Google, Inc. has purchased 1,210 acres of land at the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center.  

Per the documents filed last week in Storey County, the Silicon Valley tech giant spent nearly $29.1 million on the land in the same industrial park as Tesla. Governor Sandoval welcomed the high-profile company’s expansion into the state.

“Google is an internationally recognized and respected brand and one of the premier technology companies on the planet,” Sandoval said. “As with all businesses, the state stands ready as a willing and friendly partner in the development of this site.”

Several parcels of vacant land at the TRIC, just east of Reno, were snatched up by Google. One parcel is a whopping 662 acres and the other its slightly smaller brother at 548 acres. The total sales price was $29,096,190.95 with a real property transfer tax of nearly $113,500. However, one mystery remains – what Google will build on the land.

Many parties involved in the transaction have declined to comment, alluding to a non-disclosure agreement. Lance Gilman, a principal with TRIC, declined comment and referred to county records for information while Steve Hill, director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, made similar statements when asked about incentives Google might be negotiating with the state. Representatives from Google have declined comments as well. There has been no public record of Google applying for incentives from Nevada.

“We’re in a position where until Google does something publicly, then we’re subject to confidentiality,” Hill said. “We look forward to working with them through the rest of the process if they determine what to do with the land.”

There has been much speculation about the use for the site. Most likely a new data center will be built, which is familiar territory at the industrial center. Switch just recently completed construction of the world’s largest data center building, just one of many more to come as they aspire to build the largest data center campus in the world. Additional speculation has turned to Alphabet’s Waymo driverless car initiative, a product of Google’s parent company. Nevada was the first state to pass a law in 2011 that authorizes self-driving vehicles.

Regardless of intent, Google’s addition is part of another wave of technology companies entering the area and further proof of Nevada’s increased focus on economic development. Tesla and Panasonic have a joint battery manufacturing facility and join distribution facilities for Amazon, Walmart, Petsmart and Zulily in the greater Reno area.

“Nevada is rapidly becoming a technology and innovation hub by attracting exciting new startups and some of the world’s best names,” Gov. Sandoval said. “I am excited by the prospects that come with this size of purchase from this type of company.”

While Lance Gilman could not comment on the Google purchase, he did allude to a new project at TRIC that could potentially eclipse the Tesla Gigafactory. The arrival of high-profile companies is feeding growth in Storey County and is expected to increase even more once the city completes some transportation projects that are in the works.

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