UPDATE: The Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education has approved the sale of a 104-acre parcel at the University of Nevada, Reno Main Station Field Laboratory for $18 million.

The sale was conducted through a broker on the open market.

Reno Land Inc. and the University of Nevada are now under contract.

The proceeds of the sale will be used for the following:

- renovating the Nevada Agriculture Experiment Station Valley Road laboratories

- developing research capabilities at the J Dow NAES wetlands

- building ADA compliant classrooms at Main Station Field Lab

- construction of the Eureka Agriculture Center for Range and Sheep Improvement

- development of the International Center of Dryland Agriculture

- an endowed professorship for indoor and urban agriculture

- supporting plans to develop a research/Cooperative Extension facility in Clark County

- renovations for critical laboratory facilities on the University's main campus 

A 40-acre parcel off of Pembroke Drive is also up for sale.

(The University of Nevada, Reno contributed to this report).

The University of Nevada is selling off part of its main station farm to help fund other programs at the university.

The two parcels at Mill Street and McCarran Blvd. 104 acres and 40 acres respectively.

The other 700 acres will remain for agriculture research.

The property will be sold for a minimum of $20-million.

The 104-acre McCarran Parcel, which was annexed into the City of Reno in 2011, was rezoned to a Planned Unit Development designation by the Reno City Council in March 2013. It is on the east side of McCarran Boulevard and extends from Clean Water Way approximately 4,700 feet to the south and has a depth of about 927 feet.

Community members had protested the plan when it came before the council back in 2013

President Marc Johnson reiterated that selling these parcels will help the main campus renovate its lab spaces and be more competitive for research grants.

“We are planning to liquidate these assets to provide funds to renovate critical research lab spaces to be more competitive for research grants,” he said. “Use of the land for teaching, research and operations by the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources will continue on the remainder of the land.”

The University has 12,000-plus acres around Nevada used for agriculture research, such as animal genetics, cattle health and performance, control and eradication of noxious weeds, alternative agriculture, air/soil/water quality, rangeland management, alternative fuel sources, applied research and demonstration in hoop-house, greenhouse and organic farming in dry climates, and an experimental vineyard.

(The University of Nevada, Reno contributed to this report.)