The Rose Creek area, located approximately 10 miles from Winnemucca, is home to sweeping expanses of desert land, but will soon be home to the Rose Creek RV Adventure Park, as soon as 2023.
The Nevada 95-80 Regional Development Authority the Humboldt County Chamber of Commerce held the Nevada 95-80 RDA Connection Brunch, sponsored by AT&T, on June 21 and Dean Pearson of Reno — a Land Developer and Home Builder — presented preliminary details about the new RV Adventure Park that he and his business partner, Rich Bunting, are planning to construct on 270 acres off the Rose Creek and Highway I-80 junction.
Pearson explained that the park will go in as soon as possible, but the timing is dependent on the local economy.
“We use no bank debt, so everything we do is with cash, so it all really is market driven and once the market is identified, we will build to that market,” said Pearson.
According to current plans, the park will feature amenities like: RV camp spots, unique overnight rentals and tiny homes, campfire and kids activities, pump track and bike trails, water play activities, a fishing pond, OHV trails, a playground, rope courses, a heated pool, a club house and meeting hall, a C-store and gas station, and an amphitheater.
“It’s hopefully going to be a destination RV Park,” explained Pearson, and added that he and his business partner want to build a place where travelers choose to stop and stay rather than continuing to larger cities.
“When travelers are driving and they’re coming here to spend the night, dad or mom or whoever wants can go down and fish and you can teach your kids how to bait a hook and can learn how to fish,” explained Pearson. He added that he and Bunting want to create a “stay-cation” atmosphere that is unique to Winnemucca and Humboldt County.
“The RV park needs to be centralized to Winnemucca,” said Pearson.
The feasibility of the park will be dependent on long-term versus short-term guests.
Long-term guests will be considered those that will stay approximately 6 to 8 months at the park, whereas short-term guests will be considered those that will stay overnight, according to Pearson. Pearson and Bunting plan to test out 150 RV spaces and analyze the market to determine if a full 400 to 450 rental spaces are necessary.
“We will start small,” explained Pearson.
Amicable competition amongst the new RV park and existing RV parks within Humboldt County is also a key factor in Pearson and Bunting’s plans for the park. Pearson explained that there will definitely be some travelers and guests that do not find the amenities necessary, so referring them to a more economical park will help maintain strong ties between other local business owners.
“In communities, there is synergy that could occur. The socioeconomics of people are different. Somebody may like the amenities and someone may not. I think as long as we have friendly competition we can refer people back and forth,” he said. “I think there’s a potential user for all of us in these parks to attract those who are here right now, that may be going somewhere else, but we have to make it interesting. It can’t be just the same.”
Another significant concern amongst attendees of the Connection Brunch was the proximity of the park to the conservation camp that houses minimum-custody inmates who do highway cleanup for the Department of Transportation, firefighting for the Nevada Division of Forestry, and various other local work in the community, according to the Nevada Department of Corrections.
“They’re a great worksource for our community. They come and do snow-removal, they fight fires, they do a lot of things, and if they’re intending to walk away, it’s probably not from the facility, but when they are out on a work detail is when we’ve had those incidents and they’re looking to go away usually,” explained Mayor Rich Stone.
Economic Development Officer Jan Morrison, explained, “these are people that are already in the community.”
Pearson said that the mitigation of this will definitely be a part of the process moving forward, as he plans to meet with the Department of Corrections to address risks.
“I think about this every day,” said Pearson.