LOVELOCK - A county gaming license was approved last week in time for this week's opening of the Big Wheel Casino inside the new Golden Gate Auto-Truck Plaza near downtown Lovelock.
The Pershing County Gaming Board issued the license to Strategic Gaming Management LLC, parent company for Baldini's Casino in Sparks, the Cal-Neva Lodge Casino in North Lake Tahoe and the Big Wheel Casino in Lovelock.
The commission also heard a first reading of a new "Gaming Control" county ordinance that will regulate and license gaming establishments within the county. A public hearing on the ordinance will be scheduled at a future meeting.
The Big Wheel Casino was already approved by the state gaming control board.
"We welcome you," Sheriff Rich Machado told Strategic Gaming representatives Kelly Moxley and Chris Gump after the vote. Moxley is a controller and Gump is information technology and marketing director for the company.
"We don't have the physical license just a letter of approval from the state gaming control board," Moxley told the county board. "After the (state) gaming control board approved Big Wheel, we had to pay them the bond amount. We sent that in last week after their meeting, but it takes them a couple of days to send the license out."
The casino, located inside the Golden Gate truck stop, will house at least 53 slot machines plus video poker and seven slot machines in the convenience store. Strategic Gaming has paid the county a gaming tax of $45 per machine, totaling $2,700 per quarter.
"It (the casino opening) was originally slated for July 1, but I think it's moved back to July 3," Moxley told commissioners. "Within a week, we'll be there."
After the meeting, Moxley and Gump said they weren't really sure exactly when the casino will open.
"We cannot be 100 percent sure right now if we'll be open on Wednesday," Gump said. "That's our goal but if construction doesn't go just right and if all the licenses are not in place, we might have to push it back."
The next stop for Moxley and Gump was over at city hall to get an update on the uncertain issue of a city gaming/business license requirement.
"I have not received an answer yet on whether or not you will need a (city) business license for the casino. Two lawyers are looking at it," city official Eva Foster told the men. Although the decision is still pending while city and county attorneys debate the issue, Foster said the casino has a green light from the city to open this week.
Lovelock Mayor Mike Giles explained that the city's gaming license ordinance requires gaming to be licensed but that the role had been turned over to the county. If lawyers decide the city must also license gaming, the city would be forced to license all other gaming machines within the city limits, he said.
"By statute, the sheriff collects the taxes off the machines," Giles said. "There is a city ordinance on that but we have never enforced it. The understanding was the county did that for us, but if that changes to where we have to go back and do Big Wheel then we would also have to approach Sturgeon's, (Chevron owner) Steve Young and license all of the other machines in town like at Safeway and the pub. It opens a whole big picture."
On Sunday, Big Wheel Casino General Manager Ken Francesconi of Rye Patch said he's hired a staff of 10, including bartenders and players' club attendants. Gaming includes two "Wheel of Fortune" machines, a "Penny Train" plus draft beer and mixed drinks at the Finish Line Bar.
"This place is a shot in the arm for Lovelock," he said. "We're not out to dominate, we're just out to have fun. All and all, everybody's excited."
County gaming control ordinance
A draft "Gaming Control" ordinance presented for a first reading at Friday's county commission meeting by District Attorney Jim Shirley, outlines county gaming license requirements, license fees and gaming locations to be governed by the county gaming board. The new ordinance will be considered again during a public hearing at a future county commission meeting.
The final ordinance will set quarterly license fees for restricted and non-restricted gaming establishments, bingo, race and sports books, keno, slot route operators and other gambling-related activities.
The ordinance will also set limits where gaming is allowed in relation to schools and churches.
Local sandwich shop owner
Lovelock attorney Steve Evenson has reportedly purchased the franchise for a Port of Subs sandwich shop expected to open inside the new Golden Gate Auto-Truck Plaza.
"I heard that one of our community members stepped up and bought the sandwich franchise," county commission Chairman Pat Irwin announced at Friday's meeting.
Evenson said on Monday he had no comment on the deal at this time other than calling it an "inside baseball" situation.
New gypsum mine
Mitch Hill, president of Silver State Minerals of Reno, gave county commissioners an overview of his company's plan to mine gypsum in Pershing County.
"We recently closed escrow on 40 acres in the Muttlebury Canyon area and we also have 13 patented mining claims that adjoin that property," Hill said. "It is our intent to mine calcium sulfate, known as gypsum in laymen's terms. It will be strictly a surface mining operation, no blasting. We're looking at 25,000 plus-tons in the first year and 50,000 tons each year thereafter."
After meeting with Pershing County Road Superintendent Brian Greene, Hill said the company will enter into a road improvement and maintenance agreement with the county. The product will be trucked into Lovelock then distributed to customers in California, Idaho, northern Nevada and southern Oregon, he said.
Hill said he'll give a more detailed presentation and answer questions at the July 18 county commission meeting.
Landfill recycling plan
Commissioner Carol Shank requested short and long-term goals for a recycling program at the county dump. Landfill operator Mitch Nielsen has expressed numerous ideas for recycling trash to save money and space and possibly earn revenues for the county.
"I know he had ideas but I'd like to see a plan," Shank said. "It doesn't have to be final just a work-in-progress."
Some large items, like computers, televisions, mattresses, tires and wood are already being separated at the dump. A problem is finding markets for these and other household recyclables.
Commissioners also said they'd like to inform the public on the current landfill operation, proper use of the dump and plan potential recycling programs.
"Maybe by (July18), if you could put together some goals and dreams, even if it's far fetched, some will have a fiscal impact but that would help us with the longevity of the dump," Irwin said. "Those are the kind of goals that help us realize that we wouldn't have to do any more blasting if we did this, or less blasting."
On Sunday, Nielsen confirmed he'll be meeting with county officials to discuss recycling ideas and the potential markets for cardboard, tires, plastics, paper and other recyclable trash. Currently, he has markets for metals and electronics but the prices paid vary greatly, he said.
An expanded recycling program would need financial commitments from county leaders and cooperation from the public, Nielsen said. At the minimum, a covered storage area, a trash compactor, separation bins would be needed.
Swimming pool repairs
Commissioners approved the grant application process for a Nevada Division of State Parks Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for swimming pool repairs and improvements.
"The pool is in dire straits and it needs some work," Shank said. "We're going to have to come up with some money one way or another."
The Lovelock swimming pool is leaking water and the 40-year-old filter system has needed repairs, swimming pool maintenance man Jim Rowe told commissioners.
Rowe reported the pool was recently shut down for two days due to the filter system. Temporary repairs were made with assistance by the city but the water leaks continue.
"The pool has a leak someplace - I have no idea where it is," Rowe said. "We have to add probably 200 gallons a day."
Rowe said he'll obtain estimates on the cost of plaster work to repair the leaks plus the cost of a handicapped lift or ramp to meet an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirement due by 2013.
Burning Man update
Sheriff Rich Machado reported on the recent Burning Man law enforcement planning meetings he attended.
"The Bureau of Land Management gave a report on the environmental assessment for 2012 through 2016. They also spoke about the permit and stipulations," Machado said.
"The gate will open at 6 p.m. on Sunday, not at midnight. If it became a safety issue that people are backed up through Gerlach and waiting, they might have a soft opening at noon. The permit is 196 hours for the event so they would then have to close the event those appropriate hours."
The 2012 BLM permit allows a maximum of 60,900 participants at any time but that number is expected to climb to 70,000 in the future, he said. The BLM will have 64 to 68 rangers on the playa.
"They talked about the FUN Project, where you can register your children and get a wrist bracelet so a found, lost or separated child can be reunited with the parents a lot more quickly and easily," Machado said. "There's going to be 322 pieces of artwork on the playa and the theme this year is fertility."
Fourth of Juplaya
Two Pershing County Sheriff's deputies will patrol this week's "Fourth of Juplaya" event on the Black Rock playa, Sheriff Machado said. A portable command post will be staged at Washoe County's substation in Gerlach to remain there for Burning Man.
If the event continues to grow, more law enforcement may be needed, Machado said.
"Depending on the amount of people, we may have to dedicate more resources," he said. "If it keeps getting bigger, if there's more than a couple of thousand people out there, I don't know if two officers is enough."
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