By Frank X. Mullen Jr., Reno Gazette-Journal

Nevada was first in and may be last out of the recession, according to a state economic report.

While the gaming industry has steadily declined over the last decade, businesses in other industries were relocating to Nevada and/or expanding to keep pace with the population growth at both ends of the state, according to the Reno2020 report by the Center for Regional Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno.

“The added diversity in the employment base may help Nevada recover from this recession, even as tourism lags behind,” the report noted.

The report outlines the grim cycle of the economic downturn in the Silver State. With housing, construction and gaming revenues at a low ebb, more people are without jobs and fewer are spending money. That leads to more struggling businesses, increased layoffs, and less tax revenue for local governments.

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