Chamber moves into new offices today

After 11 years, the chamber of commerce returns to the museum.

The Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitor's Authority was located within the old high school building when it opened as the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center in 1995. The chamber had been in several locations since then but returns today to 1477 Highway 395.

Services will continue during the move, according to Skip Sayre, executive director of Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce.

"We'll be fully functional by Thursday," he said.

Sayre said the move saves the chamber $25,000 a year to invest in benefits and services for its members.

"The first thing the board of directors asked me to do was relocate," he said. "Trying to be responsible with money, we started looking for alternatives. The museum struggles with their budget so this will help them and generate more visitors at the center. I think it will attract more people at the museum."

Both organizations came to the conclusion it was a good idea to combine forces at the same location.

Grace Bower, director of the Douglas County Historical Society, said she's looking forward to sharing space with the chamber and visitor's authority.

"We're going to work with them and it's a good mix," she said.

Having the chamber and museum working together on the same site will benefit both. According to Sayre, the over-lapping of staff on site might allow the museum to be open on Mondays in the future.

"We're helping the museum out with their volunteer situation and we're going to be here on Mondays anyway so we could help with the museum," he said.

The chamber's hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The museum's hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

The chamber will have their display of visitor maps, brochures, and chamber member information in their space at the museum. The Nevada Small Business Development Center and Business Council of Douglas County will also retain their satellite offices at the new location.

The chamber's current office at 1513 Highway 395 in Gardnerville will be subleased to Realty Executives of Minden.

The new address for the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce is 1477 Highway 395, Suite A in Gardnerville. The phone numbers, e-mail and Web site addresses remain the same. Contact the chamber at 782-8144 or at carsonvalleynv.org.