It has been more than 20 years since a new casino opened in the northern state of Nevada in the United States.
That changed Tuesday with the opening of the Legend Bay casino in Sparks, which was attended by Gov. Steve Sisolak and Gary Gott, chairman and CEO of Olympia Gaming, a Las Vegas-based operator.
“Our iconic casino gaming industry isn’t just on the Las Vegas Strip. It’s statewide,” Sisolak said. “This is a great moment to see what Northern Nevada has to offer and bring more tourists to the Silver State.”
The event, which began as a VIP-only party featuring shrimp cocktails and champagne glasses, was also attended by Court Cardinal, regional president of Olympia Gaming.
“You’ll see a lot on our floor because Buffalo and Lightning Link are the most popular,” said the Cardinals, who manage Casino Fandango, an Olympia gaming property in Carson City. “I only have one Buffalo arch machine that’s about 16 feet tall, and they don’t make it anymore, so there’s one reason to come here compared to anywhere else in northern Nevada.”
Offering more than 600 game consoles, the casino has a wide range of treats, including a food truck hall and a Duke Steak House with its first location in the casino fandango.
Circle it 스포츠토토
This will be the first Northern Nevada operation for Circa Sports, a sports betting brand operated by Circa Resort & Casino.
Derek Stevens, CEO of Circa Sports, said he was “immediately interested” after hearing about Legends Bay Casino from Goett.
“We were able to participate in the design, so we designed our own sportsbook here inside Legend Bay,” Stevens said. “For us, it all came together. It was the perfect place at the perfect time.”
According to the Cardinal, the excitement is mutual.
“On a scale of 1 to 10, it’s 20,” he said of the partnership. “To work with them, to bring their team here, to join us on the ground floor on this with Derek. We’ll be able to offer something that no casino in northern Nevada can offer, and that’s all because of Cica Sports.”
Located in the sweet spot less than 10 minutes from Highway 80, the property is sandwiched between two hotels owned by Olympia and a large outdoor shopping mall known as Outlet at Legend.
The property was first purchased in 2007, but the Great Recession brought plans for the casino to a halt. The project, which was scaled back from the company’s original plans, was launched in February last year.
I’m hoping for good luck on the opening night
About 20 people had gathered outside the building an hour before the door opened.
Jonathan Duong, who moved to Reno three months ago, lined up.
“I’ve never been to a grand opening or a casino,” he said. “I hope we’re lucky.