Which Reno Casino do you think is likely to close (vote for more than one)

Reno is suffering at huge competition with Sacramento Indian Casinos. SILVER LEGACY, ELDORADO, HARRAH'S, PEPPERMILL and ATLANTIS earn over $72 million in gaming revenue in FY2009. Grand Sierra earned $36-$72 million (formerly a MGM GRAND hotel in the early 80's) and the rest under $36 million.

FITZGERALDS may still have a few slot machines, but it has been converted into a condominium.

The Atlantis is my favorite. I stayed there about a month ago, and found the staff very friendly. They recently sent me a $300 mailer for April, based on about two hours of video poker play I did there.

I was a bit miffed at the Grand Sierra when I played at a poker tournament there over the same trip, because of the "dealer appreciation add-on" they shook down the players for. About five years ago I was backed off at the Peppermill, and rather rudely, and still harbor a grudge about it. My favorite of the downtown casinos is the Silver Legacy, but downtown Reno now is rather depressing.

Somebody mentioned the Fitzgerald's. The doors are locked, and nobody seems to want it. That does not bode well for Reno, as that place is in a prime location. That would be like nobody even wanting the land the Bellagio is on.

I thought the Atlantis and the Peppermill were going to be the clear winners.

Quote: pacomartin

I thought the Atlantis and the Peppermill were going to be the clear winners.

No, every time I have ever gambled at the Atlantis, it has been crowded. I stay at the Peppermill on a regular basis, and on several occasions I've been unable to get a room because they're all booked up. (By the way, the Peppermill recently renovated their pool area, and it's definitely the nicest pool in Northern Nevada.)

No, the obvious winner would be the Siena. That place is an empty ghost town. In fact, I'm surprised the Siena has outlived Fitzgeralds.

Sorry, I meant to say that Atlantis and Peppermill were the most unlikely to close.

I went to Reno a few months ago...I agree, things looked pretty bleak for the casinos overall. One dealer told me that their tokes just keep dropping every year...it's hard to ever believe a casino could actually close, but I'm sure the city will look completely different in another 10 yrs.

You forgot to add Diamond's to the poll...a tiny casino, in a not-so-great area. It's actually mostly slots, but they do have 5 lonely blackjack tables, only one of which was open, with a bored-looking pitboss standing by...a rather sad sight actually. Wouldn't be surprised if they got rid of the tables in the very near future.

Grand Sierra seems to be doing OK, they had a pretty good crowd especially for a weeknight, and a great nightclub that attracted a lot of younger folks. Now they just need to get rid of all those 6:5 tables.

Boomtown didn't seem to living up its name at all, sadly, it was pretty much a ghost town when I was there. Its rather isolated location outside of the city may have something to do with that. It's actually a shame, they have great blackjack rules (Single Deck with no doubling restrictions) and I've been getting coupons for free rooms, despite only spending a couple of hours there.

There are 22 casinos in Reno Sparks that make over $1 million, and 10 more outside of the city in the county. The forum poll only permits 10 options. I tried to pick significant places in Reno. I heard the Boomtown was considering closing.

Like downtown Las Vegas, Reno started dropping in the summer of 2006, almost a full year and a half before the recession really started to kick in. Both places suffer from significant competition. I don't think Reno or Tahoe can ever come back to their peak since competition in Sacramento will keep increasing every time they think the market is growing.

There is very little passengers that fly into Reno that provide an alternative to people driving up on the interstate passing by Sacramento.

With 2 votes, Wizard of Vegas readers picked the "winner": Siena was the first to close!

(It was a nice place. My father-in-law had fun playing a pai gow poker tournament there and got pretty far. Sad to see them not make it, but I can certainly understand why.)

Nostalgia ain't what it used to be.

Casinos in reno have value as casinos, as license holders, as real estate owners, etc.

Problems in Reno vary. Don't ever think enforcement of criminal laws is not an element of real estate values. If bums hang out in and near casinos and the cops do pretty much zilch about it somebody is getting paid off to have an effect on the casino's bottom line for a reason. For a long time Reno had police actions and inactions that affected casinos, bankers, real estate brokers, and other local "powers that be". Turning licensed premises into a condominium may be a sin to a gambler but nothing is a sin to a banker or real estate developer except a missed opportunity.

Reno is located at high altitude. You can ask a pilot about Density Altitude and you can have all the desires you want for increased flights with lower fares, but it ain't gonna happen since airlines do not like to fly planes into Reno and have to park them there rather than fly them out. I understand that passengers aboard planes forced to take off at high altitudes and high temperatures have similar views on the matter.

Reno is also located UP from Sacramento. If you are on a road driving to Reno and that road passes several Indian Casinos you are always welcome to go right on by and spend the time, gasoline, etc. to go to Reno whether it be for a valid reason or on a whim. Even those who for some reason consider Reno to be "REAL" gambling may be hard put to pass by the Indian Casinos which they consider to offer gambling that is somehow inferior. It is a fact that casinos are everywhere and the grand trek to Nevada is often unjustified on an economic basis.

Vegas used to respond to the economy. In good times it was easy to walk into the front door of a casino. In depressions/recessions/downturns/etc. it used to be a gauntlet that had to be run by males. Casinos do what they have to do to get customers in the door.

In Reno getting customers into town was hard enough. Getting them thru the doors was easy but welfare checks only go so far and generally don't add much to toke boxes. Reno casinos tried: we got golf, we got real estate, we got fishing, we got rivers, waterfalls and cameras, but it was to draw fish from a very small pond.

The marketing of Reno/Tahoe gaming as part of entertainment package that includes golf, hiking, skiing, etc. works on me. I'm not there solely for the gambling. Its better odds certainly appeals to me. However, I would assume that most don't care about such things and are willing to forgo it for the convenience of the Sacramento casinos.

It's interesting that Cache Creek Casino, which is much less convenient to visit, touts its better odds (stand on all 17s, 99% video poker payback) in advertising. It has been impossible for me to visit that place because of those meddling kids!

I don't know about the altitude aspect of flying into Reno—very interesting. I'll explore this issue further!

Quote: smoothgrh

I don't know about the altitude aspect of flying into Reno—very interesting. I'll explore this issue further!

It is more the altitude aspect of flying OUT of Reno. An airplane wing reacts to the air it encounters, not theoretical air. And an airplane has to climb over ACTUAL obstacles, not "standardized" obstacles in performance tables.

Correct the approximate 4,400 foot actual elevation for actual air pressure, actual air temperature, actual water vapor, add in the height of nearby mountains, the paint on the wings, the nicks and dents, the insects on the wing..... and the airplane wing will perform as if it were at more than 8,000 feet. On a hot sunny afternoon planes are safer staying on the ground at Reno but that means the owners do not make any money.

Quote: smoothgrh

The marketing of Reno/Tahoe gaming as part of entertainment package that includes golf, hiking, skiing, etc. works on me. I'm not there solely for the gambling. Its better odds certainly appeals to me. However, I would assume that most don't care about such things and are willing to forgo it for the convenience of the Sacramento casinos.

I agree with you SmoothGRH. Reno/Tahoe would be my first choice in a gambling destination if I could get there reasonably. Unfortunately, flights to/from JAX are typically expensive and take all day. If I lived in NoCal, I would gladly drive right past those Indian joints.

I have never skied, and I haven't played golf there (though I would love to), but I have hiked some of the trails there. Give me that scenery any day!

Quote: FleaStiff

It is more the altitude aspect of flying OUT of Reno. An airplane wing reacts to the air it encounters, not theoretical air. And an airplane has to climb over ACTUAL obstacles, not "standardized" obstacles in performance tables.

Correct the approximate 4,400 foot actual elevation for actual air pressure, actual air temperature, actual water vapor, add in the height of nearby mountains, the paint on the wings, the nicks and dents, the insects on the wing..... and the airplane wing will perform as if it were at more than 8,000 feet. On a hot sunny afternoon planes are safer staying on the ground at Reno but that means the owners do not make any money.

That is nonsense. DEN is at a higher altitude and gets far more snow than RNO yet is a hub and has been since day 1.

A couple of months ago we had really high winds that caused flight cancellations, but that will happen regardless of altitude or temperature.

Insects on the wing raises density altitude thousands of feet... get real

Who would have guessed that Harrah's would be the second Reno casino from this poll to close?

I would have guessed either Sands Regency or Cal Neva. Though I'm glad those two smaller casinos are still going.

And regarding Reno/Tahoe's altitude density, here's a detailed explanation.

I see that Peppermill is laying off over 100 workers. Bets on it being the show horse?

Quote: Gialmere

I see that Peppermill is laying off over 100 workers. Bets on it being the show horse?

Why? They are booming. One used to park on 3rd floor easy. Now you're lucky to find a spot on the 5th floor. Lately, even on weekdays.

Peppermill has to be the best casino of Reno-Sparks in nearly every respect. If they were to close, something would have to be seriously wrong with the world. Oh wait…

Yeah, I guess that news is antiquated. Pepppermill should be fine while Harrah's dies a "nothing personal, just business" corporate death.

Id say Circus is next to go. The parking garage, the extra building of rooms, the location makes it a perfect addiition to the vastly growing UNR.

Plus one could shoot a cannon in there and not hit anyone. The 10 people playing machines are just a few foot steps away from Silver Legacy.