Reno and Sparks are in the midst of some serious, and needed, redevelopment. Add in plain old growth, and the temporary result for residents and visitors alike is numerous street closures, detours, snarled traffic, and other unpleasantries associated with lots of construction happening all at once. Just to name a few, there are extensions of Moana and Longley Lanes going in, work at various places along the McCarran ring road, on-going remodeling of the old railroad right-of-way next to the downtown ReTrac train trench and new overpasses being finished, several old casinos being converted to condos and a couple of brand new ones going up, major expansion of the Peppermill Hotel/Casino, etc., etc. You get the idea.

So why is all this happening at once? The simple answer is weather, which is too cold during winter for stuff like pouring concrete and laying asphalt. There's also the snow problem. Such is life in a genuine four-season climate. I grin and bear it because I see a much nicer city emerging from the mayhem. Downtown is already better than it was just a couple of years ago, and it is actually going to be a nice place to stroll around, shop, visit with folks, and enjoy the numerous events that occur each year. You'll be able to have a great time and never set foot in a gaming establishment if you don't want to, which I think is a wonderful way for the city to be. So, hang in there; "America's Adventure Place" will soon mean more than needing a GPS just to navigate street closures and detours.