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Elko TV District readies Grindstone tower as carriers negotiate 5G upgrades and new leases
Summary
Board reported Grindstone tower assembly is underway and discussed Verizon and AT&T negotiations and the need to revise lease terms to account for heavier, 5G equipment.
The Elko County Television District reported progress on its Grindstone tower project and discussed ongoing negotiations with major carriers over upgrades and leases that will change how tenants are charged and how the district manages structural load.
The update came during the May 8 Elko County Television District meeting, where staff said the tower’s grounding work is complete and assembly is under way, and board members discussed pending lease talks with Verizon and AT&T tied to 5G equipment upgrades.
The matter matters because carriers’ 5G upgrades replace older coaxial runs with hybrid lines and remote radio heads that add substantial weight to towers. That changes the district’s historic approach of charging tenants by “square footage” and raises structural, safety and revenue questions.
Kenny (staff member) briefed the board on carrier plans. He said carriers will remove existing coax runs and install roughly four hybrid lines up to a new tower; those lines will carry fiber and DC power and feed remote radio heads mounted behind antennas. He described the radios as weighing “40 to 90 pounds apiece” and modern multi‑port antennas that can weigh “100 plus pounds” despite similar physical dimensions to older antennas. Kenny said the changes will also add microwave backhaul dishes tied to a planned site in South Fork.
Board members said existing lease language—based on square footage of tower face and building footprint—does not capture new weight and loading issues. The board directed staff to begin considering lease revisions that account for weight, ice loading and overturn calculations so tenant charges and structural limits reflect present realities.
Board members also told staff the district has declined an earlier carrier counteroffer and is negotiating higher fees tied to the additional equipment. Board members expected formal offers and negotiations to take 60–90 days.
Work at the Grindstone site is advancing. District staff reported the grounding was finished and the tower assembly started, with the district aiming to have the tower stacked and ready by June, weather permitting. Staff said work at the remote access road and staging sites has been hampered by spring runoff and that deliveries have been staged to reduce road wear.
District members discussed potential follow‑up steps including structural load studies, updated lease templates, and confirming carriers’ migration plans so the district can coordinate removals from the old tower and placement on the new tower.
If carriers proceed with the planned upgrades and microwave additions, the district said it will need to bill for greater weight and loading and consider engineering reviews before accepting new equipment on district towers. The board did not adopt a specific new lease formula at the meeting and did not approve any carrier agreement.
Board members said they will return with specific lease language and engineering estimates before any final approvals.
