Downtown Reno Partnership

What Downtown Reno Partnership does

Downtown Reno Partnership (DRP) is a 501c6 nonprofit Business Improvement District (BID) founded in 2018 and headquartered at 40 E 4th Street, Pavilion A, in Reno, Nevada. It is the only BID in the state of Nevada and operates across a defined 110-block service area encompassing approximately 1,500 property owners, 1,149 businesses, and 22,266 workers. The organization's mission is to make downtown Reno safer, cleaner, and more vibrant for residents, visitors, and property owners.

DRP is funded exclusively through recurring property assessments paid by the 1,500 property owners within its service area, making it a subscription-style assessment entity rather than a fee-for-service commercial enterprise. It delivers services through a coordinated ecosystem of partners: Streetplus administers its street-level Ambassador program, the Reno Police Department conducts extra downtown patrols funded by DRP, and Reno Public Works handles street maintenance also funded via assessments. In parallel, DRP runs place-making and economic-development programs including the Positively Downtown video news segment (aired on Fox 11 and ARC Reno), Blue Carpet Treatment business celebrations, the Rollin' Reno roller-skating series, the Vacant Storefront Beautification Initiative, and Locomotion Plaza and Partnership Plaza improvement projects. The organization is governed by a 17-member volunteer board and is led by Executive Director Neoma Jardon, a former 10-year Reno City Council member who assumed the role in August 2022.

DRP actively coordinates with major downtown developers (Jacobs Entertainment, Pacific Development, Tolles Development), the University of Nevada, Reno, and regional employers including Tesla, Microsoft, Panasonic, Switch, and Sierra Nevada Corporation to support a development pipeline that includes 1,342 residential units under construction (adding an estimated 3,000 new residents), 85,000+ square feet of new retail, and a $300 million J Resort renovation. It maintains an active presence across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, X, and Substack, and publishes annual reports and IRS Forms 990 going back to 2018.

Name

Downtown Reno Partnership

Legal name

Downtown Reno Partnership

Website

https://downtownreno.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Downtown Reno Partnership is a 501c6 nonprofit Business Improvement District, the only one in Nevada, funded by property assessments from 1,500 owners across a 110-block downtown Reno service area to deliver ambassador services, supplemental police patrols, street maintenance, events, and economic development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

City Squares, Old Towns & Landmark Districts (THAJACAJ)

Keywords

• Business improvement district
• Downtown district management
• Urban revitalization services
• Property assessment funding
• Community economic development

Headquarters

HQ city

Reno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Assessments: Entity funded by downtown-area property assessments from 1,500 property owners in a 110-block radius. Funds pay for operations, street maintenance administered by Reno Public Works, extra downtown Reno Police patrols, Streetplus-administered Ambassadors, marketing and economic development.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Downtown Reno Partnership is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit Business Improvement District that manages a 110-block downtown Reno area funded by property assessments from approximately 1,500 property owners. It delivers an Ambassador cleanliness and safety program, beautification and public-space maintenance, district marketing and event programming, and economic development initiatives, in coordination with Reno Police, Reno Public Works, and Streetplus.

Product overview

Downtown Reno Partnership is a 501c6 nonprofit business improvement district whose core purpose is to make downtown Reno a safer, cleaner, vibrant district for residents and visitors. It operates as a unified platform combining ambassador services (street-level safety and cleanliness support through Streetplus-administered ambassadors), event programming (Blue Carpet Treatment, Rollin' Reno, Downtown Tuesdays), digital content (Positively Downtown video segments and Digital Tool Kit), and beautification initiatives (Vacant Storefront Beautification, Locomotion Plaza, Partnership Plaza). Funded by downtown-area property assessments representing 1,500 property owners in a 110-block radius, it coordinates extra police patrols, street maintenance via Reno Public Works, marketing, and economic development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ambassador Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Development of 1,342 residential units bringing 3,000+ new residents to downtown
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Major Employers (Tesla, Microsoft, Panasonic, Switch, Sierra Nevada Corporation)coreOthersThe region hosts major technology employers that contribute to the talent pool and economic vitality supporting downtown Reno's transformation. These companies are cited as part of Northern Nevada's role as a technology hub.
• Jacobs EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColorado-based development company investing in 4th Street area, purchasing and demolishing blighted motels, developing J Resort ($300M renovation, 750 rooms), and creating Neon Line district with Glow Plaza festival grounds hosting up to 6,000 patrons. Plans to reimagine 23 blocks and 40 acres.
• Pacific DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloping Ballpark Apartments (368-369 units) adjacent to Greater Nevada Field; committed to revitalization efforts with urban living options; planned Phase II along Truckee River
• Tolles Development CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed by CEO Par Tolles (DRP board member); developed University Crossing retail center connecting UNR to downtown; invested in Keystone Commons (295 apartments, 90% leased); major commercial developer in the region
• University of Nevada, Reno (UNR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTier-1 research university driving 'university town' initiative; estimates 4,500 new students; expansion south toward downtown; Troy Miller, Associate VP, serves as DRP board member; key to downtown talent pool and economic development strategy
• Reno Police DepartmentcoreOthersDRP funds extra downtown Reno Police patrols as part of safety improvement initiative
• Reno Public WorkscoreOthersAdministers street maintenance funded by DRP property assessments
• StreetpluscoreOthersManages Ambassador program deployment throughout downtown district for cleanliness and safety services
• Bloomberg PhilanthropiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided funding for Locomotion Plaza beautification project including 21-color mural by artist Brad Carney (250 gallons paint, 260 volunteers, 100 hours)
• City of RenocoreOthersPartner in multiple initiatives including Locomotion Plaza project, Glow Plaza development, and overall downtown revitalization strategy
• Nevada Landscaping AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered on Locomotion Plaza beautification project funding
• Iain HarrisonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal artist commissioned for 7.5 feet by 30 feet mural on former Masque restaurant as part of Vacant Storefront Beautification Initiative
• Great Basin Community Food Co-opminorOthersLocal supplier partnership with Liberty Food & Wine Exchange for locally sourced ingredients, demonstrating local supply chain connections in downtown
• The Discovery (Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum)minorOthersFeatured in Above and Beyond exhibit preview and summer programming coverage on Positively Downtown news segment
• Reno RenaissanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome to R/LAB culinary incubator and special-events space; General Manager Vicki Savini featured in Whatas Up Downtown segment; location for cooking competitions and demonstrations

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Downtown DC Business Improvement District (Golden Triangle BID): A 501c6 nonprofit Business Improvement District providing supplemental sanitation, safety, hospitality, marketing, and economic development services across a defined downtown service area funded by property assessments — structurally the closest comparable to DRP.
• Downtown St. Louis CID (Community Improvement District): A Community Improvement District (similar mechanism to DRP's BID) providing ambassadors, maintenance, safety, and marketing for downtown St. Louis funded by a special property-assessment surcharge — comparable urban-revitalization mission and funding model.
• Downtown Cleveland Alliance: A 501c3 nonprofit managing downtown Cleveland improvement services — ambassadors, beautification, events, economic development — funded through special assessments on commercial properties, mirroring DRP's structure and program mix.
• Downtown Denver Partnership: A nonprofit membership organization that runs BID-like services (safety, cleanliness, marketing, economic development) for downtown Denver through member assessments, with a comparable focus on residential growth, retail activation, and developer partnerships.
• Central Pittsburgh Community Land Trust / Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership: A nonprofit partnership managing downtown Pittsburgh's BID services (clean team, ambassadors, marketing, economic development) funded by assessments on commercial properties — directly analogous in scale, structure, and program mix to DRP.
• Alliance for Downtown New York: A nonprofit BID providing supplemental sanitation, safety, marketing, and economic development services to Lower Manhattan via property assessments — same operational model (assessments → ambassadors, sanitation, marketing) as DRP.
• Times Square Alliance: A 501c3 nonprofit BID managing a flagship commercial district in NYC, delivering cleanliness, public-safety ambassador programs, marketing, events, and district planning funded by commercial-rent assessments on surrounding properties — directly comparable to DRP's mandate and toolkit.
• Downtown Memphis Commission: A nonprofit downtown management organization providing BID-style services (safety, sanitation, planning, marketing, economic development) for downtown Memphis funded through a Center City Commission fee on properties — closely parallel model to DRP.

Others

• International Downtown Association (IDA): The trade association for downtown/BID organizations worldwide; not a direct peer but the industry body to which DRP-style BIDs belong, providing peer benchmarking, best-practice research, and advocacy relevant to DRP's operating context.

Regional players

• Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority (RSCVA): The regional destination-marketing organization for the Reno-Tahoe area; adjacent rather than directly competing — RSCVA promotes the broader region while DRP focuses on the 110-block downtown service area, but they share tourism-promotion and event-sponsorship functions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/downtown_reno
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUEA5NrQ9_b9dQMcNc3vLsw
• Facebookfacebook.com/DowntownRenoBID
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/downtownrenopartnership
• Instagraminstagram.com/downtown_reno

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Downtown Reno Partnership