Reno and South Lake Tahoe Reinventing Themselves

RENO and SOUTH LAKE TAHOE -- As reported by the San Jose Mercury News: "Reno is touting its appeal as an outdoor destination, where visitors can hike, bike, ski, kayak and golf (and gamble when
Reno Arch  the urge hits).

"Another kind of reinvention is taking place on the Nevada side of South Lake Tahoe, where casinos and hotels have taken a cue from Las Vegas and become hipper and more youth-oriented. Clubs such as Vex at Harrah's and Blu and Opal at MontBleu Resort Casino draw big crowds on weekend nights.. . . ."

"…Still, no matter how much they change, Reno and the South Shore aren't about to shake their gaming roots. New hotels and casinos are coming, and existing properties are updating and expanding to compete with Indian casinos. Among the changes:

"• In Reno, the venerable Peppermill is investing $300 million in an expansion that will include a 17-story Tuscan-themed all-suite tower, plus a new spa, bigger casino and multi-level parking lot.

"• The Atlantis recently announced a $50 million renovation, to begin in 2007, with a new casino floor, expanded poker room, larger spa and a skywalk that will connect the hotel to the convention center.

"• The Grand Sierra Resort, formerly the Reno Hilton, is undergoing an ambitious makeover that, when complete, will include the largest indoor water park in the country, restaurants (including Dolce, co-owned by Ashton Kutcher, which opened last month), boutique shops, a four-level golf driving range, bowling alley, movie theater and hotel-condominium suites -- at a cost of $1.8 billion. ``It's going to be a city within a city,'' said Scott Bayless, a hotel executive.

"• Station Casinos, which owns the newly opened Red Rock Casino Resort and Green Valley Ranch in Las Vegas, intends to develop two hotel-casino projects in the Reno area, including a 900-room property five miles south of downtown. Neither, however, has a construction timetable set.

"'Reno has started to bounce back,' said Bill Hughes, director of marketing operations for the Peppermill. 'We're concerned about the growth of Indian casinos, but we've always had a strong customer base. Our appeal is broader.''

"Here's why: Festivals such as Hot August Nights, the monthlong Artown event in July, the Reno River Festival in May and the Great Reno Balloon Race in September attract sizable non-gaming crowds. Culturally, the city has galleries, an annual Shakespeare Festival and the Nevada Museum of Art, opened in 2003 and designed by Will Bruder, whose inspiration came from the Black Rock Desert in northwestern Nevada.