Fixing Reno's Image

[Willie]

On a recent trip down to the city, one of my friends who had moved down there say most people she has talked to in the Bay Area have a really warped view of the Biggest Little City thanks to the unflattering potrayals such as the televsion show "Reno 911" and movies like "Kingpin." Yesterday, there was an RGJ article citing the CDC report that Washoe County ranks at the top for booze.

With the 2018 Winter Olympics Games coming to our region possibly on the horizon, I thought I would start a discussion over those things about that make us proud, unique, cool, etc. so my friend has some ammunition to fight some of those unflatering impressions.

[Willie]

I will start with something unique. Last year when we got our first big snow on the valley floor, I went on a cross country ski pub crawl with friends through downtown Reno. I look forward to doing the same soon the next time we get enough snow downtown. (Speaking of "Reno's Image," notice how the arch is not completely lit)

[Mike Jamieson]

~Natural beauty: mountains, river, forests

~The people: less armored, a tad more goofy perhaps, more friendly overall (than most calif. communities i know of)

~Themed community events/activities almost every month (i.e. things like Art Town month and the Nada/Dada Motel annual event)

~There's actually fish in the river

~Downtown along the river is One Big Summer Camp (obviously during the summer months) and people basicly walk around naked then

~It's close to the best of northern California places

~People voted for Obama here (by a landslide margin)

~Gaming is starting to lose its primary position as the source of drawing in tourists

~Our representatives are part timer, citizen legislators and not too stuffy

~Retirees can afford to live here

[Elisa Maser]

Four seasons = unparalleled outdoor recreation opportunities (ok, not much surfing, but other than that we've got it).

Phenomenal arts/culture scene, especially for a community of our size: Nevada's only accredited fine arts museum, Nevada Opera, Reno Philharmonic, Reno Chamber Orchestra, Bruka, etc.

Amazing history: Emigrant Trail; Paiute, Washoe, and Tahoe Tribes (?); Carson City; Virginia City; Genoa.

Why do you want to tell people, again?

[Ryan Jerz]

I think about this a lot. I work in tourism and love Reno. So I have to think about the good things that the city offers in order to pass them on through my work. I also wonder a lot, as a local, whether it's even necessary to try to fight the perception. Movies and television shows have a far greater reach than we could hope to overcome with a few cool things about our town, so why worry about trying to break that down? Here's the thing. We have a unique place here. Completely unique. A lot of people will say their town is the only one of its kind, but there is nowhere else this close to Tahoe, with gaming, with the outdoor activities we have, and with a really, really improving downtown. The bigger problem than convincing a bunch of condescending San Franciscans (they call their town, as you did, The City, for crying out loud), is convincing our own residents what we have. I hear it all the time. Downtown Reno sucks (from the guy who moved to the northwest 15 years ago and only hits the spaghetti bowl because he works in the south), or, the desert is hideous. Those are the people who we need to worry about. They live here and tell their friends from other laces there's nothing to see or do in this town. Are you kidding me? When we start to win that battle, I'll worry about convincing everyone else. The locals are the best ambassadors, and we don't have enough people speaking well of the place they live right now.

[Don Vetter]

And what is catalyst for those local, negative comments? I could venture some guesses but would rather field thoughts from the group...All above comments are dead on on what makes Reno and its environs unique, cool and groovy.

[Ryan Jerz]

Don,

That's a good question. I can say when I first came here I was that way because it was kind of like I didn't have a choice. But I've stayed because I grew to love it here. 15 years ago, downtown was crappy. Take a bad downtown, and the explosive growth we saw in that time frame, and you get a suburban mentality in a small city. I don't think those things go together at all. So we now have these outlying communities that are closed off from the rest of the city, where there really are some interesting things happening. Perhaps the economic changes will affect the perception of the city for the better? It's a stretch, but I see the lack of expansion turning more people's attention to the heart of this place, and that's good.

[Don Vetter]

Marketing thought...Reno Baby's collective brain cells produce an on-line (and maybe hard copy version ) of a Reno/Northern Nevada Users Guide..The Care and Feeding of Your Good Times, Good Deals and Good Feelings in the Greatest Little City in the World...or something like that. (Digression: I always thought the We Love This Place campaign lacked the infrastructure to make it really resonate...it was more an order than a feeling) Every real estate agent. builder should be required to give to the new homeowner upon closing. EDAWN could give out copies to perspective new businesses...I've seen something like this a few years ago in Alaska -- know one of the authors)

[pi]

I would agree with Ryan on this. Why do I give a fig what people from "the City" think of Reno. I just wish the locals would stop dragging us down. So I went back to Willie's articles (when he used to publish) and tried to find positive articles...................................still searching.

-3.14168

[Willie]

Hey P.I.

Was my role as a former journalist to do P.R.?

[pi]

Absolutely not. But is journalism only concerned with negative stories? Also, absolutely not. It was a simple comment and you have given an easy answer...no, there are none. Positive stories=P.R. Negative stories=journalism
It seems to me you have answered your own question about why there is a negative image of Reno.
My question directly to you, have you written anything tabout "things about that make us proud, unique, cool, etc. so my friend has some ammunition to fight some of those unflatering impressions."?

[Willie]

Hey P.I. perhaps you didn't see this...

The hands that keep on giving
http://www.newsreview.com/reno/Content?oid=17173

Again, my role was not to do P.R. Perhaps you have a very different view of definition of Journalism.

[Kristen Power]

Agreed! I think fighting the ignorance of locals is more important than educating people over the hill. It's absolutley true that the more you get out and experience the things around you, the more you discover and appreciate them. Of course the desert looks like a giant brown blur from your car window. But hike through the desert hills and you'll find hidden springs, wild burros and more. In town, I can't say how many times I've heard people comment that there's no good dining or shopping in Reno. What?! Of course you might say that if your standbys are chain restaurants and fast food joints and big box stores. The locally-owned businesses in this area are amazing and at times exceed anything I've experienced in San Francisco. When I walk into a shop or restaurant in Reno I get acknowledged, even recognized and chatted up. I've never had that happen elsewhere.