Special Reports - April 2010

Henderson, Nevada

Henderson, Nevada, a place to call home. It's not just a slogan, but a feeling we try to convey to every person living here. Especially in this time of economic challenges, our residents continue to value Henderson's sense of community. Everything we do is designed to better the quality of life for those who call Henderson home, whether it's businesses, seniors, singles or families. And even in this trying time, this is perhaps one of the areas where we've been most successful.

Henderson continues to have much to be proud of. Our city is home to a variety of business operations, including regional headquarters, e-commerce and software firms, medical and health care companies, and financial services, which cater to all aspects of our diverse population.

We are proud of our nationally recognized master-planned communities, where families come to live and work. We value our ability to ensure safe communities, first-rate education, low property tax rates and high quality of life. Henderson prides itself on providing all of the amenities you would expect in a place you want to call home.

In addition, residents an many visitors to Henderson enjoy some of the highest quality parks, recreation facilities and trails. Whether you're just visiting or call Henderson your home, your life is much enhanced because of our prestigious golf courses, fine dining, world-class destination resorts and amazing shopping.

I truly believe that Henderson offers the best of many worlds, and we will continue to make your city a place where people from all over the globe can come to relax and enjoy the magnificent surroundings. We want your city, and your home, to be the pride of your life.

Sincerely,

Andy Hafen

Mayor

I'm glad I took a look at Henderson, Nevada.

Henderson, which in 1980 had less than 25,000 residents, now proudly claims to be the second largest city in Nevada. How did this Southern Nevada metropolis grow to 270,000 in the beginning of 2010? This growth has been a result of vision and the implementation of solid plans.

Visions and plans are something Bob Cooper, the City’s Economic Development/Redevelopment Division manager, and his staff know a lot about.

“Our job is to help business leaders take advantage of the opportunities this market is providing and will be providing for years to come,” said Cooper, who has more than 35 years of experience in economic development, specializing in business recruitment, local expansions and retention, and business creation strategies.

The City of Henderson’s Economic Development/Redevelopment Division works diligently and enthusiastically to attract new businesses to stimulate the local economy. And, while the community certainly benefits from the growth and expansion of this solicitation, it also makes good economic sense for the newly located businesses themselves.

The Henderson Chamber of Commerce, along with the City’s Economic Development/Redevelopment staff and the Henderson Business Resource Center, have been helping new and relocating businesses find a home in Henderson for years now. Whether it’s a start-up company or one that has roots thousands of miles away, one of the most attractive aspects of moving a business to Henderson is the resources offered by the business community.

“Time and again, businesses that have made the move to Henderson tell me a few years later, ‘I’m glad I took a look at Henderson,’” said Cooper.

Area Development, a leading executive magazine covering corporate site selection and relocation, annually surveys corporate America and top site selection consultants regarding the most influential factors in relocating a business. In 2009, the business site selection priorities were very similar among the two groups surveyed and focused on these key areas:

Highway accessibility/proximity to major markets
Labor costs/availability of skilled labor
Corporate tax rate and incentives/exemptions
Occupancy costs or construction costs
Energy availability and costs
Availability of land

The Area Development survey findings are no surprise, according to Cooper.

“Henderson rates extremely well in many of these areas. In addition, site selectors and corporate America are specifically indentifying Henderson among the top cities for business expansion or relocation,” he said.

Cooper proudly points out that John Boyd, president of The Boyd Company, Inc., which provides independent site selection consulting services to leading North American and overseas corporations, identified Henderson specifically among the list of favorable locations for regional headquarters operations in a recent story on corporate migration.

In the article, Boyd noted that “Air access to key markets and business-friendly tax structure will always rank high on the list of site criteria for regional headquarters.” Boyd also echoed how his clients are increasingly viewing those states that do not impose a personal income tax as a valuable human resource tool, putting them at a competitive national recruiting advantage.

Datanamics, a full-service networking, information technology consulting and laboratory-testing firm had its roots in Las Vegas for more than 30 years before choosing to move slightly southeast to Henderson. Choosing a smaller business community that’s “thriving and growing at a rapid pace,” Datanamics found Henderson to be ideal for their growing business.

“We have found that the Henderson Chamber and Economic Development team have been very personable and helpful, and we feel fortunate that we have been accepted into the community so rapidly,” said Terrence McGowan, president of Datanamics.

Henderson’s motto, “A place to call home,” is not just a slogan for people, but also for businesses. The Henderson City Council and the Henderson Chamber of Commerce believe in welcoming new companies like new neighbors and family.

Like Datanamics, FDM4 America, Inc. had its roots elsewhere for more than 30 years as FDM4 International, Inc. Originally located only in Canada, the company’s owners recognized the need for a United States-based facility and so they expanded into Henderson. FDM4 International, Inc. has specialized in becoming a leading provider of integrated Enterprise Resource Planning, Warehouse Management Software, eCommerce Web Solutions, Customer Relationship Management and Executive Dashboard.

“One of our main priorities was to find a location that would provide easy access and support for customers,” said Mike Cutsey, president of FDM4 America, Inc. “Henderson provided us a presence in the Pacific time zone. That, combined with the warmer climate and easy access to the airport, along with the ability to relocate our employees in an affordable manner, made it a logical choice.”

FDM4 found that customers are more willing to visit a Henderson-based company due to its proximity to the Las Vegas Strip and easy accessibility to freeways, the airport, entertainment and even California, than if they were located in a different market. Cutsey recognized that also from a personal standpoint, Henderson provides everything an individual or a family could need including schools, health care, shopping, restaurants and recreational activities.

Quality Corrections & Inspections, based in Pennsylvania, expanded to Henderson in 2003 to have a West Coast facility. The company, 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.

“Our time in Henderson has been an enormous success. 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,” said Randy Burk, executive vice president of Quality Corrections & Inspections.

Taking a closer look at quality of life

Leaders of the City of Henderson feel that one of their strongest attributes is the overall quality of life for which it has become known. Boasting an array of cultural opportunities, close proximity to the famous Las Vegas Strip, several higher educational institutions and a plethora of shopping outlets, Henderson has made a name for itself as a top place to live, not only in Southern Nevada, but in the United States.

More than once in recent years, national publications have celebrated Henderson as a city that offers its citizens a higher quality of life. In this national recognition, the factors of cost of living, housing affordability, schools, crime rates and medical care were all heavily considered.

Today, Henderson is home to 13 colleges and universities offering more than 75 programs and majors in areas as diverse as medicine, arts and culinary training, electronics and technology, pharmaceutical studies and business, to name a few. Additionally, Henderson has a higher percentage of high school and college graduates compared to other major incorporated cities within the Las Vegas metropolitan area.

Safety of employees at a new location is another key factor when examining the viability of a business location under consideration. CQ Press City Crime Rankings for 2008-2009, reflected that Henderson’s crime rate is far below national averages.

Henderson is also home to two major hospitals, St. Rose Dominican Hospital—Rose de Lima Campus and St. Rose Dominican Hospital—Siena Campus. St. Rose Dominican Hospitals is the only not-for-profit, religiously sponsored hospital system in Southern Nevada. In fact, A Consumers’ Checkbook survey, as reported in the May/June 2009 issues of AARP The Magazine, named St. Rose Dominican Hospitals-Siena Campus one of the best hospitals in America (2009). In addition, the Rose de Lima Campus has been regularly recognized by HealthInsight as number one in the state for quality measures—based on leadership commitment, stable nursing environment and appropriate practices.

Having such fine hospitals was certainly a plus in having Good Night Pediatrics, from the Phoenix area, recently open up a clinic in Henderson. Good Night Pediatrics offers a place for pediatric urgent care in the hours that are commonly the most complicated for parents: 5 p.m. – 5 a.m. Offering bilingual service and flexible payment options, Good Night Pediatrics also promises that each child sees a pediatrician.

“Henderson was an easy choice for us because it’s similar to Phoenix in climate and lifestyle and close enough where our pediatricians can make it back and forth if necessary,” said Lois McConville with Good Night Pediatrics. “We looked for a location where we could benefit the community, and we know we can work well with the health care options already in place to serve the residents of Henderson.”

Focusing on a location where its employees could live, work and play, Amica Insurance chose to open its newest office in December in Henderson to serve the Western United States. Katie Ware, manager of the National Sales Center – West in Henderson said the company looked for a location that would not only serve the needs of the company, but offer a good lifestyle for its employees, and chose Henderson because it offered that and more.

Examining today’s opportunities

Henderson’s office and industrial markets represent the best of what Southern Nevada has to offer. From stunning Class A office space in The District at Green Valley Ranch—an exciting urban-style center featuring nationally prominent lifestyle shops and restaurants, as well as luxury apartments, office over retail and a Class A office building—to convenient Class B and Multi-Use Flex or industrial distribution spaces at local business parks, Henderson offers a wide variety of opportunities for businesses of all sizes.

Leading developers with significant office or industrial projects in Henderson include American Nevada Company, Sansone Development, and Harsch Investment Properties.

American Nevada Company, a division of the Greenspun Corporation, is a top real estate developer in Southern Nevada. The company specializes in the development of master-planned communities, office parks, retail centers and mixed-use properties. Its hallmark office park developments are Green Valley Corporate Center and Green Valley Corporate Center South, located near I-215 and Green Valley Parkway in Henderson.

Sansone Companies specialize in the development and management of professional office/medical space, retail, industrial and single family and custom homes. The company is committed to the enhancement of the Henderson community through various projects, along with civic and charitable involvement.

Currently, Sansone Development facilitates over 1.3 million square feet in lease transactions and development. The company manages more than 750,000 square feet of property worth in excess of $180 million.

Harsch Investment Properties is a real estate investment, development and management company that owns and operates more than 130 properties in six regional offices located in Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego and Las Vegas. The company’s portfolio consists of more than 21 million square feet of office, industrial flex, and retail commercial properties and more than 1,000 multi-family housing units.

Henderson Commerce Center IV, one of Harsch’s most significant developments in Henderson, is situated on more than 41 acres. The master planned business park has two phases completed consisting of seven buildings and totaling over 600,000 square feet of flex/office and light distribution space.

Prospect for a site today

Increasingly, the search for a new business location is often conducted via the Internet. Any economic development organization without an effective web presence may get bypassed without even knowing it lost its chance.

Henderson’s Economic Development/Redevelopment Division created and maintains an extensive Web site, which contains reams of information about doing business in Henderson, incentives, and community information. Powerful business information is also available with a mouse click on the site’s property search feature, “Henderson Prospector.” This particular function allows users to search for available commercial buildings and sites in Henderson, as well as generate site-specific demographic and business analysis reports.

“The interactive program offered online is a tool we have provided to help drive businesses to Henderson,” said Jeff Leake, economic development officer for the City of Henderson. “The City has already been nationally recognized as a top place to grow a business in the past, and we want to continue to do what we can to maintain that reputation.”

Space to Grow

Today most major metropolitan areas have found themselves in the position of not having much land available for development. Instead many are building vertically to take advantage of new business interested in expanding. However, such is not the case in the City of Henderson, which is in a unique situation with plenty of land at its fingertips.

With more than 760 acres of undeveloped land available for purchase or lease, Henderson focuses its efforts on making that land available for manufacturing, distribution and professional offices.

“With the amount of land available, we’d like to take advantage of having space to grow and bring in businesses that are looking to build,” said Leake. “Each site is perfect for specific uses like medical space, research and development or offices, but there are plenty of acres to fill any needs a business in Henderson could have.”

Sustainability: A component of future growth management

In this day and age most cities and companies are partnering to become more “green” and help with bettering the environment, which reflects on their communities. Henderson is no different, and in fact has been recognized for its sustainability efforts. The United States Green Building Council, Nevada Chapter, presented the City of Henderson the Award for Organizational Excellence in December. The City was recognized for its commitment and active leadership in the development and advancement of sustainable development.

One of the efforts in place is a program that puts Henderson at the forefront of promoting sustainable living, the OurHenderson Sustainability Program. The action plan for the OurHenderson Sustainability Program, along with more information on the City’s “green” efforts are available online at www.cityofhenderson.com/sustainability.

“Our ‘green’ efforts and continued enthusiasm to assist new businesses and help existing businesses expand, fits into our overall city’s philosophy, ‘Henderson is a place to call home,’” said Cooper.

Redevelopment Opportunities in Henderson

There are over 8,000 acres in Henderson that are contained within designated redevelopment areas. This is great news for developers and business owners looking to relocate, because along with the designation, comes special redevelopment agency assistance packages and programs that might be available to help with financing. Further, the City of Henderson—both the redevelopment and municipal arms—own property within redevelopment overlays that are ripe with possibility.

There are a variety of existing programs available to help with facades, tenant improvements, business start ups, and the like. Development projects, large and small, are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Tailored financial assistance packages are developed on these, based on demonstrated need and the ability to meet the goals of the redevelopment area. During this economic downturn, when financing is so tight, redevelopment funds can bridge the gap or reduce risk for viable projects, and have been referred to by some as “the only game in town.”

“Opportunities abound in redevelopment areas—especially in the Water Street District, where the agency owns several sites that are prime for development. Water Street itself is home to major events held throughout the year that attract hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the Valley and the country. It is the perfect venue for exposing your business to new customers,” said Michelle Romero, Redevelopment Manager.

The Economic Development/Redevelopment Division of the Henderson can provide for all business and development needs, with experts available to shepherd projects from inception, through entitlements, to completion.

Nevada Continues to Decrease Workers Compensation Costs

Effective March 1, 2010, The Nevada Insurance Commissioner has approved a filing for an average 7.6% voluntary loss costs reduction for Workers Compensation Insurance. “Due to the employer protective laws and favorable history, Nevada continues to decrease Workers Compensation loss costs year after year since privatization passed in the late l990’s,” stated Anne Aniello, vice president of Aniello Insurance Agency. Additionally, payroll is capped at a maximum of $36,000 while neighboring state California continues to charge higher rates on actual payroll including overtime. This fact has provided a favorable environment for businesses looking to relocate.

PBS&J: Serving the Henderson Community

In 1953, Nevada’s leaders made a choice. Unanimously, legislators voted to incorporate a city that helped win the war, a city built and bolstered by hardworking people…a city, quite literally, battle born. Forty two years later, a prestigious national engineering firm with promise of growth in the West made a similar choice – to call Henderson home.

PBS&J opened its doors as the first Green Valley Corporate Center tenant in 1995. To them, the choice was easy. Many of its employees already lived in Henderson, had started families, and wished to continue contributing to the community’s economic and cultural vitality.

Fifteen years later, the partnership is as strong as ever, evidenced not only through successful planning, design and construction endeavors, but through sustained contributions to the community. Half of the local workforce still resides in Henderson, and in 2005 the firm signed a long-term lease for a 50,000-square-foot facility on Corporate Circle. Also, since 2004, PBS&J has worked hand-in-hand with the city to encourage after-school reading through the APPLE Core contest. These efforts demonstrate personal investment in the community and a commitment to improving life for future generations.

Henderson has experienced dynamic growth and has provided world-class parks and recreational facilities, homes and schools, and major public works projects for its burgeoning population. As the city faces challenges of assessing new and aging infrastructure, improving mobility, enhancing open spaces, and connecting neighborhoods, PBS&J provides locally-based national experts to help create solutions in Southern Nevada.