EDAWN Announces Bold Pivot: From Economic Development to Parking Lot Sales
Taylor Adams, Executive Director of EDAWN presenting at Washoe County Commission on November 18, 2025.
After several weeks of driving Washoe County to view the parcels of land generously handed over by Washoe County to EDAWN for sale, we feel compelled to acknowledge what is now obvious: EDAWN is no longer just an economic development group — it’s a government-funded real estate operation.
Congratulations on the rebrand.
While the historic Second Judicial District Court building continues to visibly deteriorate — crumbling brick by crumbling brick — Washoe County’s apparent solution isn’t planning for a new courthouse. No, it’s selling off the very parking lots court staff currently use. You know, the parcels that might logically support future public infrastructure.
But logic is overrated.
Instead, those parcels are now inventory. Inventory being sold by an organization that, until recently, didn’t do real estate at all. Which raises the obvious question: why EDAWN? And the follow-up: who thought this was a good idea? From the vote of the commission it would seem Commissioners Andriola, Garcia, and Hill do. Commissioner Clark, who is a realtor, not so much.
But hey, let’s remember this is former County Manager Eric Brown’s idea, who in February 2025 decided to open this conversation with EDAWN Executive Director Taylor Adams — a man whose professional proximity to Councilmember Devon Reese appears to extend conveniently into social hours at Belleville Wine. Totally normal. Totally unrelated. Nothing to see here.
We’re sure future depositions from that nasty little lawsuit will clear it all up nicely. We look forward to those transcripts.
List of properties Washoe County handed over to EDAWN to sell … we question why the courthouse parking lot? Which is also in an Opportunity Zone (OZs) if you remember those from a few years back - offering significant federal tax benefits like capital gains deferral and exclusion for investors in Qualified Opportunity Funds (QOFs).
Meanwhile, county employees working inside a courthouse that can’t be demolished because it’s historic can continue enjoying elevated radon levels while Washoe County sells off the land that might have allowed them a safer, modern replacement. Preservation through neglect — a bold strategy.
Another property handed over to EDAWN on Hunter Lake.
So again, hats off to EDAWN. Few organizations manage to drift so effortlessly from “economic development” into disposing of public assets with zero public explanation.
If this is progress, we’d hate to see incompetence.
P.S. Suggested new slogan:
“EDAWN: Because Public Land Isn’t Going to Sell Itself.”