AMBASSADOR HOTLINE:
Downtown Reno Partnership Year Seven
Dear Downtown Stakeholders,
As we reflect on our last fiscal year (July 2024- June 2025), our seventh as a business improvement district (BID), we are proud of the work the Downtown Reno Partnership (DRP) has accomplished and the expanded focus on making Downtown Reno a safe, clean and vibrant place. Whether it’s adding activation and beautification elements to Virigina Street or increasing our equipment and personnel to help expand our safe & clean capabilities, we are constantly looking for ways to increase value to you, our stakeholders.
During the year, our Ambassador team grew, and they did incredible work keeping the BID safe and clean. The Ambassador and security guard teams performed 26,906 stakeholder check-ins, collected 312,500 pounds of trash, completed 4,988 pressure washes and gave more than 1,400 van rides to services and shelters. In addition, we launched our security guard team to provide another layer of patrols and support while also adding two, four-wheeled Kubota’s to help with additional pressure washing, snow and trash removal. Our ambassadors and security guards work 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Throughout the year we continued our partnership with the City of Reno in a variety of ways including securing 194 new trash cans which have greatly improved the cleanliness of Downtown. We have also continued our weekly walks with the Reno Police Department, Code Enforcement, Parks and City leadership. These group walks continue to prove very beneficial in identifying hotspot areas and issues and have allowed the team to address problems in a coordinated and timely manner.
Through ARPA funding allocated by the City of Reno, the DRP was tasked with beautification and activation projects on Virginia Street. In response, we created a two-month roller skating event at Believe Plaza called Rollin’ Reno, we added 100 colorful planters along Virginia Street, and we installed vibrant branded wrapping on the trash cans throughout the district. The DRP also continued to share information about Downtown Reno through numerous community meetings and presentations as well as on social media with its ever-growing reach to highlight the numerous events and businesses through more organic content.
Economic development remains a core focus of the Downtown Reno Partnership, and we continue to lead efforts that shape the future of downtown. With our Downtown Reno Main Street program now nationally accredited by Main Street America, and with expanded use of advanced mapping tools, we’ve strengthened our role as a go-to source for data and insight that drives investment and revitalization. This year, we released Version 2.0 of the State of Downtown Report, building on the baseline established last year to better equip investors, developers, businesses, and brokers with the information they need to make strategic, data-driven decisions.
We are grateful so many are passionate about the downtown area, and we are proud to be a part of its revitalization.
Partnerships With The Partnership
Partners
- Basin Street Properties
- Caesars Entertainment (Eldorado, Silver Legacy & Circus Circus)
- City of Reno
- City of Reno Housing
- Club Cal Neva/Siri's Casino
- Cordillera International Film Festival
- Design on Edge
- Dickson Commercial Group
- Economic Development Authority Of Western Nevada (EDAWN)
- Governer's Office of Economic Development
- Jacobs Entertainment, Inc.
- Karma Box
- Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful
- Lifestyle Homes
- National Automobile Museum
- Nevada Main Street
- Pacific Development
- REMSA Health
- Reno Aces / Greater Nevada Field
- Reno Brewery District
- Reno Fire Department
- Reno Housing Authority
- Reno Police Department
- Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitor Authority
- Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce
- Basin Street Properties
- Caesars Entertainment (Eldorado, Silver Legacy & Circus Circus)
- City of Reno
- City of Reno Housing
- Club Cal Neva/Siri's Casino
- Cordillera International Film Festival
- Design on Edge
- Dickson Commercial Group
- Economic Development Authority Of Western Nevada (EDAWN)
- Governer's Office of Economic Development
- Jacobs Entertainment, Inc.
- Karma Box
- Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful
- Lifestyle Homes
- Basin Street Properties
- Caesars Entertainment (Eldorado, Silver Legacy & Circus Circus)
- City of Reno
- City of Reno Housing
- Club Cal Neva/Siri's Casino
- Cordillera International Film Festival
- Design on Edge
- Dickson Commercial Group
- Economic Development Authority Of Western Nevada (EDAWN)
- Governer's Office of Economic Development
- Jacobs Entertainment, Inc.
- Karma Box
- Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful
- Lifestyle Homes
- National Automobile Museum
- Nevada Main Street
- Pacific Development
- REMSA Health
- Reno Aces / Greater Nevada Field
- Reno Brewery District
- Reno Fire Department
- Reno Housing Authority
- Reno Police Department
- Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitor Authority
Ambassador Program
DRP Adds New Positions to the Ambassador Team
In an on-going effort to ensure our staffing keeps up with our growing community and is meeting the diverse needs of our community, the DRP added eight security guards to our staff in late 2024. The goal of these security guards is to add another layer of assistance and presence between Ambassadors and the Reno Police Department. Additionally, the DRP added two dispatchers to the team who are vital in helping to direct resources based on the needs of those calling the hotline and assist with the deployment of our daily scheduled cleaning. These positions help increase efficiency and enhance the security of Downtown Reno.
New Equipment Helps Ambassadors Keep Downtown Reno Clean
In early 2025, the DRP added two new pieces of cleaning equipment to its fleet with a pair of Kubota’s, which are four-wheeled units. The first Kubota, equipped with a pressure-washing unit, can navigate tighter spaces than our pressure washing truck, allowing our Ambassadors to fit into such spaces as down the river path and under the bridge at Wingfield Park. We also received a second Kubota, thanks to a grant from Nevada Main Street, that has a snowplow attachment and trash hauling capability.
Ambassadors Presence at Downtown Events
The Ambassadors can be spotted year-round at the numerous events and parades taking place in Downtown Reno. From walking through the event and along the perimeter as part of their daily patrols, Ambassadors greet visitors, provide directions and share downtown referrals and amenities in addition to helping to ensure a safe and clean environment during the many events in the heart of Downtown Reno. The Ambassador team provided presence at many events including: the Western Lights Festival, BBQ, Blues and Brews, the Great Italian Festival, the Biggest Little Wing Fest, shows at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, Hot August Nights, Reno Aces games, concerts and events at the Reno Ballroom and many more.
Ambassadors By The Numbers
Stakeholder Check-Ins
Hotline Calls Taken
0
+
Social Service Referrals
0
Pounds of Trash Collected
1000
Pressure Washes Completed
0
Van Rides to Services/Shelters
0
Stakeholder Check-Ins
990
Pounds of Trash Removed
Hotline Calls Taken
0
+
Social Service Referrals
0
Van Rides to Services/Shelters
0
Shopping Carts Recovered
0
Syringes Removed
0
Pieces of Graffiti Removed
0
Pressure Washes Completed
0
Shopping Carts Recovered
0
Syringes Removed
0
Pieces of Graffiti Removed
0
Downtown Engagement
The Downtown Reno Partnership in the Community
Throughout the year, the DRP team presents the latest news and information about all things DRP and Downtown Reno to groups inside and outside of our downtown district. We hold quarterly meetings for different districts and stakeholders as well as present at a number of community meetings including Lions Club and Rotary meetings as well as to organizations and boards such as EDAWN, the RSCVA and the City of Reno. These meetings allow us to share timely and important information that these groups can then share with their stakeholders and employees to spread the news of all things happening in Downtown Reno and the impact the DRP and Ambassadors have with our clean and safe mission.
Nearly a dozen new businesses opened in 2024-2025
Throughout the year, numerous businesses opened in our district to call Downtown Reno home. These businesses included Gordon Ramsay’s Fish and Chips, Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen, Boar’s Nest Saloon, Birdeez, The Wolf Den Bar and Grill, Chrome Coffee, Planet Smoothie, Teriyaki Madness, Waggish and Co, Dubs Sports Lounge and The Spot. These businesses represent a variety of options and offerings from drinks to dining to thrifting.
Virginia street activation and beautification efforts
Thanks to ARPA funding allocated from the City of Reno, the Downtown Reno Partnership was tasked with activation and beautification on Virginia Street through a variety of efforts. The DRP hosted a two-month roller skating activation at Believe Plaza called Rollin’ Reno. This event drew thousands of people to the heart of the city during this five-night-a-week, free event complete with music, theme nights and more. The goal of the skating, in addition to activating an underutilized space and offering a free, family-friendly event, was to drive that foot traffic into nearby downtown businesses.
The DRP placed 100 planters and colorful flowers along Virginia Street and designed and placed a color trash can wrap on the more than 190 new, trash cans throughout the district. Finally, a mural was painted on a vacant storefront to add much-needed color to the area.
Marketing & Media
DRP Launches Positively Downtown Campaign as a Vibrant Tribute to Downtown Reno’s Positive Progress
The Downtown Reno Partnership created and launched an engaging new campaign, “Positively Downtown,” to celebrate the remarkable strides and unique character of Downtown Reno and its Business Improvement District. The campaign is creating a buzz as it shares incredible experiences, vibrant businesses and organizations and inspiring testimonials from the diverse community deeply invested in the future of Downtown Reno.
With over a decade of extraordinary progress since the community’s last grassroots campaign, “Positively Downtown” sets out to capture the spirit and energy of Downtown Reno as it stands today, encouraging residents, visitors, and business owners alike to join in experiencing and supporting the evolution of the city into a destination brimming with captivating stories, distinctive experiences, and impactful progress. Participants can engage through a user-friendly digital toolkit with compelling social media elements, enabling them to contribute their own personal stories and gems from the Downtown Reno area.
DRP Expands Reach & Growth on Social Media and With Earned Media
The DRP continues to create and push original content on our social media channels to inform and share all the work the Ambassador are doing as well as to highlight the businesses and events in Downtown Reno. Our social channels saw a large following jump over the last year, with our Instagram account hitting the 10,000 follower mark during the year and is currently sitting at nearly 14,000 followers. Additionally, the DRP engages with and appears on local news stations throughout the year to share events and DRP impacts in Downtown Reno. Last year, these media efforts reached an audience of almost 15 million through nearly 80 media mentions. The DRP website experienced strong growth this year, with 48K active users (up 3.2%) and 47K new users (up 2.9%). Average engagement time was 37 seconds. Home page visits increased by 47.5%, driven by 40K visits from Google (up 2.8%) and 12K direct visits
(up 17%).
Drp-hosted blue carpet events highlight new and expanded businesses
The Blue Carpet Treatment is the Downtown Reno Partnership’s signature event to highlight and celebrate new business openings, renovations, and expansions in the city’s urban core. We literally roll out the blue carpet to create a fun, high-visibility event that doubles as a content party, with full support from our team.
Each event is promoted through our social channels, email newsletter, press release and direct invitations to City of Reno leaders, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, the Nevada Small Business Development Center and other partner organizations. Events are designed to generate great social content, with photo opportunities, media coverage, and local influencers. Last year we celebrated with Tahoe AleWorX, Abby’s Highway 40 and Nevada Sunset Winery.
Economic Development
In our sixth year of focused downtown economic development efforts, we’ve made substantial strides in enhancing our expertise in data collection, reporting, and advanced mapping tools; deepening collaboration with stakeholders, professional groups, and potential partners; developing revitalization strategies; implementing beautification and placemaking initiatives; supporting local businesses; and continuing to lead the conversation around downtown improvement.
We continue to monitor key downtown metrics including foot traffic, visitations, demographics, psychographics, and real estate trends. As a trusted source of information, we fulfilled over 30 data report requests and met with more than 150 individuals and groups seeking insights into downtown. We developed custom mapping tools to deploy streetscape assets and track public realm investments. We also delivered six large-scale State of Downtown presentations, several smaller briefings, and released Version 2.0 of the report with updated statistics and expanded metrics.
Our team attended the annual International Downtown Association (IDA) conference in Seattle, gaining valuable insights into best practices, shared challenges, and emerging industry trends. We continue to maintain strong relationships with key partners including the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN), University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Reno+Sparks Chamber of Commerce, Washoe County, the City of Reno, and many more.
Our Downtown Reno Nevada Main Street program earned national accreditation from Main Street America. We also supported the establishment of two new Nevada Main Street programs in the Riverwalk and Brewery Districts. We were awarded a $45,442 Nevada Main Street grant to purchase a Kubota RTV and expand our Main Street Clean Fleet, as well as a $2,500 AARP grant to conduct walk audits focused on walkability and potential district improvements. To celebrate downtown business milestones and promote vibrancy, we hosted six Blue Carpet Treatments in collaboration with our marketing team to generate visibility and community support.
We continue addressing vacancies and blighted properties by creating retail attraction tools and building relationships with property owners. Our placemaking and beautification efforts have effectively complemented the vital work of our Ambassadors in keeping downtown clean, safe, and friendly. We’ve received consistent feedback that downtown has never looked cleaner. With over 700 new residential units completed, we anticipate a more active, vibrant urban environment. Our work plays a crucial role in this transformation, and we remain committed to making downtown a place where people love to visit, live, work, and play.
Three Pillars of Economic Development
- Data & information
- Partnerships & policy
- Community development
DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS BY THE NUMBERS
Population of Downtown
0
Median Age of Downtown Residents
0
Number of Housing Units
0
in Total Property Sales From Year 23/24
$
0
Total Businesses in Downtown
0
Workers in Downtown
0
Average Household Size
0
Households Own Pets
0
Average Disposable Income Median: $39,020
$
0
Associates Degree or Higher
0
%
High School Graduate
0
%
Some College
0
%
Source: Downtown Reno Partnership analysis of regional data. Environmental Systems Research Institute, Demographic, and Income Comparison Profile numbers from within BID boundaries
Development Activity
Staff
Neoma Jardon
Executive Director
Harold Cofer
Operations Manager (Ambassadors)
Gary Bartolomeo
Operations Manager (Ambassadors)
Kristen Saibini
Assistant Executive Director / Marketing Manager
Nathan Digangi
Economic Development Manager
2024-2025 Budget
The overall budget for 2024-25: $3.850 million
$2 million of that paid for 28 Ambassadors, 8 security guards, their manager and equipment.
$950,000 paid for staff, operations, economic development and marketing programs.
$708,000 paid for staff, operations, economic development, and marketing programs.
$480,000 paid for the City of Reno staff who performed additional maintenance and cleaning throughout the district and for improvements along Virginia Street.
$100,000 paid for premium services for beautification and improvements on Virginia Street.
The overall budget for 2024-25: $3.850 million
$2 million of that paid for 28 Ambassadors, 8 security guards, their manager and equipment.
$950,000 paid for staff, operations, economic development and marketing programs.
$708,000 paid for staff, operations, economic development, and marketing programs.
$480,000 paid for the City of Reno staff who performed additional maintenance and cleaning throughout the district and for improvements along Virginia Street.
$100,000 paid for premium services for beautification and improvements on Virginia Street.
Board Members
Board Chair Tony Marini
Vice President of Player Development, Caesars Entertainment
Vice Chair Jonathon Boulware
Vice President of Nevada Operations at Jacobs Entertainment
Secretary Par Tolles
President of Tolles
Development Company
Treasurer Mike Rossman
Director of Development,
Reno Basin Street Properties
Past Chair Chris Shanks
Dickson Commercial Realtor, Owner of The Depot Craft Brewery-Distillery & Louis Basque Corner
Paul Irving
Resident of the Palladio
Condominium Tower
Jeff Siri
President and CEO of Club Cal Neva
Eaton Dunkelburger
Northern Nevada Community Foundation
Mark Reece
Director of Business Development, Marketing and Communications at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center
Chris Phillips
GM / Chief Operations Officer at Reno Aces Baseball
Eric Edelstein
President, Reno Aces Baseball
Courtney Meredith
Co-Owner of Design on Edge, Marketing Director of the Reno Riverwalk District
Kathleen Taylor
Reno City Council Member
Eric Lerude
Resident of The Montage
Emily Skyle
Resident at Arlington Towers
Troy Miller
Assistant Vice President of Community and Real Estate at the University of Nevada, Reno
Kaya Stanley
Co-Owner of Old Granite Street Eatery and President of TEDxReno
Steven T. Polikalas
Attorney at L
Board Chair Tony Marini
Vice President of Player Development, Caesars Entertainment
Vice Chair Jonathon Boulware
Vice President of Nevada Operations at Jacobs Entertainment
Secretary Par Tolles
President of Tolles
Development Company
Treasurer Mike Rossman
Director of Development,
Reno Basin Street Properties
Past Chair Chris Shanks
Dickson Commercial Realtor, Owner of The Depot Craft Brewery-Distillery & Louis Basque Corner
Paul Irving
Resident of the Palladio
Condominium Tower
Jeff Siri
President and CEO of Club Cal Neva
Eaton Dunkelburger
Northern Nevada Community Foundation
Mark Reece
Director of Business Development, Marketing and Communications at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center
Chris Phillips
GM / Chief Operations Officer at Reno Aces Baseball
Eric Edelstein
President, Reno Aces Baseball
Courtney Meredith
Co-Owner of Design on Edge, Marketing Director of the Reno Riverwalk District
Kathleen Taylor
Reno City Council Member
Eric Lerude
Resident of The Montage
Emily Skyle
Resident at Arlington Towers
Troy Miller
Assistant Vice President of Community and Real Estate at the University of Nevada, Reno
Kaya Stanley
Co-Owner of Old Granite Street Eatery and President of TEDxReno
Steven T. Polikalas
Attorney at Law
*Photos in this report were taken by Jen Schmidt, David Calvert, Mike Higdon, Brian Bosma, Kristen Saibini, and courtesy of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority and The ROW.