Rural Nevada county details opposition to ‘Innovation Zones’

By SAM METZ
AP/Report for America

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — A rural Nevada county where a technology company wants to build a semi-autonomous city rebuked a proposal to facilitate the idea on Tuesday in a legislative committee hearing. The proposal under discussion would allow companies that meet certain requirements to form county-like jurisdictions called “Innovation Zones” governed by three supervisors — two of whom would at first be nominated by the company itself. Officials from Storey County told lawmakers they had the ability to facilitate large developments and didn’t understand why the technology company Blockchains claims it needs to break away and form its own jurisdiction.