Trailer Station Grand Opening!!!

Props to the folks over at PokerListings.com for posting and bringing this story to my attention. This is the kind of quirky Vegas story that I enjoy. PokerListings picked up on the story of a casino opening that was covered by various reporters, but was covered here by the New York Times! Sad to say it was a lackluster grand opening...and subsequent closing of a Station Casinos property aptly dubbed "Trailer Station." If you're too busy to visit either the PokerListings.com article or the NYTimes article, allow me to recap.

Station Casinos had a grand opening of sorts of their latest casino dubbed by locals as "Trailer Station," on January 9th, 2008. On the property of the former Showboat and the Castaways casinos, a tiny trailer was hauled in holding a mere 16 slot machines, for a single 8-hour shift!

Yes, there was a reason for this seeming madness. Zoning Regulations! In 2005 Station Casinos acquired the aforementioned properties and had the aging casinos demolished. Currently Station Casinos has not come up with any particular plans for the 26-acre property, a few miles east of the Strip, in a rundown section of town. However, the future value of this property is in it's existing Zoning Designation which permits casino gaming on the property, as an "existing occupancy." The caveat to this is the "existing" definition. As per Las Vegas City Codes and Nevada State Law public gambling must occur on the property at a minimum of one shift every two years, in order for the property to maintain its "valuable zoning designation needed to conduct wagering." It didn't have to be advertised or promoted, or even garner any business, but the "option" had to exist. According to reports the biggest payout on the machines was a "whopping" $2.50!

To pull off this grand opening, a trailer was brought in for one day, a porta-pot, and an ADA compliant wheelchair ramp. A casino floor manager stood ready to make payouts, and a security guard made his appointed rounds. No less than 7 permits, approval from City Council and Gaming Control, and a certificate of occupancy were all necessary as well.

According to the NYTimes article Lori Nelson (Station Casinos properties spokesperson) said that the facility may very well return in two years if no groundbreaking takes place on the construction of a new facility.

Now this is a place that I would have visited, just for the novelty of it all! Too bad it occurred a week and a half prior to our planned trip to Las Vegas. Otherwise, you would have seen my backside firmly planted in a seat in front of one of the video poker machines, likely making it a profitable day for Trailer Station!!! Hmmm, no mention of drink service, I wonder if they'd have minded me bringing along a six pack and a flask of Jack Daniels?

Regards,

cheer_dad