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Museum of Gaming History
An Educational Project of The Casino Chip & Gaming Token Collectors Club, Inc.
An IRS approved 501 (c) (3) Tax Exempt Not-For-Profit Corporation
Dedicated to the preservation and education of Gaming History
Gaming History - Week of March 29, 2020
 
March 30th
2020 - Monday

1931 - Reno, NV.   Bank Club was licensed at 239 North Center St., Reno, after many years of illegal gaming.

1931 - Reno, NV.   Owl Club at 143 East Commercial, Reno, received the first gambling license issued in Reno, when gambling was legalized in 1931.

1945 - Las Vegas, NV.   Monte Carlo Club opens at 15 Fremont Street, downtown Las Vegas, the former location of the Northern Club.

1962 - Reno Nevada.   Club Cal Neva is one of the most historic casinos in Northern Nevada, having held its presence in Downtown Reno through all of its monumental changes over the years. Club Cal Neva originally opened on March 30, 1962, as a club held by the gaming magnates of the time. It has avoided closure by changing hands and expanding into the sports betting industry. Its sportsbook is now one of the most profitable in the state and racks in millions per year via satellite participants. The Club Cal Neva is by no means a large casino but has expanded over the years.
Link to: Club Cal Neva Website   Link to: Club Cal Neva Wikpedia

1987 - Atlantic City, NJ.   On March 30, 1987, the Showboat Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center opened with a 60,000 square feet (5,600 m2) casino and a 60-lane bowling alley, The complex was built on land leased from Resorts International, just north of the under-construction Resorts Taj Mahal. The grand opening ceremony featured Bob Hope and Al Hirt.The Showboat opened the city's first racebook in 1993, following the legalization in 1990 of casino simulcast wagering.
Link to: The Showboat Wikipedia

 
March 31st
2020 - Tuesday

1932 - Las Vegas, NV.   Tango Parlor opens at 123 South Main Street, downtown Las Vegas, closes after 5 months.

1932 - Reno, NV.   The Ship and Bottle Club opened at 222 North Center Street. The club was popular with celebreties and socialites who were in town to get divorced. After several changes in ownership, the club closed in late 1940. Early in 1941 the property reopened as the 222 Club.

1966 - Las Vegas Nevada.   The Aladdin opened on March 31, 1966, with flower petals pouring from the ceiling and onto guests as they entered the hall. The opening entertainment included comedian Jackie Mason, the "Jet Set Revue", a musical review that showcased The Three Cheers and the Petite Rockette Dancers in the Baghdad Theatre. Milton Prell introduced an innovative main showroom policy by offering three completely different shows twice nightly with no cover or minimum charges. The Aladdin opened on March 31, 1966, with flower petals pouring from the ceiling and onto guests as they entered the hall. The opening entertainment included comedian Jackie Mason, the "Jet Set Revue", a musical review that showcased The Three Cheers and the Petite Rockette Dancers in the Baghdad Theatre. Prell introduced an innovative[citation needed] main showroom policy by offering three completely different shows twice nightly with no cover or minimum charges. A little more than a year after it was opened, the Aladdin was host to Elvis and Priscilla.
Link to: The Aladdin Wikipedia
Aladdin logo

1995 - Reno, NV.   Harold's Club closed, ending the jobs of the last 69 employees. When the sale was announced in December, 1994, there were over 400 employees.
Link to: Harolds Club Wikipedia

2017 - Pittsburg, Kansas.   Casino Grand Opening.
Link to: Kansas Crossing Casino Website

 
Month of April Events
1931 - Reno, NV.   The Rex Club, 16-18 East Douglas Alley, received one of the earliest gaming licenses issued in Reno, when gambling was legalized. In April of 1941, under new management, the name was changed to the 333 Club. .

1931 - Reno, NV.   The Waldorf Club originally opened in 1910. In 1929 it moved to 142 North Virginia Street, where it was licensed, in April of 1931, for 5 slot machines. Various table games were added to the license over the next months. Through various owners and license holders, the Waldorf operated until November 29, 1956. In 1957 and 1958 The Waldorf opened with slot machines only, then closed again; it opened without gaming, then closed once more. In 1959 it opened one more time, as a bar and restaurant without gaming. It remained open until July 28, 1979.
an ad from January, 1956

1946 - Reno, NV.   Robbin's Nevada Club opened at 224 North Virginia Street. It started as a penny roulette parlor; a few months later 21, slots and craps were added. A year after they opened, a bingo game was added. In 1945 the Robbins brothers took in some partners, including Lincoln Fitzgerald and Mert Wertheimer, and the name was changed to the Nevada Club. Closed in December 1997.

1950 - Reno, NV.   The Sierra Turf Club opened, as a race book, at 14 East Commercial Row, with another entrance off of Douglas Alley. It closed in June, 1967.
an ad from May, 1954

1960 - Reno, NV.   Pick Hobson was licensed to operate a full casino at the Overland Hotel. The hotel, built in 1916, was purchased by Pick Hobson in 1959. He remodeled and upgraded the hotel, and used the ground floor as a casino. The Overland closed on April 1, 1977 and was demolished in the following months.

1971 - Reno, NV.   Holiday Spa was licensed for slots, craps, 21, bingo and poker from April of 1971 until November of 1978.

1972 - Reno, NV.   The Pioneer Inn, operating at 221 South Virginia Street as a hotel only since 1968, added 65 slot machines. In 1974 table games were added. .

 
April 1st
2020 - Wednesday

1931 - Las Vegas, NV.   Original Las Vegas Club opens at 21-23 Fremont Street, downtown Las Vegas. The current Las Vegas Club is located on the opposite side of the street.

1931 - Las Vegas, NV.   Boulder Club opens at 118 Fremont Street, downtown Las Vegas.

1931 - Las Vegas, NV.   Exchange Club opens at 123 South 1st Street, downtown Las Vegas.

1931 - Reno, NV.   Brunswick Club opened at 227 North Center St., Reno.

1936 - Reno, NV.   The Wander Inn was licensed for 21 at 220 North Virginia Street, where it operated until May of 1937. Later the Frontier Club was at this location.

1944 - Reno, NV.   The Reno Casino opened at 14-16 East Commercial Row, with three 21 games, two craps games, roulette, chuck-a-luck and 21 slot machines. The property was sold in October of 1947 and reopened as the Rolo Casino.

1953 - Las Vegas, NV.   Little Casino opens, 110 North 1st Street, downtown Las Vegas.

1971 - Las Vegas, NV.   A casino and hotel located on the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, an unincorporated area of Clark County in the U.S. state of Nevada. The Westward Ho was the last large motel style property on the Strip. It was a two-story building with parking surrounding the buildings.The casino had a large number of slot machines and a gaming pit with live dealers. The games included blackjack, roulette, craps, and Let It Ride.
Link to: Westward Ho Wikipedia

1972 - Las Vegas, NV.   Sinabar Casino opens, 111 E. Ogden Ave., Las Vegas.

1977 - Las Vegas, NV.   Rendezvous Hotel & Casino opens at 400 East Ogden, closes 9 months later becoming the Big Nickel.

1979 - Sunrise Manor Nevada.   Sam's Town Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located in Sunrise Manor, Nevada on the corner of Flamingo Road and Boulder Highway. It is one of the casinos owned and operated by Boyd Gaming. It is built on 13 acres (5.3 ha) and it includes two RV parks. One of the unique features of this hotel is "Mystic Falls", a large glass-roofed atrium with tall live trees, cobblestone paths, and a rock waterfall in the center where a laser show is performed daily at different times. It was the host hotel for the Sam's Town 300, a NASCAR race sponsored by Sam's Town. It was also the Las Vegas host hotel for the Silver State Classic Challenge race.
Link to: Sams Town Website   Link to: Sams Town Wikipedia

1981 - Las Vegas, NV.   Las Vegas Inn opens at 1501 West Sahara Ave.

1981 - Reno, NV.   Mr. C's opened in the Sands Plaza, at the Corner of Arlington Avenue and Third Street. .

1991 - Davenport, Iowa.   President riverboat casino opens. .

1993 - Henderson Nevada.   The Jokers Wild Casino is a 23,500 sq ft (2,180 m2) locals casino located in Henderson, Nevada. It is one of the casinos owned by Boyd Gaming Corporation. It originally opened in 1990 as the Cattle Baron Casino, and closed in 1993. It was reopened on April 1, 1993 as the Jokers Wild Casino.
Link to: Jokers Wild Website

2019 - Nisku, Alberta, Canada.   Slots only Racino opens. .

 
April 2nd
2020 - Thursday

1931 - Reno, NV.   The Silver Slipper, at 1410 East Fourth Street, which had been in operation before gambling was legallized, received its gaming license. The Silver Slipper was closed for some months in 1936/1937, and the location operated as the Black Derby for a few months in 1937, then changed the name back to Silver Slipper until the fall of 1941. In December of 1941 it reopened as the Sphynx. Fire destroyed the building in 1943.

1966 - Reno, NV.   Val's Club opened at 333 East Second Street, the former location of Swede's Club. Val's operated until November of 1967.

1990 - Atlantic City, NJ.   The Trump Taj Mahal is a closed casino and hotel on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States, owned by Trump Entertainment Resorts, a subsidiary of Icahn Enterprises.The casino was inaugurated by its then-owner Donald Trump in 1990, and was built at a total cost of nearly one billion dollars. Restaurants at the Taj include Dynasty, Il Mulino New York, Moon at Dynasty, Robert's Steakhouse, and Hard Rock Cafe. It was also the home of Scores, the country's first in-casino strip club.The Taj Mahal came to the brink of closure in 2014 as its parent company went through bankruptcy, but ultimately remained open under the new ownership of Icahn Enterprises. On August 3, 2016, it was announced that the Trump Taj Mahal would close after Labor Day. It closed at 5:59 AM on October 10, 2016.
Link to: Trump Taj Mahal Wikipedia
$500 Chip

 
April 3rd
2020 - Friday

1931 - Reno, NV.   The Palm Cafe, 260 Lake Street, received a license for poker. Later this was the location for the New China Club.

1931 - Reno, NV.   The Sagebrush Club, at 129 East Douglas Alley, was one of the small bars/clubs that was issued a gaming license for a few months when gaming was legalized. .

1941 - Las Vegas, NV.   El Rancho Vegas was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip. It was located at 2500 Las Vegas Boulevard, at the southwest corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue, and opened on April 3, 1941. Until 1942, it was the largest hotel in Las Vegas with 110 rooms. On June 17, 1960, the hotel was destroyed by fire. In 1982, the El Rancho Hotel and Casino formerly known as the Thunderbird and later as the Silverbird opened across the street from the former site of the El Rancho Vegas, creating some confusion.
Link to: The El Rancho Wikipedia

 
April 4th
2020 - Saturday

1955 - Reno, NV.   Doll House opened at 2250 South Virginia St, Reno.

1955 - Las Vegas, NV.   The property started as a nightclub called Pair-O-Dice that opened in 1930, then The Ambassador Night Club in 1936 and was renamed the 91 Club in 1939 for its location on US-91. It was subsequently rebuilt and renamed the "Hotel Last Frontier" in 1942. On April 4, 1955, it was renamed the New Frontier, following a modernization of the resort. The resort had the distinction of hosting Elvis Presley's first Vegas appearance in 1956, and the final performance of Diana Ross and The Supremes on January 14, 1970.
Link to: New Last Frontier Wikipedia

1957 - Las Vegas, NV.   Tropicana Las Vegas is a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Penn National Gaming. It offers 1,467 rooms and a 50,000-square-foot gaming floor. Tropicana Las Vegas also has 100,000 sq ft of convention and exhibit space.This location, Tropicana – Las Vegas Boulevard intersection, has the most hotel rooms of any intersection in the world and is extremely busy. Pedestrians are not allowed to cross at street level. Instead, the Tropicana is linked by overhead pedestrian bridges to its neighboring casinos: to the north across Tropicana Avenue, the MGM Grand Las Vegas, and to the west across the Strip, the Excalibur.
Link to: Tropicana Wikipedia   Link to: Tropicana Website
Now Then

1995 - New Orleans, LA.   River City Crescent City Queen casino opens.

1995 - New Orleans, LA.   River City Grand Palais casino opens.


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