Visitreno

remano · Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 717

While walking through the street construction mess downtown today I noticed that what was left of the Golden Phoenix has been boarded up and the lights are out. I hadn't seen or heard anything about this in the news so I don't know whether it's a permanent closing or if they're going to ride out the construction and winter doldrums and try again next Spring.

remano · Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 717

Here's an update on the Golden Phoenix. This morning's RGJ reported that it was sold, and the new owners are taking advantage of the slow winter season and street construction to completely gut and remodel the place. The main floor will be an all new slot parlor. The food court tenants are being offered space in a smoke-free second floor area, but the article didn't say whether any of them had decided to stay. It also didn't say whether the name would be changed. Re-opening is expected by next Spring.

So, this looks like a positive development for downtown. Now if they could only find someone to open up the former Rocky's sports bar next door....

Dave · Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 212

Hey Remano. Did they say who the new owners are? So it just going to have slots on the first floor and what about the rest? Condos? I know I am a minority on the board but I sure did like that place. Thanks for always keeping us up on the changes in Reno. You sure do a great job! I hope all is well.
Dave

remano · Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 717

The owner(s) is (are) L-3 Development LLC from Chicago. This is the same company that is converting the former hotel structure into condos, but it doesn't sound like they had anything to do with operating the Virginia Street casino. A spokesman for the company said they are planning a first class casino and would not have anything to do with a dump, and the way the Phoenix was being run it certainly had become a dump.

Thing is, the building goes all the way through from Virginia to Sierra, but only the front part was being operated as a casino. It was mostly just a "come on" to get people into the building from Virginia Street, but it almost seemed to be intentionally unattractive so once people got inside they would take the skywalk over to the main casino. That wouldn't work as a stand alone operation.

The back part of the building is an Italian restaurant that fronts on Sierra Street. If I owned the building I would ditch the restaurant and open up the entire first floor for gaming, with access from both ends. That would provide roughly the same floor space as the first floor of Fitzgerald's, which would be much more attractive to customers than a dinky little slot parlor. The license is unrestricted, so I would also put in some table games, and a lounge with a band stand. Maybe the lounge could go upstairs, with a restaurant or two. The building definitely is not suited for condo conversion.

stan_allen · Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 1129

I don't think I've ever seen a reasonable explanation of how a former hotel room is sucessfully turned into a "Condominium". There's more needed for a successful living space than a single living room with an adjoining bathroom.
On the other hand, I haven't done much research on the topic. Still, it seems that places such as Comstock, Sundowner, (to-be?) Flamingo/Phoenix hold a deep mystery as to how they can transmogrify these things into anything other than dormitories, albeit with individual bathrooms.
Thanks for the updates, y'all.

remano · Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 717

remano · Joined: 20 Dec 2005 Posts: 717

stan_allen · Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 1129

Okay, NOW I get it! Thanks for that detail....the plan still sounds implausibly ambitious, though - who the heck is going to move into these things??
People barely even want to visit the downtown these days; I can scarcely imagine them wanting to live there!

thegambler · Joined: 28 Dec 2005 Posts: 22

I miss the old Golden Phoenix and wish they would reopen the whole first floor in both buildings! But that will probably never happen.

The Italian restaurant, by the way, is terrible. I went there in January a couple of years ago, and the place was not heated. When we were seated, I noticed that the table was full of old bread crumbs. The service was terrible, and the food was awful (and not in an awful-awful burger kind of good way), as well, as my wife's steak came rare and when we sent it back, it was just dumped in the microwave and fried. I would get $75 coupons to that place from the Golden Phoenix, and I declined to use them.

Close that joint down and put in more gambling!