Reno Industrial Real Estate: Nevada Market Opportunities and Distribution Advantages

Matt Duplantis serves as senior vice president and market officer for Link Logistics in Reno, where he manages warehouse and distribution center leasing across Northern Nevada's evolving industrial real estate landscape. Link Logistics is the largest industrial landlord in the Reno market, and Matt helps businesses navigate a region shaped by major technology manufacturing, data center growth and strategic distribution access to California and the broader western U.S. With expertise spanning Reno's diverse submarkets—from the Tesla-anchored eastern corridor to infill locations near the airport—Matt matches third-party logistics providers, technology suppliers and local businesses with industrial real estate that meets their unique needs. In this Q&A, Matt discusses Reno warehouse space for lease—demand dynamics, submarket characteristics and opportunities in Northern Nevada's industrial market.

What drives demand for industrial real estate in Reno? 

Matt: Historically, third-party logistics and distribution companies have been big drivers in Reno. What we've seen pick up significantly over the last several years is Tesla-related demand and their supplier network. Tesla’s Gigafactory now spans 5 million square feet. They continue to bring more operations in-house, and you have suppliers that follow them—like Panasonic, which has a major presence here in battery manufacturing. This Tesla-related activity is particularly driving demand in what we call the eastern corridor, or Tahoe Reno Industrial Center. That submarket has really been shaped by Tesla and Tesla-related uses.

Data center growth is another major driver. Northern Nevada's affordable power, fiber infrastructure along I-80, streamlined approvals and favorable tax incentives make it increasingly attractive for data center development. As data centers expand in Northern Nevada, their suppliers need warehouse space—electrical contractors, server racking companies and assembly operations, for example. These companies typically sign leases for one to three years depending on the magnitude of their data center contracts, and they need space to work on their projects. That's been a significant demand driver over the last few years.

We're also seeing typical local uses, including last-mile distribution. The Reno metro area has about 575,000 people now, and Northern Nevada is experiencing construction growth. You have HVAC vendors, construction companies and similar local businesses that need smaller-bay space—5,000 square feet, 10,000 square feet, 15,000 square feet. There was a period of third-party logistics consolidation from the second half of 2023 through mid-2025, but we're starting to see 3PLs pick up activity in Reno again now.

Can you explain Reno's industrial submarkets and how they serve different needs?

Matt: Reno has about six submarkets. The eastern corridor, where Tahoe Reno Industrial Center is located, is where you've seen a lot of the new growth this past cycle. That's where the cheapest land was, about 15 miles outside of town.

The challenge with East Reno is that, because Reno is relatively small and not a cheap place to live, you have labor issues. To get people to drive 15 miles east, companies have to pay higher wages. Traffic can be challenging, and the area is still catching up from an infrastructure standpoint. But a lot of companies go out there because that's where you can find big footprints with less expensive rents for distribution or manufacturing. It's where the data centers are. It's where Tesla is.

For bulk space—generally 50,000 to 500,000 square feet in this market—North Reno is a strong option. That's where you have abundant buildings and workforce concentration. North Reno has been mostly built out over this last cycle and there's limited developable land remaining, leaving just small sites here and there.

South Reno is almost completely built out as well. Space sizes there are typically 50,000 to 300,000 square feet and more expensive, with an abundance of residential development nearby. It's really a preference question about where you want to be positioned.

West Reno doesn't have a ton of product, but you're closer to California, which makes sense for certain users. If you're a boat storage company or concerned about immediate access to I-80 for proximity to Northern California, being closer to Lake Tahoe and the state border matters. Central Reno includes the airport area and Sparks. The airport area has functional, infill product. Sparks has primarily older buildings, some in the flood zone, but is centrally located for industrial. You get a full mixture of users there—no real pattern other than they want infill, centrally located space for their specific business needs and with nearby labor.

What emerging trends should businesses know about in Reno?

Matt: Data center growth has been significant in Northern Nevada, and while that's created some land competition and pricing pressure, it's also brought infrastructure improvements and validated Reno as a strategic location for technology-related operations. For businesses in data center supply chains—again, those electrical contractors, server equipment providers, assembly operations—there's strong and sustained demand for warehouse space to support ongoing projects.

More broadly, the market has seen pricing moderate from its peak. Industrial space is now available at competitive rates in a business-friendly environment.

Third-party logistics activity, which slowed during a consolidation period from late 2023 through mid-2025, is starting to pick up again. That reflects improving fundamentals and renewed confidence in the market.

Northern Nevada also offers natural disaster security. Our main exposure is minor seismic activity—nothing like California. We don't have hurricanes, major flooding, mudslides or tornadoes. Combined with abundant, inexpensive power and strong fiber and gas infrastructure, Reno provides operational stability that businesses evaluating long-term warehouse locations should consider.

How does Link Logistics support companies looking for warehouse space in Reno?

Matt: Link Logistics is the largest industrial landlord in Reno, with approximately 9 million square feet of space. What makes our Reno operation unique is the combination of portfolio scale with a very personal, hands-on approach.

From asset management through operations through construction, we're very connected with our portfolio and our customers. For a market of Reno's size, having 9 million square feet of industrial space under one landlord is significant. That scale gives us the ability to help customers grow within our network.

We have space diversity ranging from 3,000 square feet to 500,000 square feet. We can support a local business just starting out, all the way to international corporations that need larger footprints. If you're a growing business in Reno, Link Logistics can accommodate your expansion as you scale.

Looking ahead, what opportunities do you see for businesses considering Reno? 

Matt: You get a mature market with high-quality industrial space at what I would consider affordable rates. Pricing got expensive for a while, but right now it's returned to a more reasonable, business-friendly level poised for growth.

Because of Reno's size, you can be almost anywhere in the market and still be very close to the infrastructure you need. I-80 runs all the way across the country from California to New York and passes through Reno, while I-580 runs north-south through Reno. It overlaps with US-395 and positions the region along a major western corridor with connections to markets extending from Canada to Mexico. The logistical connectivity is very appealing.

From a distribution perspective, Reno is very well-located with appropriate infrastructure, and it's a business-friendly environment with competitive operating costs. For companies serving California markets or needing western U.S. distribution, Reno offers advantages without California's cost structure or regulatory complexity.

Explore available warehouse and distribution space in Reno to learn more about industrial real estate opportunities in Northern Nevada.