US Gypsum to close. Gerlach to dry up and blow away?

Dark Star · Post by **Dark Star** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 7:57 pm

Read the full article: http://www.rgj.com/article/20101202/BIZ/101202036

U.S. Gypsum Company will halt operations in company-owned town of Empire on January 31st. The 300 residents of Empire have until June 20, 2011 before they must vacate the company owned housing.

The closing of the plant will touch every part of the community. Many families will be hit hard by this and the effects of the US Gypsum closing will impact burners.

With the mine closed how long can Gerlach as we know it survive? What if the grocery store, Bruno's, the hotel, the school, the gas station, the propane supplier, and other businesses cease to exist as a result? What ripple affects will this create for burners and the event as a whole?

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 9:27 pm

All are big questions. I think the shake out will come once the deadline for housing in Empire expires. The ugly truth is that other employment opportunities in Nevada are pretty damn bleak.

motskyroonmatick · Post by **motskyroonmatick** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 10:50 pm

Damn! *Shakes head*

A small point of hope is that it is an idling and not a shut down and sell off of equipment. Some reassurance that must be though....

Post by **Eric** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 11:02 pm

Dark Star wrote:What ripple affects will this create for burners and the event as a whole?

Forget Burners and the Event, they'll all survive- what will happen to the people of Gerlach & Empire? It's not like Nevada has jobs just lying around. It's scary realizing that everything you think is solid isn't- trust me on this.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 11:26 pm

They have known it was coming for a couple of years now.

This will cause the store to close, without a doubt.

That will be the only affect it will have on most burners.

The propane company in Gerlach will be affected, but I am sure someone else will step up to bat if they belly up, with the thousands of gallons of propane that go through the event.

Deb Prothero · Post by **Deb Prothero** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 12:25 am

Are all of the houses in Empire owned by the company?

Seems like a shocking bit of reality for everyone in that area. If the store is forced to close, where will the residents of Gerlach get emergency supplies - Nixon is a long way to go for a quart of milk!

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 1:59 am

I thought that the Feds said the recession had ended-- you don't suppose they lied, do you?

The housing market slump is what did 'em in. Even around here, where a county wide housing boom has been going for at least 30 years, the prices seem to be down. I wish Empire and Gerlach good luck. Unfortunately, it looks like things are only going to get worse for the foreseeable future.

Post by **Sham** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 2:17 am

This is what causes ghost towns to pop up. Once the 100 or so employees head off to find work, the store closes and those people move and it continues to cascade from there. Most people who live in Gerlach are retired, but they will no doubt be affected as well.
The Burning Man Festival will become much more important to the local economy and hopefully more respected by the State of Nevada.
I am sure that property values will drop even further, as people start to move out.
Its nearly impossible to base the local economy on a transient arts festival.

Post by **mdmf007** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 8:59 am

Well that sucks, never like seeing communities killed like this.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 9:21 am

the Empire store closes in Jan also, it is pretty much done as it is.

Aiee! It burns! · Post by **Aiee! It burns!** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 9:47 am

What are home prices like in that area.

Post by **Sham** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 10:00 am

Home prices are somewhat cheap now and they will be dropping even further once people start getting desperate and head off for employment elsewhere. There are a large number of homes owned by U.S. Gypsum and people are going to have to vacate them in June. Many will leave sooner than that.
This is really the only employer in the area, and it's going to devistate everything that we know. The impact on the local residents, merchants, Burning Man and the participants is going to be massive.
All I can say here is HOLY FUCK!

Aiee! It burns! · Post by **Aiee! It burns!** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 10:03 am

Looking for an in-expensive vacation home .

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 1:51 pm

try Butte, Mt.

moonrise · Post by **moonrise** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 2:39 pm

Aiee! It burns! wrote:Looking for an in-expensive vacation home .

Maybe you find a place you like that is occupied and owned by the neediest family out there, buy it and it's a win win...or close enough; considering the drastic effect it'll have on the fabric of those two town's social structure. (remember the garlic plant, hmmm? and the school that was)

Deb Prothero · Post by **Deb Prothero** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 3:10 pm

Shambala wrote: The Burning Man Festival will become much more important to the local economy and hopefully more respected by the State of Nevada.

Careful what you wish for Shambala. The way that States give respect is finding a way to increase your costs. Individually some burners have been affected by an increased vigilance of the local law enforcement trying to drum up $ for their year round budgets.

Shambala wrote: Its nearly impossible to base the local economy on a transient arts festival.

Governments and their various departments are very creative at revenue generation.

On the other hand, they will need to be sure not to tick the ORG and BM participants too much or we might seek another location.

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 3:29 pm

Deb, It's a company town. All the housing is owned by USG. They say they are going to mothball everything just in case the need for drywall starts back up again.

Token · Post by **Token** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 4:15 pm

Why can't we just build a huge coal burnig power plant there instead?

[/sarcasm font]

Aiee! It burns! · Post by **Aiee! It burns!** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 4:30 pm

This is how it starts.

lucky420 · Post by **lucky420** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 4:33 pm

lol I have that book

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 4:59 pm

so does my mom

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 6:22 pm

Shit, I'm not doing anything right now.... Id volunteer to help build a store in Gerlach. The Empire store wasn't serving tacos when I got there anyways.

Wish I could remember the post, but was a great video from the 60s? About Gerlach. I think they'll survive no Empire.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 6:45 pm

This the one, Tom? It's from '72.
[youtube][/youtube]
I just went to youtube and plugged "gerlach" into the search function.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 6:51 pm

theCryptofishist wrote:This the one, Tom? It's from '72.
[youtube][/youtube]
I just went to youtube and plugged "gerlach" into the search function.

'72...close enough. Yep that's it. Thanx! I was 1year old!

Post by **Sham** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 7:01 pm

Holy crap. Loella Sweet, the dark haired woman coming out from the Gerlach Hotel is now in her 80's and still living in the now closed hotel. I brought her to the meet and greet in 2009. She was the heavyish lady with the oxygen tank connected to her. It's amazing that she is still there after all these years!

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 7:54 pm

Isn't anyone concerned about USG stock value?

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 8:11 pm

USG? I used to...but they stopped selling tacos every open hour. I feel kinda bad, meeting the new store owner?/manager at 4th of Juplaya, struggling to restock the store.

I wonder if DPW could amass enough forklifts to move the store down road?

Thecatman · Post by **Thecatman** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 9:01 pm

Primarly the folks with kids in school that have until June to vacate the company housing. Since they attend in Gerlach.
The Gerlach Post Office will more than likely get somewhat busier.
When I drove for a flatbed trucking company in Reno, I picked up a load of drywall from there.

Those poor people.

maryanimal · Post by **maryanimal** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 9:13 pm

It made me sad knowing that all those people will be losing their homes in empire next year. And since I've never been to a burn, I would love to visit Gerlach and Empire next year. Sure wish there was a way to help them. We all need to win the lottery. What about that year-round place close to BM where people live. I don't know where I saw it, but people live in mobile homes and it doesn't cost a thing to live their. Of course I could've been dreaming all of this.

Post by **Eric** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 9:28 pm

maryanimal wrote:What about that year-round place close to BM where people live. I don't know where I saw it, but people live in mobile homes and it doesn't cost a thing to live their. Of course I could've been dreaming all of this.

I think you're actually thinking of Slab City, which is in the far south of California, near the Salton Sea. Nowhere near Burning Man, and not really a place most .... uh ....... lets just say "average" people would live.

US Gypsum to close. Gerlach to dry up and blow away?

US Gypsum to close. Gerlach to dry up and blow away?

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