City Council Backs Developer for Lakeridge Tennis Club Expansion
Residents Left with Traffic Congestion and Safety Issues
In a display of catering to big-money developers over local residents, four Reno City Councilmembers—Devon Reese, Kathleen Taylor, Miguel Martinez, and Brandi Anderson—voted to approve the construction of two five-story buildings at the former Lakeridge Tennis Club site, deep in a residential neighborhood of two-story homes.
The most recent approval for the Lakeridge Tennis Club redevelopment occurred on April 23, 2025, when the Reno City Council voted 4–3 to deny residents' appeals, thereby upholding the Planning Commission's earlier approval of the project.
This decision allows the development of a 273-unit multi-level housing project at the former Lakeridge Tennis Club site, located at the intersection of Plumas Street and South McCarran Boulevard. The project has faced criticism from local residents concerned about public safety, traffic congestion, and evacuation challenges in case of emergencies.
The Planning Commission initially approved the project on January 22, 2025. However, the City Council issued a 90-day pause to address community concerns before making the final decision in April.
(Note: This is about Lakeridge Tennis Club. There is also a citizens’ initiative for Lakeridge Golf Club.)
A Decade in the Making, Led by Lobbyists and Law Firms
The saga dates back to 2018, with a pivotal meeting in July 2019 at Rancharrah, where over 200 stakeholders gathered to hear about a potential zoning change. Despite promises to retain community amenities like tennis courts and pools, those features vanished. The original developer, Lyon Living, razed the facilities. By 2024, they had partnered with Thompson Thrift, leading to the April 23, 2025, vote that solidified the project’s path forward.
In the background, Jessica Sferrazza, a former City Councilmember and once-mayoral hopeful, emerged as a key lobbyist. Assisted by Mayor Hillary Schieve, Sferrazza teamed up with land-use attorney Garrett Gordon, operating under attorney-client privilege and wielding influence in Reno’s development decisions.
(Note: Jessica also works for Jacobs Entertainment in support of their Neon Line District and was the campaign manager for Mayor Schieve.)
Follow the Money: $88,096 in Campaign Contributions
Records reveal that Lewis Roca and the engineering firm Wood Rodgers contributed a combined $88,096 to local campaigns tied to the Lakeridge project:
Mayor Schieve: $17,096
Devon Reese: $18,500
Kathleen Taylor: $10,500
Brandi Anderson: $5,000
Miguel Martinez: $4,500
Nicole Cannizzaro (Reese’s law partner Rings’s wife): $31,500
Alex Velto (Reese’s other law partner): $1,000
Though not illegal, these donations raise serious ethical questions. None of the recipients has disclosed these contributions publicly, and no councilmember is currently required to recuse themselves from votes involving major donors. Let’s see how they report the spending.
Traffic Fiction vs. Lived Reality
At the heart of resident outrage is the McCarran–Lakeside corridor, which already receives an “F” grade for traffic congestion. Rush hour now starts as early as 3:00 p.m. Despite this, the developer claimed—without irony—that traffic would improve after adding 274 apartment units and over 600 vehicles parked in the area.
A traffic study conducted in 2024 by Headway Transportation projected an additional 1,800 vehicle trips per day through the nearby intersection, concluding that the impact would be "negligible" and would not present any significant issues. However, this conclusion is not accurate.
Some council members celebrated voicemail comments parroting this fantasy narrative as evidence that residents were “excited” for the project. The voicemails, according to observers, appeared to be scripted or paid-for testimonials—a practice that further undermines public trust.
(Note: In February 2025, Mayor Schieve called McCarren Blvd dangerous and said that the city of Reno should take it over, ignoring that RTC and NDOT already did a study and are addressing the issues, while Reno lacks the expertise and budget.)
Fire Safety Ignored, Again
During the Pinehaven Fire, residents near the Lakeridge site waited over an hour to evacuate across McCarran. With no evacuation plan, no road improvements, and no serious mitigation measures in place, the council's vote risks repeating history with even deadlier consequences.
The new development, situated in the urban-wildland interface, puts thousands of residents at risk should another wildfire strike. Individuals with respiratory conditions will be particularly vulnerable if evacuation routes become gridlocked.
What Happened to "Conserving Neighborhoods"?
Nevada law and Reno’s own Master Plan require that new developments “conserve and enhance existing neighborhoods.” That language was completely ignored. Instead, “infill” has become the buzzword that City Hall uses to justify virtually any high-density project, no matter the cost to quality of life or public safety.
Bottom Line: Who Does City Hall Represent?
The former Lakeridge Tennis Club served 100–150 daily guests before shutting down in March 2020. Now, with zero public amenities and zero public input, it will become a traffic-choked apartment site — a monument to backroom deals, outside lobbying, and developer dollars.
Reno’s elected officials love to tout their commitment to “smart growth” and “public input,” but this case makes one thing painfully clear: campaign donors come first, and the public comes last. Residents are watching. And they’ll remember in 2026.