Nevada's Sesquicentennial Celebration

Brian Krolicki and Brian Sandoval in Carson City.

Earlier today, Governor Brian Sandoval and Lieutenant Governor Brian Krolicki held a press conference after arriving by steam locomotive at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City. The governors addressed the celebration of Nevada's sesquicentennial, the unveiling of the Nevada Commission on Tourism's 2013 Discover Your Nevada campaign, and some important news about Nevada's state museums.

Governor Sandoval announced that many of Nevada's museums are upgrading, and all will expand their hours and days of operation. In celebration of the expanded museum operations, all seven Nevada state museums are offering two free admission days.

The free admission days are scheduled for July 6 and 20 and feature special programs, new exhibits, and unique opportunities. The Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City is offering half-price train fares. The Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson city is celebrating Independence Day July 4-7 and offering special outdoor locomotive displays and a chance to ride on a train pulled by the Virginia & Truckee (V&T) locomotive No. 25.

As part of the Discover Your Nevada campaign, the Nevada Commission on Tourism announced that beginning today, July 3, people can vote for their favorite activity, experience, or event in the state. Whichever activity, experience, or event gets the most votes will receive a plaque, a mention in a future issue of Nevada Magazine, and much more. Details can be found at travelnevada.com/discover, and by clicking on the Discover Your Nevada graphic below.

With Nevada's quickly approaching sesquicentennial, the governors announced the launch of the Nevada 150 campaign. With 150 events planned during the sesquicentennial year, the Nevada 150 campaign plans to "promote the independent spirit of Nevada through education, tourism, and history."

In lieu of the sesquicentennial, Governor Sandoval signed a law which authorizes sale of a special Nevada 150 license plate, which will be available for purchase through the DMV starting late July. Revenues from the Nevada 150 license plates will support projects and events related to the year-long Nevada 150 celebration.

Nevada ‘treasures’ unveiled

Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park, in Reno-Tahoe Territory, is one of Nevada's "six treasures," according to voting results in the Nevada Commission on Tourism's Discover Your Nevada campaign.

After several rounds of voting and months of friendly competition, six unique locations in Nevada have been identified as Nevada’s Treasures, Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki announced today.

“The Discover Your Nevada campaign has been incredibly well received, and the Nevadans who have visited the TravelNevada.com website have served to unleash a renewed interest in the wonderful tourism opportunities available throughout Nevada — ranging from the well-established venues to some of our state’s truly unknown treasures,” Krolicki, chair of the Nevada Commission on Tourism, said. "The governor and I are delighted to participate in this marvelous campaign, and are gearing up to hit the road shortly to revisit some of our favorite places as well as to discover treasures that have somehow eluded us during our many years of traveling this great state."

The Nevada Treasures competition was part of NCOT’s Discover Your Nevada campaign, a three-month endeavor to encourage in-state travel and to educate Nevadans about some lesser-known corners of their state.

Goldwell Open Air Museum.
Photo: Shane Kruitbosch

The nomination period kicked off on March 1, and NCOT received 587 nominations in the state’s six tourism territories: Reno-Tahoe, Cowboy Country, Pony Express, Nevada Silver Trails, Las Vegas, and Indian Territory. Several rounds of voting narrowed the competition until the final two in each category were announced April 30.

“It was so interesting to see the variety of nominations, from natural wonders like Cathedral Gorge State Park to world-famous sights like the Las Vegas Strip,” Claudia Vecchio, director of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, said. “Even more interesting and thrilling was to see the local residents and business owners reach out to their communities to rally support. The volley of marketing on the local level grew with each round of voting, and residents jumped on board to support their favorite venue.”

The final round of voting closed at 5 p.m. on May 4. The winning treasures are:

• Cowboy Country: The Star Bar & Restaurant in Elko
• Indian Territory: Pyramid Lake (Indian Reservation)
• Las Vegas Territory: Valley of Fire State Park near Overton
• Nevada Silver Trails: Goldwell Open Air Museum in Rhyolite
• Pony Express Territory: Nevada Northern Railway in Ely
• Reno-Tahoe Territory: Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park in Minden

For more information about the Discover Your Nevada campaign, visit DiscoverYourNevada.com.

Final round underway for Nevada Treasures contest

Valley of Fire State Park in Southern Nevada is a finalist in the Las Vegas Territory. Photo: Matthew B. Brown

Historic sites, natural wonders still in the running; vote through May 4

A handful of Nevada attractions and businesses are vying to be named Nevada Treasures in an online social media contest that began in March as part of the Nevada Commission on Tourism’s Discover Your Nevada campaign. Finalists in six categories were announced today by the Nevada Commission on Tourism; the public has until 5 p.m. on Friday, May 4 to cast online votes at discoveryournevada.com.

“This contest was designed to be a fun way to get people talking about Nevada’s most unique treasures,” says Claudia Vecchio, director of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. “We’ve seen people really get behind their favorites, courting online votes and creating a buzz about these treasures. While we’re very interested to see which treasures eventually win, the real value of the contest has been in the remarkable conversations that have been generated. People are talking about what’s available throughout the state.”

People nominated all types of things as Nevada Treasures, from historic sites and natural wonders, but also a photography symposium, restaurants, wineries, and even people.

The contest is wrapping up, with two finalists in each of six categories (which happen to be the six tourism "territories" of Nevada):

• Cowboy Country: Shooting the West — an annual photography symposium in Winnemucca — and the Star Hotel and Restaurant in Elko;

• Indian Territory: The Lost City Museum in Overton and Pyramid Lake in Northern Nevada;

• Las Vegas Territory: The Colorado River and Valley of Fire State Park;

• Nevada Silver Trails: Goldwell Open Air Museum — an open air sculpture park near Beatty — and Sanders Family Winery in Pahrump;

Ely's Nevada Northern Railway is a finalist in the Pony Express Territory. Photo: Matthew B. Brown

• Pony Express Territory: Churchill Vineyards in Fallon and the Nevada Northern Railway in Ely; and

• Reno-Tahoe Territory: Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park in Minden and Thunderbird Lodge National Historic Site on the east shore of Lake Tahoe.

Discover Your Nevada Launches

Gov. Brian Sandoval and Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki. Photo by Bob Conrad

Governor Brian Sandoval, Lieutenant Governor Brian Krolicki, representatives of the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, and local media came together at the Wilbur D. May Museum in Reno today to officially launch the new Discover Your Nevada campaign.

Sandoval said the program's main purpose is to encourage visitation within the state. "We're excited about the prospect of Nevadans discovering their own state," he said, after he announced that Krolicki and himself will do some discovering of their own. The governors will make three separate journeys together this spring: one to Gerlach and the Black Rock Desert area, a second to Fort Churchill State Park and the Dixie Valley area, and a final excursion down U.S. Highway 95 and across the Extraterrestrial Highway with a stop in the town of Rachel.

The Governor quipped in making a reference to the "Road to.." movies with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Details of those itineraries will be announced on the official Discover Your Nevada website, where Sandoval will maintain a blog. He also promised plenty of Tweets and fun.

The governors' travels are just the beginning of Discover Your Nevada. The campaign also incorporates public participation, in which you can nominate your favorite Nevada treasures online now through March 18. Voting begins March 19, and the treasures will ultimately be dwindled down to six (the number of tourism-designated territories in the state) and announced in early May.

"This is our chance to fall in love again with the State of Nevada," Krolicki said. "Stay-cation is the theme. Nevadans can put the family in the back of the car and hit the open road."

Both Sandoval and Krolicki praised Claudia Vecchio, Director of the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, for spearheading the new program.

So what are you waiting for? Click here to nominate your favorite Nevada treasure.

FOLIO: Honors Nevada Magazine Editor

Matthew B. Brown, editor of Nevada Magazine, has been named to FOLIO: Magazine’s 2011 FOLIO: 40, the company’s yearly “list of some of the most distinguished magazine and media professionals from every corner of our industry.”

Brown, in his fourth year as editor of Nevada’s official tourism publication, is featured in the April 2011 edition of FOLIO: and on foliomag.com. The 29-year-old guides the production of the bimonthly publication, but his prowess for marketing Nevada Magazine via social media, e-newsletters, and nevadamagazine.com garnered special attention from FOLIO:.

“I think the modern editor has to operate in multiple dimensions today — and that’s posting an amazing picture on Flickr from an upcoming article, or an informative posting on Twitter or Facebook to drive traffic to your website, and then making your website look and read as well as your print magazine does,” Brown says in the FOLIO: 40 article.

Nevada Magazine is a division of the Nevada Commission on Tourism (NCOT).

“Nevada Magazine plays an important role in our tourism marketing efforts, and Matt has done a great job as its editor,” says Lt. Gov. Brian K. Krolicki, chair of NCOT. “Matt’s focus on social media has ensured that the magazine utilizes current trends effectively and reaches an even greater audience.”

“It is gratifying to see the dedication and talent of Matt Brown recognized on a national level,” says Larry Friedman, interim director of NCOT. “He makes Nevada Magazine and Nevada proud.”

Since Brown took over as editor, nevadamagazine.com has won two national awards, including a National Headliner Award in 2008. The print magazine received a General Excellence award from the Nevada Press Association in 2009, and the same organization recognized Brown individually with Best Local Column and Best Feature Story awards in 2010.

Brown, whose photographs appear regularly in the magazine and on nevadamagazine.com, started and manages all of Nevada Magazine’s social websites, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr. He travels the state extensively, researching, photographing, and taking video for upcoming stories.

Before joining Nevada Magazine as associate editor in 2006, Brown worked as the sports and outdoors editor at the Sierra Sun newspaper in Truckee, Calif., and as a sports copy editor and reporter for the Reno Gazette-Journal. He graduated in 2003 from California State University, Chico with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and currently lives in Reno with his wife and 1-year-old son.

Read the FOLIO article about Brown here.