DECEMBER 4, 2024 UPDATE
Thank you for voicing your concerns, fans! Thanks to you, we were able to illustrate this event’s special place within our community. At this time, we do not believe public presence at the Dec. 10 meeting is necessary.
MORE INFO
View GRBR public newsletter statement released on Wednesday, December 4: https://mailchi.mp/renoballoon/master-plan-update
View Facebook statement here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15PREmnKXS/
NOVEMBER 25, 2024 UPDATE
The Great Reno Balloon Race (GRBR) has been a beloved tradition for 43 years, filling northern Nevada’s September skies with breathtaking beauty, bringing joy to generations of families. This free event is now threatened and at risk of ending if Washoe County’s currently proposed Rancho San Rafael Regional Park Master Plan is approved, as it does not address requirements needed to host the annual event.
As the world’s largest free hot air ballooning event, GRBR is a beloved tradition that attracts more than 100,000 attendees annually and contributes more than $10 million to our local economy. But now, the future of this iconic event is at risk.
The proposed Master Plan severely limits its ability to continue annually. The Master Plan reduces critical parking areas, creates unsafe accessibility for attendees arriving in the pre-dawn hours, creates more hazards for balloonists, and removes essential funding to keep the event free for all. Without the needs of the GRBR event being accommodated, it faces an uncertain future, a potential closing of a chapter.
Despite GRBR’s repeated attempts to have its concerns addressed during the Washoe County Park’s planning process, GRBR’s needs have not been adequately addressed. Currently, there is no alternative location for the GRBR event in Washoe County that replicates San Rafael Park’s unique conditions for a free hot air balloon event.
We need your help. Please contact the Washoe County Commissioners today and make your voice heard if you want the GRBR event to stay for years to come. They need to hear from you before they vote soon. Let them know you support GRBR and want to see a revised master plan that ensures a future for the event. Encourage them to NOT ADOPT this plan. Together, we can keep GRBR soaring for decades to come.
Here’s how you can help:
- Sign our petition asking Washoe County Commissioners to revisit the current Rancho San Rafael Regional Park Master Plan so as to include the vital requirements needed to host the annual event. Sign now at https://www.change.org/p/petition-to-protect-the-great-reno-balloon-race
- Email or call your Washoe County Commissioner and urge them to NOT APPROVE this plan as is. Suggested email text can be found at GRBRFuture-SuggestedEmailText
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- Chair Alexis Hill, District 1, 775-447-3017, ahill@washoecounty.gov
- Vice Chair Jeanne Herman, District 5, 775-358-0555, jherman@washoecounty.gov
- Michael Clark, District 2, 775-686-0342, meclark@washoecounty.gov
- Mariluz Garcia, District 3, 775-444-0628, mcgarcia@washoecounty.gov
- Clara Andriola, District 4, 775-444-5185, candriola@washoecounty.gov
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- Share your support for GRBR on social media. Encourage others to contact Washoe County Commissioners in revisiting the Master Plan by liking and sharing with your friends. View GRBR’s Facebook Statement here.
MORE INFO
View GRBR public newsletter statement released on Monday, November 25: https://mailchi.mp/renoballoon/protect-future-grbr
Washoe County Rancho San Rafael Park Master Plan – Staff Report
Washoe County Rancho San Rafael Park Master Plan – Staff Presentation