Rail City Casino (formerly Plantation Casino) is a casino in Sparks, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Affinity Gaming. It contains 23,854 square feet (2,216.1 m2) of gaming space,[1] with 896 slot machines, 7 table games, a keno parlor, and a William Hill race and sports book.[2] Dining amenities include the Rail City Ale House and The Buffet & Cafe at Rail City.

Rail City Casino
Location Sparks, Nevada, U.S.
Address 2121 Victorian Avenue
Opening date1978; 46 years ago (1978)
ThemeOld West
Total gaming space23,854 sq ft (2,216.1 m2)
OwnerAffinity Gaming
Previous namesPlantation Casino (1978–1997)
Renovated in1997, 2006
Coordinates39°32′06″N 119°46′20″W / 39.53496°N 119.77222°W / 39.53496; -119.77222
Websiterailcity.com

History

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The Plantation Casino first sought to open in 1976 as a partnership between John P. Richards; his son, John Leo Richards; and William and Joan Schnack.[3] The state Gaming Control Board initially recommended that the license be denied because of the elder Richards's alleged associations with underworld figures.[3] The casino began operations in 1978.[4]

William Schnack, the casino's president, received a gaming license suspension in 1989 for using counterfeit coins in a casino slot machine.[5] Months later, the Richards-Schnack Development Co. agreed to sell the casino to United Gaming (later Alliance Gaming) for $9.5 million.[4]

The property underwent a grand re-opening in August 1997, taking on its new name as Rail City Casino.[6]

In May 2004, Sands Regent bought the casino from Alliance Gaming for $37.9 million.[7][8] Plans for an $8.5-million expansion were announced in 2005,[9] and were updated in March 2006 with an increased budget of $13.8 million.[10] The casino became part of Herbst Gaming (now Affinity Gaming) in January 2007, when Herbst acquired Sands Regent.[11]

In 2023, Affinity agreed to sell Rail City Casino to Truckee Gaming, a Reno-based company with several small casinos.[12]

References

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  1. ^ "Listing of Financial Statements Square Footage". Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  2. ^ Detailed Report - Nonrestricted (Report). Nevada Gaming Commission. p. 450. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Sparks casino gets 'no' vote at gaming bd". Variety. August 25, 1976. ProQuest 1401294012.  – via ProQuest (subscription required)
  4. ^ a b "United Gaming to acquire Sparks, Nev., casino". Dow Jones News Service. August 28, 1989.  – via Factiva (subscription required)
  5. ^ "Nevada". USA Today. May 31, 1989.  – via Factiva (subscription required)
  6. ^ "The Sands Regent announces $38 million agreement to purchase Rail City Casino" (Press release). The Sands Regent. December 8, 2003. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  7. ^ "The Sands Regent closes acquisition of Rail City Casino and secures new financing" (Press release). The Sands Regent. May 3, 2004. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  8. ^ "Rail City Casino to be sold to Sands Regent". KOLO-TV. AP. December 9, 2003. Archived from the original on 2014-03-11. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  9. ^ "The Sands Regent announces purchase of land for Rail City expansion" (Press release). The Sands Regent. November 30, 2005. Archived from the original on 2014-03-11. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  10. ^ "The Sands Regent announces update on Rail City expansion plans" (Press release). The Sands Regent. March 21, 2006. Archived from the original on 2014-03-11. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  11. ^ "Herbst acquisition of The Sands Regent closes" (Press release). Herbst Gaming. January 4, 2007. Archived from the original on 2014-03-11. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  12. ^ Howard Stutz (March 15, 2023). "Indy Gaming: Reno-based Truckee Gaming acquires Rail City Casino in Sparks". The Nevada Independent. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
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