During the recent discussions about the RSCVA’s new marketing tagline, I’ve heard some people express concern over the possibility of losing the City’s nickname, “The Biggest Little City in the World.”

I want to reassure everyone that no matter what direction the RSCVA takes in their marketing campaign, the City of Reno is committed to protecting and promoting its 80 year-old slogan. In fact, part of the action plan for this year’s Communications Priority includes updating intellectual property policies and procedures and making sure we’ve got appropriate copyright protection.

First adopted in 1929, the line was the winning entry in a contest. The $100 prize went to G.A. Burns of Sacramento, who probably based his suggestion on a tagline that had been used as early as 1910. Along the same lines, the Reno Commercial Club had used “the Biggest Little City on the Map” in 1912.

The City officially adopted the slogan in 1929 and put it on one of the early versions of the Reno arch. Another version of the arch, built in 1935, stayed on Virginia Street for about 28 years. It now resides on Lake Street, right next to the National Automobile Museum.

When the arch was updated, on New Year’s Eve 1963 and in August 1987, the City’s slogan was prominently featured.

The Reno arch is a piece of true Americana and no matter what form the arch takes in the future, I believe it will include that line.

For me, since the RSCVA’s thorough research shows that there is a new audience that can be persuaded to come and visit, we should support their efforts to convince people to come to Reno, Sparks and North Lake Tahoe. We’ve had eleven straight years of declining visitor numbers, so what we’ve been doing so far hasn’t been enough to turn that around.

RSCVA’s mission is to fill hotel rooms in the region and their new marketing plan is aimed at the people who either haven’t been before or who haven’t been here for a long time. To learn more about their goals and strategy, I’d suggest reading their blog at http://update.visitrenotahoe.com/.

But whatever RSCVA ends up doing to attract visitors, Reno will remain “The Biggest Little City.” It’s a big part of our identity, it’s written on our DNA. I can’t imagine that changing.

My bet is that marketing taglines for the region will come and go, but Reno will always be “The Biggest Little City in the World.”