Carson City, NV -
April 22, 2014The Governor’s Office of Energy (GOE) awarded Orleans Arena a property tax incentive for introducing energy and water savings measures for its events and entertainment center in Paradise, Nevada.
Owned by Boyd Gaming Corporation, the 9,500-seat multi-purpose arena received the incentive after meeting the “Gold” level standards of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. This prestigious rating system is awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of green buildings.
“This incentive encourages developers to make their buildings energy efficient,” said GOE Director Paul Thomsen. “This project, along with many others, proves that Nevada is a leader at incentivizing energy and water efficient construction and design.”
To achieve Gold certification, Boyd Gaming analyzed the arena’s energy consumption through the Energy Star Portfolio Manager, and pursued several measures to lower consumption. This included the installation of energy efficient interior and exterior lights, calibrating air conditioning and lighting systems to better coincide with occupancy, and installing efficient plumbing fixtures that reduced indoor water usage 20%.
These efficiency measures are significant considering the arena hosts more than 200 events a year, including high school and college graduation ceremonies, live concerts, basketball championship and invitational tournaments, motorsports events, the Continental Cup of Curling, and family events like Shrine Circus and Disney Live.
“At Boyd Gaming, our commitment to sustainability is an important part of our Company’s culture,” said Paula Eylar-Lauzon, Vice President of Sustainability for Boyd Gaming. “As demonstrated by the successful effort to achieve LEED Gold certification at the Orleans Arena, we are committed to promoting sustainability across our business. Over the last seven years, we have reduced our energy consumption across our Nevada operations by nearly 29 million kilowatt-hours annually – enough to power 2,250 homes for an entire year. Sustainability benefits our business and the environment, and we will strive to continue using energy and natural resources in a smart and efficient manner.”
The GOE decision to approve the incentive highlights the office’s ability to facilitate cooperation among stakeholders, lead initiatives to stimulate economic development, and attract energy related business ventures that include site development, energy education, and retrofitting.
To learn more about receiving tax incentives for creating energy efficient buildings, visit GOE’s Green Building Tax Abatement program page.
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About the Governor’s Office of Energy
The mission of the Governor's Office of Energy (GOE) is to ensure the wise development of Nevada's energy resources in harmony with local economic needs and to position Nevada to lead the nation in renewable energy production, energy efficiency, conservation, and the exportation of energy. GOE implements the laws of the State as defined in Nevada Revised Statutes 701 and 701A; manages energy-related programs; facilitates cooperation between key stakeholders; advises the Governor on energy policy; and collaborates with our local, regional, and federal partners to ensure a reliable and sustainable energy system. For more information about GOE, please visit www.energy.nv.gov.
About Boyd Gaming Corporation
Headquartered in Las Vegas, Boyd Gaming is a leading diversified owner and operator of 22 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, New Jersey, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Additional news and information on Boyd Gaming can be found at www.boydgaming.com.