Economic Development Project Announced - CHIP

by Rachel Dahl -- Harvey Whittemore was in Fallon last week with his client, Tim Tucker, to announce the Churchill Hazen Industrial Park project at the Fallon Rotary meeting along with Churchill County Manager Jim Barbee. “Tim is a developer from Sparks who grew up in Northern Nevada, he is a person with a vision and a plan,” said Wittemore. Tucker is the developer behind the 2,500 home planned-unit development, Sky Ranch, north of Fallon near Moody Lane that was approved last year in May. CHIP is located on the south side of Highway 50 in Hazen on the old Mathews Homes project property – directly south of where Omaha Track is storing their railroad ties. Intended as a transloading rail facility, the 2,308 acres is envisioned to be a business park, provide intermodal transportation, and offer several million square feet of warehouse space with truck bays and rail service. Located nine miles to Fernley and fourteen to Fallon, the four-phase project will kick-off with 330 acres of preliminary plans for the property that fronts the Mina Railroad line. According to Wittemore, one of the first potential projects could be a 30-acre facility where the county could move their maintenance yards, along with sewer and wastewater treatment facilities. TOT, LLC, Tucker’s company, is currently seeking designation as an intermodal contractor with Union Pacific railroad and hoping to build a switch into facilities from the Mina short line that would allow for transportation of bulk commodities. An intermodal designation would be an asset to the community and bring the benefits of the Tahoe-Reno Industrial center to Churchill County. Wittemore said the property is particularly well situated for use by the companies located at the Tahoe Reno Industrial center where Tesla, Walmart, Zulilly, and FedEX all operate major shipping facilities. “We all know the benefits of TRI, but we also know that rail is not available in that park to any extent. This property in Hazen is in a strategic location to take advantage of that commerce,” said Whittemore. He said this park allows for unit trains – mile long trains with global trade containers to the Port of Oakland. Wittemore also said there is significant gravel and rock resources that can be used for compaction and development of the property, along with valuable underground water resources.  Both Tucker and Whittemore discussed the benefits of building in Churchill County. “What do we have that other places don’t,” said Tucker, “a great community, a great hospital, responsive city and county government – with your permission, I want to put something in for the county that’s of quality, that brings more quality employment.”   Support local, independent news – contribute to The Fallon Post, your non-profit (501c3) online news source for all things Fallon. Never miss the local news -- read more on The Fallon Post home page.