speculator—it needed a builder.
The Road Not Taken
If Jacobs had demolished the Sands in 2017 and started fresh:
Reno could have enjoyed a grand reopening by 2022.
Hundreds of construction and hospitality jobs would exist.
The project could have sparked organic redevelopment around it rather than clearing everything pre-emptively.
Instead, we have a “district” with no streetscape, a “resort” without renewal, and a “vision” without execution.
The tragedy isn’t just that Jacobs spent half a billion dollars.
It’s also that Reno has nothing to show for it.
The $35 Million Kickoff: Reno Pro Soccer’s Stadium Gamble
A proposed soccer Stadium Wrapped in Hype and Controversy. What is really going on? Here is what the news is not telling you.
A proposed soccer Stadium Wrapped in Hype and Controversy. What is really going on? Here is what the news is not telling you.
Oct 21, 2025
You may have seen the news stories and the television coverage. There sure is a lot of it, but they don’t dig into what is happening behind the scenes. This isn’t the first time that Wendy Damonte and a group of investors have tried to get something going. Just look up the South Meadows soccer stadium controversy from a year ago.
Reno’s newest sports dream comes packaged in glossy renderings and sound bites: a USL Championship soccer team led by television personality Wendy Damonte and local developer Todd Davis.
The project, branded Reno Pro Soccer, promises to bring professional men’s soccer back to the Truckee Meadows. Its online shop already invites fans to “Reserve Your Spot for the 2027 Inaugural Season.”
Yet beneath the excitement lies a troubling reality.
According to city records, no permits have been filed, no environmental or traffic review has begun, and the state’s Real Estate Division has received a formal complaint alleging a violation of Nevada’s NRS 119B — a statute that prohibits collecting money for unapproved or unbuilt facilities.
Wendy Damonte pitches the project at a press event, admitting that it’s not all in place.
The Expensive Land Deal
The chosen site is the former Jones-West Ford dealership at 3600 Kietzke Lane, roughly 27 acres of mixed-use land just south of the Reno Sparks Convention Center.
County assessor data show that on September 8, 2025, the property sold for $16.5 million to NYTDAW-North LLC, one of two companies created by Davis in June 2025.
Together, the two parcels total roughly $35 million — purchased months before any city entitlement or financing plan existed.
A “Fait Accompli” Strategy
When Davis purchased the Kietzke parcels in September 2025, the deal price—$1.3 million per acre—suggested entitlement certainty. Developers typically buy after approvals, not before. By moving ahead with marketing, branding, and ticket deposits, Damonte’s team projects inevitability, daring city planners to say no. But without a CUP or financing clarity, the strategy borders on “approve-it-later” urban planning—a maneuver that risks both legal scrutiny and public backlash. This is the same strategy that Jacobs Entertainment used for their Festival Grounds.
The Missing Conditional Use Permit
City planning staff confirmed in writing on October 13, 2025, that no project application is under review and that “a stadium or sports arena requires a Conditional Use Permit (CUP).”
That public hearing process can take months and invites neighborhood comment, traffic analysis, and environmental review.
Until a CUP is approved, no outdoor stadium can legally break ground in Reno. Despite that, Reno Pro Soccer’s website markets the team as a done deal and collects deposits as if the stadium were already cleared.
Many elected officials, notably mayoral candidate Kathleen Taylor, showed up for the festivities, but they didn’t seem to be asking questions.
Selling Tickets to a Stadium That Doesn’t Exist
The project’s online shop advertises: “Each $27 deposit reserves one seat. Deposits are non-refundable and limited to 10 per account.”
Those words triggered a Statement of Fact (Form 514) filed with the Nevada Real Estate Division’s Compliance Office in Las Vegas, alleging that the sale of “non-refundable deposits” violates NRS 119B, the state’s Membership Campground and Pre-Sales statute.
Mariluz Garcia, Washoe County Commissioner District 3, Kathleen Taylor, Reno Ward 1 Councilmember, and Miguel Martinez, Reno Ward 3 Council Member.
What NRS 119B Says
Under NRS 119B.120–.140, it is unlawful to:
Offer to sell or receive money for the right to use or occupy a facility until the project is registered and approved by the Real Estate Division.
Misrepresent the availability or status of the property or facility being sold.
Collect non-refundable deposits from the public on unregistered projects.
The intent is simple: protect Nevadans from paying for something that does not yet legally exist.
In this case, Reno Pro Soccer is soliciting money for access to a stadium that has no permit, no construction plan, and no league-approved franchise. That places the deposits squarely within the zone of potential regulatory violation.
The State Steps In
The Form 514 complaint now sits with the Nevada Real Estate Division’s Compliance Office.
Investigators can:
Demand documentation of how deposits are handled.
Require proof of registration or escrow compliance; and
Order the promoters to cease collecting money until approvals are in place.
If substantiated, the violation could trigger civil fines and mandatory refunds—and place Damonte’s high-profile project under a legal cloud before the first shovel of dirt is turned.
Why It Matters
The significance of this situation goes far beyond soccer. As of mid-October 2025, no Conditional Use Permit (CUP) has been filed with the City of Reno—a legal prerequisite for any outdoor stadium. Without that approval, the project has no official standing and could be halted at any time. Yet Damonte and her partners have already begun collecting $27 non-refundable deposits from the public for seats in a stadium that does not exist. This action appears to violate NRS 119B, Nevada’s law against taking money for unregistered or unapproved projects.
The Reno Pro Soccer project fits the familiar template: generate excitement, secure public sympathy, then seek taxpayer assistance once the momentum is politically irreversible.
A Possible Request for Tax Rebates
While Damonte told KRNV that the stadium is “100 percent privately funded,” she also acknowledged plans to seek public-private partnerships through Tax-Increment Financing (TIF)—a subsidy tool available under Redevelopment Area #2, where the property sits. That means taxpayers could ultimately help finance the very project now being marketed as “privately funded.” Behind the scenes, developer Todd Davis quietly bought the two Kietzke parcels for roughly $35 million through his NYTDAW North and South LLCs, months before the entitlement process began—an aggressive move suggesting that approval is assumed rather than earned.
The Public Reaction
Public reaction to Wendy Damonte’s proposed Reno Pro Soccer stadium has been overwhelmingly skeptical, with residents expressing frustration over potential public financing, zoning abuses, and misplaced priorities. “No public financing—it is just wrong. If you can’t pay for it, don’t build it,” said mayoral candidate Eddie Lorton, echoing widespread anger toward tax-increment financing. Others questioned the city’s direction entirely, with Steven Burlingham Sr. lamenting that “Reno is becoming slums,” and Matt Adamo calling the idea of taxpayer-funded sports ventures “insane... Why should I or my neighbors pay for someone’s business asset?” Critics like Kurt Neathammer and Birgitta Koehler accused Damonte of arrogance and self-interest—“She’s making money off the project… She couldn't care less about this community,” wrote Koehler—while Scott McGuire called the deal “a huge grift game… make us pay for it while they get rich.”
Conclusion
Reno Pro Soccer’s story isn’t about kicking goals; it’s about testing the boundaries between marketing and law. A $35 million land gamble, an absent permit, and a state-level complaint now threaten to derail the carefully staged rollout.
For Reno residents, the question is familiar: Are we watching the birth of a new sports legacy—or another case where public relations masks private overreach?
The CARES Campus: When Public Relations Becomes Public Policy
How Pat Hickey and the Abbi Agency’s messaging shapes Reno’s homelessness narrative
How Pat Hickey and the Abbi Agency’s messaging shapes Reno’s homelessness narrative
Oct 20, 2025
A story about a robin — and a press strategy
In his October 14 column, “Homeless people have a place to go in Northern Nevada,” longtime political figure and columnist Pat Hickey paints a gentle picture of Reno’s Cares Campus — a place of compassion where “broken-wing robins” find safety and care.
It’s a heart-warming read: a childhood story, a moral lesson, and praise for civic cooperation. Hickey thanks Washoe County, the Volunteers of America, Catholic Charities, and Karma Box for offering “a cul-de-sac of care” that, according to developer Par Tolles, has reduced homelessness along the Truckee River by more than 40 percent.
But beneath that tone of empathy lies something more strategic: a public-relations narrative written from inside the PR industry itself.
Abbi Holman Whitaker, Pat Hickey, and Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve share a moment to celebrate at the signing after the publication of his book that includes them.
The undisclosed affiliation
Pat Hickey isn’t just a columnist. He works as an agent for The Abbi Agency, the Reno-based marketing and communications firm founded by Abbi Whitaker Holman.
The agency holds public contracts with Washoe County, EDAWN, Travel Nevada, and other civic entities that help shape public perception of redevelopment and homelessness policy.
So when Hickey praises the Cares Campus as “one of the largest and cleanest homeless shelters in America,” he’s not simply sharing an observation — he’s advancing a narrative his employer helps manage.
There’s no disclosure of that connection in the RGJ op-ed.
The CARES Campus is the number one place that the police are called to in Reno.
According to this article, from This is Reno, from June 20, 2024, Service requests for homeless issues increasing,
“In April of this year, city staff responded to 250 calls for service related to unsheltered individuals and 220 reports of occupied vehicles. Three years prior — and one month before the opening of the 549-bed Nevada Cares Campus — the city responded to just 114 calls for service.”
A “cul-de-sac of care” or a cul-de-sac of containment?
The phrase “cul-de-sac of care,” borrowed from Par Tolles, sounds comforting, but it’s also revealing.
It recasts containment as compassion: sweep the encampments, clear the bridges, move everyone into a supervised facility, and call it progress.
Reality is more complicated.
Washoe County’s own data show roughly 1,700 homeless individuals in 2025, numbers that have held steady or even increased since before the pandemic.
Reports from the Cares Campus include safety incidents, drug use, and chronic overcrowding.
🧨 Hidden in Plain Sight: The Crime We're Not Allowed to Talk About
The CAREs Campus is not housing; it’s bunk beds in common areas. People staying on campus get out during the day and wander about town. We don’t know the extent of the crime that they are involved in because it isn’t tracked by their housing situation.
Reality Check: The “40 % Reduction” Claim
The statistic Hickey cites that Cares Campus reduced homelessness along the Truckee River by over 40 percent appears nowhere in HUD counts, Washoe County dashboards, or the 2024 Point-in-Time survey.
It likely refers to a reduction in visible encampments, not in total homelessness. That’s a cosmetic metric, not a systemic one.
🧹 The Never-Ending Challenge for Reno's Downtown Ambassadors
The homeless leave the CARES Campus and wander out around downtown, leaving a trail of garbage that the Ambassadors struggle with every day.
Moral framing over material reality
Hickey closes with quotes from Mother Teresa and Charles Murray, urging readers to fight “the poverty of being unwanted” by fixing our own families first.
That’s touching — and convenient.
By shifting focus from housing shortages, wage stagnation, and treatment gaps to moral failings and family decline, the column absolves policymakers of structural responsibility.
It’s an appeal to conscience that costs nothing, which is precisely why it’s so effective.
The Fireside Market: Policing Crime by Regulating Shelves and Blaming Businesses
The City of Reno tried to shut down the Fireside Market due to police calls, but the number of calls is far lower than the CAREs Campus, and most of the calls were not for disturbances inside the market, but were on the street or related to the bus station.
The feel-good feedback loop
Hickey’s piece fits neatly within the county’s larger communications strategy:
Promote success stories from Cares Campus to counter negative coverage.
Highlight collaboration between government, business, and faith groups.
Reframe enforcement as compassion to get the feel-good vote.
It’s the same playbook the Abbi Agency has executed for tourism, redevelopment, and now homelessness messaging — branding progress rather than proving it.
A pattern worth watching
There’s no crime in promoting civic optimism. But when paid communicators use media platforms to shape policy narratives without disclosure, it becomes a conflict of public trust.
Washoe County residents deserve transparency about who’s framing the conversation — and why.
Otherwise, Reno’s homelessness policy risks becoming what marketing folks call “earned media”: polished stories designed to make everyone feel good while sidestepping the more complex questions.
Closing thought
Pat Hickey’s robin story ends with the bird flying away. But Reno’s story isn’t that simple. Until the people at the Cares Campus have their situation in order and have real homes to fly to, not just a cleaner cage, the story remains unfinished.
How a Las Vegas Investment Group Shattered a Reno Community Hub
When rent becomes the only measure of value, what disappears isn’t just a business, it’s a community’s sense of home and the places that they value.
When rent becomes the only measure of value, what disappears isn’t just a business, it’s a community’s sense of home and the places that they value.
Oct 14, 2025
The Sale That Changed Everything
For decades, the Moana West Shopping Center, a cluster of modest storefronts along 3350 - 3480 Lakeside Drive anchored by Swill Coffee + Wine, Zozo’s Ristorante, and Lakeside Bar & Grill, as well as Ben’s Liquor and Wine, was one of Reno’s familiar neighborhood corners. The parking lot was always full, the patios were busy, and the businesses were rooted in the community.
That stability ended on March 28, 2025, when the property sold for $10.75 million to a Las Vegas company acquiring the property as Local Moana LLC.
Public records from the Washoe County Assessor’s Office show that the buyer’s mailing address — 3900 S. Hualapai Way, Suite 200, Las Vegas — belongs to Local Asset Management, a commercial real estate investment firm founded by Brendan Keating and Agus Alamsjah, who worked through Logic Commercial Real Estate. Northern Nevada Business Weekly reported the deal on May 13, 2025.
Their business model is simple: acquire older, undervalued neighborhood centers, fix them up, and raise rents to reflect “market value.” It’s a classic strategy, designed to deliver returns of 6–7% annually to investors.
The purchase price tells the story. When the center was last sold in 2006, Reno investor Jacqueline E. Nightingale transferred ownership to Moana West Shopping Center, LLC for roughly $6.3 million. Nineteen years later, Local Moana LLC paid nearly $4.5 million more — a 70% increase — and expects higher rents.
To meet its financial targets, the new owner needs to collect roughly $900,000 a year in rent, equivalent to $1.70 per square foot per month. Longtime tenants like Swill Coffee and Zozo’s Ristorante, still paying older lease rates near $1.00–$1.25 per square foot, suddenly faced the prospect of rent hikes approaching 50–70%.
For Local Moana LLC and its parent firm Local Asset Management, the logic is financial. If they can re-tenant or reprice every space in the center at new market rates, the property’s income could jump from about $600,000 to nearly $1 million per year. That increase would immediately raise the property’s value from $10.75 million to around $14–15 million, allowing the investor to refinance or resell at a profit.
A Beloved Café Forced Out
Swill Coffee + Wine, founded in 2014, had become a cultural landmark. It hosted open-mic nights, poetry readings, and business meetups like 1 Million Cups. On any given morning, its tables are filled with writers, students, retirees, and city staffers. Swill wasn’t just a café — it was one of Reno’s last true “third places.”
That made the news of its closure all the more painful. On October 13, Swill announced on Facebook that it would soon close its doors, citing unsustainable rent increases under the new ownership. The post triggered an avalanche of comments — hundreds within hours.
“This is absolutely devastating. My home away from home. What can we do?” wrote Councilmember Naomi Duerr.
“It was never just about the coffee,” said longtime customer Pam Morrison. “It was the two of you and your special staff. We were all family.”
Others were more direct: “All the greedy landlords force small businesses to close. We are the backbone of this community,” posted Debbie Cox.
Even other café owners weighed in. “This is getting to be unacceptable for small businesses,” wrote Scot Munns from Darkshot Coffee. GloryCloud Coffee’s owner added, “We are very bummed out about all the rent problems smashing small businesses. This stinks!!!”
The outpouring revealed something more profound — not just sadness, but rage and disbelief that a visibly successful local café could be priced out by rent increases tied to a Wall Street-style investment formula.
The Domino Effect
With Swill leaving, the community loses a major draw that benefited neighboring businesses. Foot traffic will fall. Zozo’s Ristorante, a longtime Italian restaurant, relies on the same shared parking and customer flow. If it faces similar rent hikes when its lease renews, it could be the next to go. The Lakeside Bar & Grill, a breakfast staple, is equally vulnerable.
Once these locally owned anchors depart, investors often recruit regional or national chains willing to pay higher rents — a Starbucks instead of Swill, a Panera instead of Lakeside Grill. The center becomes more “stable” on paper but less connected to the neighborhood that sustained it.
Here is what LOGIC Commercial Real Estate wrote on their LinkedIn:
Our team identified Moana West Shopping Center, a staple in the Old Southwest submarket, as a target investment opportunity over 5 years ago. After multiple off-market offers over the years, the owner contacted us with interest in our latest offer. The catch? We had a month to get the deal done.
Thanks to the sophistication and flexibility of the buyer, Local Asset Management, and the drive and expertise of our team, we were able to get to a successful closing for both parties. Congratulations to Local on another great northern Nevada acquisition!
A City’s Identity at Stake
What’s happening on Lakeside isn’t unique — it’s part of a broader pattern in Reno’s redevelopment. As the city’s property values surge, outside investors are acquiring older shopping centers, raising rents, and pushing out local operators in favor of standardized tenants. The result is a quieter form of gentrification — not luxury towers, but incremental displacement of community anchors.
“Reno will be diminished without you guys,” wrote one resident. “Seeing local businesses like Swill close is heartbreaking,” said another. Those comments reflect a growing unease: that the soul of Reno is being sold one lease at a time.
What Comes Next
The closure of Swill Coffee + Wine is a cautionary tale. It’s not simply about one café’s struggle; it’s a glimpse of what happens when local economics collide with investment strategies. For the community, it means fewer gathering places and fewer chances for local entrepreneurs to thrive. For tenants, it’s a warning that long-standing leases no longer guarantee stability. And for city leaders, it’s a reminder that unchecked commercial speculation can erode the very character that makes Reno desirable to begin with.
Unless the city develops policies to protect small businesses — or at least incentivize landlords to preserve locally owned spaces — this story will repeat itself across Midtown, Plumb Lane, and Virginia Street.
Because when rent becomes the only measure of value, what disappears isn’t just a business. It’s a community’s sense of home. What do you think? Do we need to do something about out-of-town investors destroying our neighborhoods?