Visitreno

BC Dave · Site Admin Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1595

This is something of a shocker. In August 1980 a disgruntled (ex)millionaire decided to take his frustrations out on Harvey's Casino Hotel at Stateline. In a big way.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuGh8GBMOU0

and with some history of the "event" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YTmDEQWY2A&feature=related

Shooty · Joined: 22 Jan 2006 Posts: 182

Being a former Northern Californian I remember it well. Madness.

CaSwede · Joined: 28 Feb 2006 Posts: 866

Thats right Shooty. These youngsters around here were too young to remember. It was a big news event in these parts. I remember the Sacramento TV stations running live coverage of the events......live coverage of events unfolding were a big deal back then.

http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20080828/NEWS/808289997

mjames1229 · Joined: 23 Dec 2009 Posts: 407

I saw this on Biography or American Justice (or something like that) a few years ago. Found it fascinating that someone who played the part of the whale (and lost) took it out on the casino.

After that, I Googled it myself and found that some paper (can't remember if it was from the Stateline area or from Reno) had a five-part series on it. I may have it bookmarked on my home computer, I will see if I can find it.

mjames1229 · Joined: 23 Dec 2009 Posts: 407

Never mind my looking for a bookmark. I just read that Tahoe Daily Tribune article, and at the bottom was a link to this.

Way better than I remember finding on my own.

BC Dave · Site Admin Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1595

Thanks for the links guys. A pretty interesting case. I remember hearing the news about the MGM Las Vegas fire,(also in 1980) but I missed this "story" until I came across it while surfing last night.

mjames1229 · Joined: 23 Dec 2009 Posts: 407

A-ha!

I read this from my home computer, so I can immediately offer this and this - http://fire.co.clark.nv.us/(S(imlombi1el4xe0jg2z5crpmo))/Files/pdfs/MGM_FIRE.pdf - from my bookmarks.

(Couldn't figure out how to get the second link to work on this forum. But copy and paste the whole thing. It works. Really.)

BC Dave · Site Admin Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1595

Thanks Mjames. That's a huge report. But I did read thru some witness statements. Glad I wasn't there!

Crapsjunkie · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 40

I can tell you the day after or maybe 2 days my Girlfriend at the time and I arrived at South Lake Tahoe. By the time we got there they had walled off part of the Casino with Plastic and had set up a viewing area. I remember seeing the ceiling down and a large number of the old Red Slot laying all over hell. If my memory serves, I think they were operating a small part of Casino. They were using the mess trying to draw in us dumb-ass gamblers. LOL

By the way, Tahoe in the 1980's was the place to be. Harrah's Tahoe South Shore Room was likely the most famous Showroom in World. Two Shows a night. Dinner and late evening Cocktails (Cheaper). For a long time you had to dress meaning Jacket and Tie to get in the joint. We saw some of the greatest entertainers in that room. For the time it was very elegant and exciting. (Now they have screwed it up) Just a few of the people we saw there
were Sammy Davis Jr., Wayne Newton, Jack Jones, and a couple of Broadway Shows. I know we even saw Diana Ross in her prime. Wow it was quite a amazing place. You never could win a dime on the Slots at Tahoe. LOL like that is any different.

BC Dave · Site Admin Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1595

I have a little experience with Tahoe in the 80's. There used to be quite a few tour buses on the Reno to North or South Lake Tahoe runs. You could usually purchase a day trip for about $15. When you arrived at the Tahoe casino that was subsidizing the trip you were treated to a lunch buffet and given $15 to $20 in coins to hit the casino with. The catch was you had about 3 or 4 hours before the bus would take you back to Reno. They knew what they were doing!

But, though I was in the area just five or six years after the bombing, I never heard anyone mention it.

The bus tours were often educational. One bus driver even took us to the perimeter of a brothel. Not much to see ... just five or six mobile homes circling a dirt driveway. He mentioned that Nevada had one of the lowest sex crime rates in the U.S.A. and that it was widely accepted that the legalized prostitution was the key to this.

Crapsjunkie · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 40

Are you kidding me. I knew there was one down from Stateline in California. Tahoe?

You went on a "Tour" did you? Well I went on a few "Tours" outside of Carson City. At the Time the Tour Locations were called the Moonlight Ranch and the Kit Kat Ranch. Amazing places for young College guys from Oregon! I can remember how stunned we were when the Guys at the Gas Station in Carson City told us how to get there and that we didn't need reservations. LOL

BC Dave · Site Admin Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1595

It was a long time ago (as mentioned) but I think the brothel was somewhere in the outskirts of Carson City. I didn't mean to give the impression it was in the Tahoe area.

Crapsjunkie · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 40

At one time it was important. Most of the Tours I remember were just at the top of the hill going east out of Carson City. There were about 4 out behind junk yards and such. Most of that area up the back way to Virgina City had a some kind of ranch. One was the very famous Sky Ranch. Now how would I know those silly things!