Harrah's Reno, Reno
Harrah's Reno, located in downtown Reno, is a historic casino hotel that has recently closed its doors. The property is currently owned by CAI Investments, which has plans to transform the building into a mixed-use development called Reno City Center.
Harrah's Reno holds significance as the first property of the renowned Harrah's casino chain, established by William F. Harrah. Harrah opened his initial bingo parlor on October 29, 1937, but it was closed just a month later. Undeterred, he raised funds during the winter and reopened his casino under the name Heart Tango. Harrah gradually acquired neighboring casinos in close proximity to his Virginia Street establishment, steadily expanding his operation.
In 1968, Harrah acquired The Reno Golden Hotel and enlisted the expertise of prominent casino architect Martin Stern Jr. to design and construct a luxurious 24-story hotel tower on the site of the former Grand Hotel. This tower, which opened on October 10, 1969, added a new level of sophistication to the property.
In 1981, Holiday Inn, the new owners of Harrah's, added a 100-room tower to the existing 24-story structure. The expansion continued sideways in 1956 when Harrah's acquired Pick Hobson's Frontier Club next door. Gaming space extended to the buildings across Lincoln Alley, where the 1969 hotel tower was constructed, and the 1978 expansion across Center Street, connected via a two-story high airway.
Harrah's Reno boasted a showroom that hosted renowned headliners, comparable to those in Las Vegas. The showroom featured performances by esteemed artists such as Joan Rivers, the Smothers Brothers, Merle Haggard, Frank Sinatra, Wayne Newton, Captain and Tennille, and Mitzi Gaynor. Following the passing of Sammy Davis Jr. in 1991, the Headliner Room, where he frequently performed and was the opening night act, was renamed Sammy's Showroom in his honor.
While Harrah's Reno has closed its casino operations, the property holds a significant place in the history of downtown Reno. With plans to transform the building into Reno City Center, the site will undergo renovation and be repurposed for mixed-use, contributing to the ongoing revitalization of the area. The legacy of Harrah's Reno will be preserved, and the property will continue to play a role in the vibrant evolution of downtown Reno.
Harrah's Reno holds significance as the first property of the renowned Harrah's casino chain, established by William F. Harrah. Harrah opened his initial bingo parlor on October 29, 1937, but it was closed just a month later. Undeterred, he raised funds during the winter and reopened his casino under the name Heart Tango. Harrah gradually acquired neighboring casinos in close proximity to his Virginia Street establishment, steadily expanding his operation.
In 1968, Harrah acquired The Reno Golden Hotel and enlisted the expertise of prominent casino architect Martin Stern Jr. to design and construct a luxurious 24-story hotel tower on the site of the former Grand Hotel. This tower, which opened on October 10, 1969, added a new level of sophistication to the property.
In 1981, Holiday Inn, the new owners of Harrah's, added a 100-room tower to the existing 24-story structure. The expansion continued sideways in 1956 when Harrah's acquired Pick Hobson's Frontier Club next door. Gaming space extended to the buildings across Lincoln Alley, where the 1969 hotel tower was constructed, and the 1978 expansion across Center Street, connected via a two-story high airway.
Harrah's Reno boasted a showroom that hosted renowned headliners, comparable to those in Las Vegas. The showroom featured performances by esteemed artists such as Joan Rivers, the Smothers Brothers, Merle Haggard, Frank Sinatra, Wayne Newton, Captain and Tennille, and Mitzi Gaynor. Following the passing of Sammy Davis Jr. in 1991, the Headliner Room, where he frequently performed and was the opening night act, was renamed Sammy's Showroom in his honor.
While Harrah's Reno has closed its casino operations, the property holds a significant place in the history of downtown Reno. With plans to transform the building into Reno City Center, the site will undergo renovation and be repurposed for mixed-use, contributing to the ongoing revitalization of the area. The legacy of Harrah's Reno will be preserved, and the property will continue to play a role in the vibrant evolution of downtown Reno.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Reno. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The GPSmyCity App
Harrah's Reno on Map
Sight Name: Harrah's Reno
Sight Location: Reno, USA (See walking tours in Reno)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Reno, USA (See walking tours in Reno)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Reno, Nevada
Create Your Own Walk in Reno
Creating your own self-guided walk in Reno is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Reno Introduction Walking Tour
Curbed by the Californian border in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Nevada, the town of Reno is "where the heart of the Wild West still beats." This quote, loosely attributed to the legendary musician Johnny Cash, captures the essence of Reno as a place that embodies the adventurous and independent spirit of American pioneers.
Reno, nicknamed "The Biggest Little City... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Reno, nicknamed "The Biggest Little City... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Reno's Top Casinos Walking Tour
"The world is a casino, and everyone's a gambler." These words by "Nick the Greek", one of the legends in gambling history of the United States, seem ever so true in Reno. Once the gambling capital of the US – up until the mid-20th century, when it handed the status over to Las Vegas, – this town still draws thousands of visitors each year, from all over the world,... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Historical Houses Tour
Throughout its nearly 150-year-long history, Reno has reinvented itself several times. In the 19th century, cattle barons, mine speculators, and bank presidents favored this once arid little town as a place of residence. Building their mansions with extensive gardens on the high bluff above the Truckee River, they eventually transformed it into what author Walter Van Tilburg Clark later described... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles