City of Henderson - Economic Development

Businesses across nation expanding, relocating to Henderson
Businesses from coast-to-coast are taking advantage of Southern Nevada's business-friendly climate and healthy economy by expanding or relocating to Henderson, Nev.

"A lot of people have a misconception about what Southern Nevada has to offer, just as many people used to have a misconception about Orange County, CA or Orlando, FL, " says Bob Cooper, manager of Henderson's Economic Development Division. "Years ago, many people thought these areas were strictly tourism driven and didn't offer much else. Today a lot of people wished they would have invested in these regions. That's the situation we're in right now in Henderson."

Henderson - which borders Las Vegas to the south - surpassed Reno many years ago to become Nevada's second largest city, trailing only Las Vegas. With a population over (270,000) that would make it the 14th largest city in the state of California, it is larger than such cities as Irvine, Glendale and San Bernardino.

Words about Henderson from Business Leaders

MEDICAL
"If you are a physician that is not established in your medical practice, come to Southern Nevada. You can start a practice or join an existing practice and be very, very busy. The opportunity is unbelievable."

Chris Vito, President/CEO of the Rehabilitation Institutes of Nevada
(former founding-CEO of HealthSouth facility in Henderson)

"There is a new standard of healthcare in southern Nevada and we need to tell the world about it. We have a great medical community and a great living community to support that… My wife and I always tell people how great it is to live here. You look at the masses of people who have moved here over the last several years - it's a great trend. If you are in the medical field and you are still young, this is a great opportunity for you to grow. It's great not only for business, but for its quality of living."

Dr. Michael Crovetti, Founder of the Henderson-based Medical Education & Research Institute of Nevada. The Institute brings together physicians from around the world to teach new surgical techniques and the use of new instruments on cadavers.

"St. Rose's development can in part be attributed to the phenomenal growth of southern Nevada. Southern Nevada is home to some of the fastest-growing cities in the nation. This creates a dynamic, ever-changing environment that promotes business growth."

Rod Davis, President of CHW's Nevada market area and St. Rose Dominican Hospitals,
which have two Henderson campuses

MANUFACTURING
"I have been impressed with the help and assistance from Henderson's Economic Development Division in arranging meetings and helping get our plans and permits approved on what I feel was an expedited basis. Every time I called a representative and asked for 'help,' he was quick to put me in touch with the 'right' people and took a personal interest in getting 'hitches' resolved. The division and the City of Henderson truly want to help businesses get established and re-located and they don't just 'talk the talk'… they get results."

Tom Collins, Vice president of Southwest Steel
Expanded Southern Nevada operations and relocated to Henderson in 2004.

"It's been a good experience working with the City of Henderson. They've been very proactive in helping us to be successful and you can tell they are truly concerned about our needs."

Nancy Munoz, Founder of Specialty Vehicles, which relocated to Henderson from Huntington Beach, Calif., in 2003. Specialty Vehicles is a distributor of people-moving transportation vehicles - such as trolleys, trams, mini-trams and buses - to organizations all over the world.

TECHNOLOGY
"We're a small company and we are very sensitive to our employees' needs. We came to Henderson because this is where our people wanted to live… Bob [Cooper] and Jeff [Leake of the City of Henderson's Economic Development Division] were instrumental in getting [a specific sales tax deferment program] set up. They helped walk us through it. Henderson, in particular, went out of their way to work with us to make it appetizing to come here."

Brian Huse, Partner of Arroweye Solutions
Relocated to Henderson in 2004 from Santa Barbara, Calif.
Arroweye Solutions is a leader in one-off printing, specializing in plastic gift cards & greeting cards.

EDUCATION
"Along with low property tax rates and a friendly business environment, access to higher education will assure a high quality of life in Henderson and offer enormous opportunities to its citizens."

Dr. Jerry Lee, Chancellor of the National University System
A La Jolla, Calif., based university which expanded with a Henderson campus in 2004.

"Southern Nevada is growing expediently, which creates opportunities for medical professionals that are probably greater than any in the U.S. On a baseline level, there is absolutely no difficulty in getting a job when you finish training in the southern part of the state."

Michael Harter, Vice president of Henderson-based Touro University-Nevada

DISTRIBUTION
"Our first year in our new Henderson facility has been an enormous success. Not only have we been able to increase our global import client business from the West Coast ports, but we've also been able to partner with local companies such as Ocean Spray and Graham Packaging to assist them with their packaging needs by offering them our labor-outsourcing services…. There are substantial growth opportunities for us here in the future with other global prospects as well as local manufacturing, distribution companies and the gaming industry. Henderson has been a perfect fit for us."

Randy Burk, Executive vice president of Pennsylvania-based Quality Corrections & Inspections (QCI)
Expanded to Henderson in 2003 to have a West Coast facility. QCI - which has assisted hundreds of world-renowned companies since 1986 - originally targeted the Ontario area of California for expansion to be close to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The company's unique repair and inspections services for defective merchandise required it to have a presence close to the ports.

FINANCIAL
"We chose Henderson because of its favorable business climate, its close proximity to the airport and the favorable tax rates - both personal and business - for Nevada."

Ray Specht, President/CEO of Toyota Financial Savings Bank
Which offers banking products to Toyota and Lexus customers nationwide.
It was founded in Henderson in 2004.

Economic Development Team makes relocating easy
Working closely with economic development professionals is a must for businesses considering relocating or expanding to any new area. Because of the risk involved in such a move for a company, an economic development professional from an area will be able to provide the business leaders with an accurate understanding of the respective area's business climate and resources, its political climate and the possible incentive programs. The relationship will also improve the company's chances of short and long-term success in the new location.

Because of Henderson's phenomenal growth over the past two decades, many business leaders have turned to the City of Henderson's Economic Development Division for assistance in expanding or relocating a business to the city.

"Many people look at Henderson as a modern day boomtown," said the division's manager, Bob Cooper, who has more than 30 years experience in economic development, specializing in business recruitment, local expansions and retention, and business creation strategies. "Our job is to help business leaders take advantage of the opportunities this market is providing and will be providing for years to come."

That process all starts by sharing information with those businesses who are interested in expanding or relocating to Henderson.

"The sharing of information between the company and our office is the most crucial step in this process," Cooper said. "The more upfront a business is with us about what they are looking for and what their expectations are, the better we can serve them and give them information that will help them make their decision on whether they want to do business in Henderson."

For more information on opening a business in or relocating a business to Henderson, call the City of Henderson's Economic Development Division at (702) 267-1650 or email [email protected].