Visitreno

remano · Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 717

While walking through downtown today I noticed a large yellow sign in front of the building that most recently served as the Virginia Street entrance to the Golden Phoenix. It announced a hearing before the City Council on Sept. 5 to decide on an application for a special use permit to open a new casino identified as the Primm Gaming Project. The permit is needed because there is no hotel associated with the operation. The Whitney Peak people have often speculated that their development could be the anchor for re-filling the neighboring vacant buildings, but this is the first perceptible progress I have heard of.

A quick internet search led me to the city's web site, where the complete permit application is posted. I found this to be interesting reading, not so much for the description of the new project which is pretty generalized, but more because it includes a history of the building including a couple 1955 photos of its original incarnation as the Primadonna. Here's the link:

http://www.reno.gov/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=39864

BC Dave · Site Admin Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1594

Looks like they've already spruced up the front of the building. I hope they breeze through the approval process and breath new life into that desolate stretch of downtown.

spdmrcht · Joined: 12 Oct 2012 Posts: 498

I was wondering what the spruce up was all about? Is that the building
the Sierra st. over crossing from the Golden Phoenix came out?
That over crossing kept the GP going a lot longer then it would have.
I was sorry to see it go. I even thought for a min. or two, about
buying a condo if I could get to Virginia st. without having to use
the street. Good find Remano!

stan_allen · Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 1129

...or was it elephants?

What is it abotut that Reno Flamingo Hilton walkway that inspires such retrospection?

It's probably the fact that one generally encountered it in the midst of that aimless wandering which so joyfully accompanied a Nevada-sized bender of gaming and imibibing...so many were the times I wandered through there, caring little where I'd come from or where I was going, as both origin and destination were sources of endless party glee....ah, the good times.

Here's to a successful rebirth!

BC Dave · Site Admin Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1594

The old Flamingo walkway was a cool transition from the Flamingo's Virginia street casino to the main hotel and large main casino. Up an escalator in the back and down a long hall. (Anybody remember the Statue of Liberty photos there?) and through a windowed sky-bridge into the mezzanine of the Flamingo's main hotel-casino. You could then descend via another escalator to the main casino. It's what makes many of Reno's casinos so cool. They've been added on to rather than rebuilt. This results in sometimes confusing layouts - ie: The Eldorado, Harrah's, Peppermill and the Cal Neva. But exploring them sure was fun after a few imbibes.