Jacobs Entertainment, which operates Gold Dust West and has been buying properties west of downtown, announced today that it is demolishing the Carriage Inn on West Fourth Street.
Meera Rosser, director of marketing for Jacobs Entertainment, a Colorado company, said the move is part of a revitalization effort in an area that will become a residential and entertainment district.
“We are tearing down of some of the motels, starting with Carriage Inn,” she said. “It’s had over 600 calls for police services since 2014. We’re starting a new chapter for Fourth Street.”
Efforts by Jacobs Entertainment were originally framed as developing an arts district.
“We are excited about the plans of Jacobs Entertainment to create a vibrant new arts-oriented district along Fourth Street,” Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve said in April.
But Rosser said it’s too early to tell what arts components would be included in the area and that, right now, its focus will be an entertainment district with a housing component. Affordable housing will be part of the development.
“We’re going to look at doing some traffic studies,” she said. “One of the key points Mr. Jacobs is interested in doing is putting in two roundabouts.”
Jacobs Entertainment came under fire by residents of some of the properties they purchased who were being evicted with no place to go. That’s changed, Rosser said, and a team is in place that has found better housing for residents.
“All the seniors, veterans and resident have found better housing through partnerships with Reno Housing Authority and the Youth Empowerment Project,” she explained. “Both … have gotten funding (for placement).”
A phase one development of the project is expected early next year, which will include retail businesses, housing and other types of entertainment.
“Certainly arts will be part of the designs, but it’s a little early to give specifics,” Rosser said. “Right now it’s about the housing component and tearing down some of the properties.”
Watch a video below of today’s press conference.
