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Another blast from the past from BC Dave

 
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BC Dave
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Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 1592

PostPosted: Mar Thu 18, 2010 3:20 pm    Post subject: Another blast from the past from BC Dave Reply with quote

November 1988

I'd better start out admitting that I don't remember anything in particular (that stands out too clearly) from this trip. It would have been my 7th or 8th trip to Reno. I would have spent I large portion of my time at the Cal Neva. Anyway I found just a few pics that might be of interest to some of you.

Eddies Fabulous Fifties visible on the left. Kind of a cool place. Sure didn't last long.



A lot more lights than we see today. I'm depressing myself!



The Riverboat - I had some good times there. They even let Canadians play blackjack with an at par money exchange when our dollar wasn't doin' so good.



More Riverboat. Down at the end of the Street is Arden's where I bought an oil filled heater in 1985 after winning $60 at the Comstock. We still have it.



Looking north from the Cal Neva



Around the back of Eddies. I believe this place was once the "Money Tree" operated by the Mapes.



That's all for now.
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john
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Joined: 17 Dec 2005
Posts: 1181

PostPosted: Mar Fri 19, 2010 5:39 am    Post subject: Bummer Reply with quote

Thanks Dave. It's kinda like looking at pictures of dead friends. I wish I had seen Reno in those days, but as you know, 1988 is very close to the year of my birth.
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BC Dave
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Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 1592

PostPosted: Mar Fri 19, 2010 11:10 am    Post subject: Age thing Reply with quote

I was 2 1/2 and took these shots from my stroller as my Mom pushed me around Reno.
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Shooty



Joined: 22 Jan 2006
Posts: 182

PostPosted: Mar Fri 19, 2010 3:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I really enjoy BCDave's nostalgia posts. I was in Reno a lot in 1988, I think I discovered the cheap casino buses from Sacramento that year.

I miss that Reno, and I miss the me that went there.

Good stuff!
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stan_allen



Joined: 19 Dec 2005
Posts: 1129

PostPosted: Mar Mon 22, 2010 11:11 am    Post subject: The land that time forgot Reply with quote

Great stuff, as always - where the heck was that riverboat thingy located??
That's a tad before my time, though even I can remember that solid stream of neon stretching down Virginia....choices, and more choices...man, did that rule!
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remano



Joined: 20 Dec 2005
Posts: 717

PostPosted: Mar Mon 22, 2010 12:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"where the heck was that riverboat thingy located??"

SE corner of Sierra and N. 2nd St. It's still there, being operated as a weekly hotel. There were plans to put a Long's Drug Store in part of the first floor a couple years ago. They got as far as remodeling the interior, moving in the shelving and putting up signs, then hit a snag because they couldn't get a license for slot machines. What I was told is that the Riverboat license still exists and there can't be two licenses for the same building. I don't know if that's the real reason or not but the space has been ready to go but vacant for a long time.
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BC Dave
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Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 1592

PostPosted: Mar Wed 24, 2010 9:07 pm    Post subject: Riverboat thingy Reply with quote

I'm guessing the Riverboat was open from the late eighties to mid nineties. It was just down 2nd from the Comstock. It was a good place while it lasted. I had 5 heinekens there once while I played a couple of rolls of nickels. Funny these little victories we remember.

I think they tried to make it into apartments for a while but got the wrong crowd (drug addicts and pushers etc.) in there and had to change their plans. (Kinda a "Shooters Hotel" so to speak.)
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jerry



Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 759

PostPosted: Mar Thu 25, 2010 8:54 am    Post subject: Not trying to hide Reply with quote

I stayed there once, one nighter, opened my drapes and found myself behind a big sign. Kinda gloomy view. But, then I have (once) been behind all the compressors, etc. at the Siena plus a rooftop view of the Eldo's numerous AC units. Those are not the best nights cause I always try to enjoy my views.

Last night at Atlantis, it sounded like they were running a vacuum cleaner all night long outside my door. It was the wind whistling through the crack in my door. Guess I shouldn't have left the door cracked like that but John said he might drop by with some friends. Wink

Don't laugh about John having friends. He counts BCDave and I as friends. And it is possible that he could have another one or two non-discerning "friends" out there somewhere.
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JD



Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 956

PostPosted: Mar Sat 27, 2010 7:21 am    Post subject: Sawdust joints Reply with quote

Back in the early and mid nineties I much prefered the older, sawdust joints like the Comstock, Pioneer, Silver Club, Virginian and Nevada Club (with all those old mechanical slots).

There was somekind of cross ownership with the Douglass family owning most of the Comstock and part of the Riverboat. It didn't take a lot to get on their hi roller list and at least they APPRECIATED your business.

The craps crew at the Comstock were a great bunch of guys that taught me the game and became pals. The Comstock comped me a weekend room for the Tyson/Hollyfield ear biting fight in '97, but we had to walk over to the nearly dead Riverboat to see the fight in the ballroom.

Was I ever SHOCKED!! The average age of the Riverboat players HAD to be in their eighties! I was easily the youngest comped player in the room and my much younger date really felt out of place. It was much better when we crossed the street to the Flamingo Hilton to see Rob Hannah (Rod Stewart impersonator), and had more than a few drinks.

After the management ran the Riverboat into the ground, the Douglass family thought it a good idea to have those same bosses run the Comstock.

It too was dead and buried within a year.
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jerry



Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 759

PostPosted: Mar Sat 27, 2010 2:00 pm    Post subject: to each his own Reply with quote

How things change, my tastes and interests especially. I remember my mother telling me how our tastes change every 7 years.

Anyway, on the subject, I never cared for either the comstock or the Riverboat. But, while then staying at Circus a lot (I won't even darken their door now - changing tastes), I used to walk to the Comstock for most of my meals. I remember some kind of steak and lobster tail meal for about 4.95 which I loved. Great breakfast deals and a fantastic burger deal are also in my memory. All at very competitive prices.
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mjames1229



Joined: 23 Dec 2009
Posts: 406

PostPosted: Apr Fri 02, 2010 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Loved the pics.

My first trip to Reno was in 1995 (for the ABC National bowling tournament), and most of the places in the 1988 photo were still there.

I do know that the Riverboat and the Comstock were still around in 1998, as my now-ex-wife came to Reno with me for the tournament for the only time in '98, and we got some long-gone souvineer crap from the Riverboat, and some pictures of the neon fireworks on the Comstock.

I also remember that during the '98 trip, I walked past both the closed Harold's Club and closed Nevada Club. Harold's Club had a light on, and you could kinda see through the crack in a door. Looked very sad, as the aisles were still clearly marked for table games, and slot islands were only missing slots and chairs.

Seems like every third year that I come back, some old "friends" are gone. Stayed at the Flamingo Hilton in '98, which was the Golden Phoenix by '04, then gone by '07. This year (I will be in Reno from May 18-22) I will be paying homage to Fitzgeralds and Old Reno.

My current wife had planned to come with me this year but cancelled. When she was still considering joining me, we were planning on staying at the Siena Spa... despite hearing that their casino was now a large party pit. I have this feeling that when the tournament returns there next year (and she joins me) the Siena might not be there anymore.

Thanks for the pics. I will go through my pics that I can find from '95 and '98 and see if there is anything worth posting.
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Dave



Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 212

PostPosted: Apr Sat 03, 2010 8:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks so much for sharing Dave. Good Lord that was depressing though........... makes me sad in a good kind of way! Damn Indian Casinos!
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jerry



Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 759

PostPosted: Apr Sat 03, 2010 11:01 am    Post subject: mosh pit - not Reply with quote

james, the Siena as a large party pit -- not..
The new night club/whatever it is supposed to be is TINY. It only occupies the space of the former game arcade. I was shocked at how small. I expected them to utilize more of that upstairs area. Twould be ideal for that purpose.
It is still way too smoky. It and Atlantis take the prize for smokiest casinos. Both are difficult places to breathe. Although if you can get away physically from active smokers, you can tolerate parts of the Atlantis. Not so at the Siena.
Ah, my early memories of the Siena are of a very classy joint. It was a big upgrade for downtown at the time. Then they continued to downgrade to where it now is basically local street people/panhandlers/druggies, etc. Now the new GM says he wants more locals. Guess what: he better attract a better class of locals.

Dave, still enjoying the rim-a-niss-sense-suss you started with the photos. I just changed 10 of the 8x10 photos in my hallway this week. A bit more up to date. But no Reno photos. Couple from Bellagios' conservatory.. I even posted the photo of us eating in the bathtub at Hillbilly Hotdogs. Did not eat in the Indoor Outhouse though.
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