J Resort (formerly Sands Regency Casino Hotel), Reno

J Resort, formerly known as the Sands Regency Casino Hotel, is currently owned and operated by Jacobs Entertainment, Inc. The history of the property dates back to February 1965 when it first opened as the Sands Motor Inn, an 80-room motel developed by Pete Cladianos and his family. Over time, the property underwent expansions and renovations to become the J Resort that it is today.

In 1970, an addition was completed, introducing a five-story hotel building with 24 rooms and a casino featuring 40 slot machines. Despite not being located in the most desirable area of Reno at the time, the Sands Regency steadily grew in popularity. In 1979, the 15-story Regency Tower was constructed, offering an additional 300 hotel rooms and expanding the casino space. To settle a trademark complaint from the Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, the property changed its name to the Sands Regent in 1985. However, this led to another complaint from the Regent Hotels chain, prompting another name change to the Sands Regency. By 1988, the Sands Regency underwent its final expansion, adding a third tower to the property.

The resort's reputation continued to grow with the addition of various amenities. In 1995, Tony Roma's, a popular restaurant chain, opened a new location at the Sands Regency. A comedy club was introduced in 2000, along with an original Mel's Diner, further enhancing the resort's offerings.

One distinctive feature of the Sands Regency is its vibrant exterior color schemes. For many years, the building was adorned in red with white accents. However, in 2003, the Sands Regent surprised locals and tourists by painting the exterior bright yellow with blue accents, eliciting mixed reactions. After the Herbst buyout, the resort underwent another transformation, with the exterior painted in a softer gold with red accents, creating a skyline depiction on the hotel towers' facade and garnering attention for its creativity.

The ownership of the Sands Regency changed hands several times over the years. In 2013, Affinity sold the property, along with the Gold Ranch and another casino in Dayton, Nevada, to Truckee Gaming for $19.2 million. Then, in July 2017, Jacobs Entertainment, Inc. acquired the property from Truckee Gaming for $30 million, leading to its rebranding as J Resort.