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Crapsjunkie
Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 40
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Posted: May Thu 24, 2012 4:58 pm Post subject: Old Reno! |
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OMG I can go back even more! Trying to remember the West Side of Virgina street. Fitz, Primadonna, Nugget (No Craps Table) Horseshoe, Money Tree. Later Money Tree became Eddies Fab 50's, fun place, didn't last long. Then down the street was the "New Onslow" where more than once I lost my ass. Another Casino was down accross the River, but I can't remember the name.
Now the East Side had the Old Harold's perhaps the most fun greatest Casino on the Planet. My Goodness the Presidential Car on the Top Floor was a great Restaurant, elegant with all the Black Ties and all. Amazing they screwed up that place. Of course they built the new part of Harolds. Played hours of Craps and BJ in that place. Drank more than my share of their Back Bar Gin. LOL. Then Harrah's! Now this was the Class Joint with pricey rooms and good gambling. On the Craps Table by the Air Doors up front I played a couple of hours along side Jay Leno and a blonde (wife?). Later in his Cabaret Show he picked up my Tab. Nice Guy. Down the Street there was the Cal Neva and the New Virginian. Man oh man the dealers were crazy in that joint. For the right Tip they would show you their hole car.
I have to say Harrah's was the Class Act of Reno. I can't even tell you the number of great entertainers who we saw in that great room. Sammy Davis, Waylon Jennings, Mickey Gilley, Phillis Diller, on and on it goes. And then they had a Cabaret with still more amazing talent. Showroom had and early Dinner Show and second late Cocktail Show. We usually went to the Booze Show because it was cheaper. LOL Anyway that's enough. Reno was truly a heading spinning crazy place from the late 60's to the Mid 80's.
By the way the Greatest Saloon Entertainer in Reno, Danny Marona! |
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JD
Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 956
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Posted: May Thu 24, 2012 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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I was on the casino floor in the Mapes during a real Zepher winstorm in late December 1979.
The machines all flashed on/off/on,,,,then started puking coins.
Shoeshine guy, valets, busboys....all ran out on to the floor and tried to kick people off of their machines if they were dropping coins.
Then there was Pick Hobson's Riverside, The Pioneer and my favorite...the Comstock. And the Colonial Inn with the cheap Prime Rib special. And the Sundowner & GK's steakhouse. Best onion soup EVER. Burger baskets upstairs at the Nevada Club were like $ 2 and the waitresses all looked like Flo in ALICE. |
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Zydeco
Joined: 03 Sep 2008 Posts: 302
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Posted: May Fri 25, 2012 7:22 am Post subject: |
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Whoa, do I suddenly feel old. I remember Mr. Marona and his face on countless to-do publications and Eddie's 50's.
Our group of 6 has also changed over the years. Our first trip was all about the $2.99 prime rib, $0.25 roulette, learning craps, Tequila Sunrises, watching the sun come up as we left a casino, the great Greg Thompson tit & feather productions, and boozing as much as possible for the cheap. I lost count of the number of drinks I had. Ugh.
Now we enjoy the Tuscany Towers, Harrahs and/or Atlantis Steakhouses, martinis at Roxy's, a ride around the lake, the museum, a show, wine walks, and I'm in bed by 1am.
WHAT HAS BECOME OF US?!
By the way, we still give some love to Cal-Neva for that $0.25 roulette and would love to see another showgirl production! |
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TeddysDad
Joined: 24 Oct 2010 Posts: 8
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Posted: May Sun 27, 2012 7:17 pm Post subject: Re: Old Reno! |
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Crapsjunkie wrote: | OMG I can go back even more! Trying to remember the West Side of Virgina street. Fitz, Primadonna, Nugget (No Craps Table) Horseshoe, Money Tree. Later Money Tree became Eddies Fab 50's, fun place, didn't last long. Then down the street was the "New Onslow" where more than once I lost my ass. Another Casino was down accross the River, but I can't remember the name.
Now the East Side had the Old Harold's perhaps the most fun greatest Casino on the Planet." |
Loved those old times. Agree that Harolds may have been the funnest casino. Also fondly remember the Comstock and Showboat. At Eddies 50's, there was a house band called "Five guys on stage named Moe", I'm pretty sure that was it, and they did the most killer rendition of Johnny Rivers "Secret Agent Man" I've ever heard.... |
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BC Dave Site Admin
Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1598
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Posted: May Sun 27, 2012 10:16 pm Post subject: Old Times |
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I think I spend too much time thinking about the old days. But what the Hell - they were great! My first trip was in '85. My biggest Reno related regret is that I never set foot in the Mapes. I used to walk by it and think what a cool place the Sky-Room must have been. There was always talk about reopening it or saving the building as a National Treasure. http://www.rarepostcard.com/images/2012_02_21_10_12_160015.jpg
A group of dedicated preservationists even collected funds and tried running it through some Mega-Bucks machines in order to raise enough to buy the old Mapes!
Thanks to some people who've digitized their old 8mm film, there are some fleeting videos on the net of "Old Reno" This one has some of the old neon glory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hpj9DKhDmg&feature=related The Reno section starts at the 45 second mark and runs thru 1:22.
Here's a short video of an evening drive past the Golden Phoenix and the Comstock. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO0fDfQNw2k This one has me a bit puzzled. The Comstock closed in 2000 and the Golden Phoenix opened in 2003. How come the Comstock looks open in this video? |
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Crapsjunkie
Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 40
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Posted: May Tue 29, 2012 6:14 pm Post subject: Thanks for the Video! |
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I just shake my head seeing those old places. Comstock! Played a lot Craps in that Place. If I remember the Steak Dinner started out at about $1.99 and it was good. We always stopped in for that Dinner. Played for hours on that Craps Table with a group of young ladies from Seattle who never left the Table that I know of for 2 days. Dang, they were offering amazing things for Good Rollers. LOL! Funny how Booze makes that game easier to understand! |
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JD
Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 956
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Posted: May Tue 29, 2012 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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The Comstock had the best craps crew EVER. Mike Davis, John Sullivan, Luis, Bill...., the gal from Fitzgerald's that used to live in Elko, it's been years....best EVER. Cindy Springer was Manager and knew everyone...employees, customers, locals....tourists...everyone.
THEN they brought over those duds from the Riverboat....they were dead within a year.
Note to casino owners: If you own a casino that dies....do NOT spread the contagion to others. |
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BC Dave Site Admin
Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1598
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Posted: May Tue 29, 2012 9:42 pm Post subject: Another visual |
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From my first trip in 1985....
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Crapsjunkie
Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 40
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Posted: May Wed 30, 2012 6:12 am Post subject: Drink'in |
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I suppose most don't remember wandering around Reno with those Cups of Nickels or Bags of Nickels from the Fitz. Reno was pretty dang wide open and people could move around the Downtown Area carrying Drinks and Beers. It was just plain old time fun! I never understood why they didn't turn the Downtown in to a Mall and made Reno into a Branson, Mo. type entertainment center. I guess the old Casino Hustlers like Bill Harrah were all gone and everybody went PC with no visions. |
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