Reno Fitzgeralds Closes Its Doors

[Joeylc]

Fitzgeralds Closes Its Doors After More Than 30 Years


More than four hundred people are without jobs after the closing of Fitzgeralds Hotel and Casino in downtown Reno.

Some employees had worked at Fitzgeralds for more than 30 years. Now, they're going to have to find new jobs during a struggling economy.

At around 4pm Fitzgeralds officially closed its doors. Employees grabbed one last pay check and said goodbye.

"I'm sorry it's going," said Kimberly Blasutta, a game's dealer. "And I'm sorry that all of the employees are out of work. We had great employees. Ones you don't find everywhere and I think it's sad to see this business close."

Two months ago, management told employees that the hotel would be shut down for redevelopment. But several regular customers had no idea the hotel was closing until they tried to open the locked front door.

"It's kind of unbelievable," said Richard Young, a Fitzgeralds regular. "I've lived in Lake Tahoe for 35 years and I've come to this place for all that time and it's hard to believe it's shutting down."

"I'm going to miss it," said John Arnott, another Fitzgeralds regular. "It's a good place to play."

Fitzgeralds president Robert Cashell Jr says the decision to close was a difficult one, but with a new ballpark and other nearby businesses popping up he believes redevelopment and a decreasing emphasis on gaming is necessary for the city's future.

"We certainly didn't make this decision lightly," said Cashell. "But given the status of the economy and where downtown redevelopment is headed, we think this property can play a strategic role in the future of Reno and now seems like the right time to undertake that direction."

But which direction the more than 400 employees will go is anyone's guess.

"(Our) situation is pretty bad right now," said Blasutta. "Right before Christmas and we're out of a job and right now the economy is so bad that it's hard to find a job. We're just going to be out of work and hoping to find something else."

Fitzgeralds Hotel & Casino opened in 1976.

A Boutique hotel will likely open in its place in about three years.

[Joeylc]

Fitzgeralds Casino and Hotel in Reno Closes it's Doors video

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/_csCrEFvYns&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/_csCrEFvYns&rel=0</a>

[jay]

Looks like they had some fairly up to date machines. The property - rugs, chairs, etc didn't look too run down either.
Last time I was in Reno I was 12 (more than 30 years ago) Apparently before Fitz was open. What was their general location ?
If this was center strip it might be the beginning of the end for he entire casino row....

I wonder what they are going to do with all that stuff. I wouldn't mind some more signage.

[a69mopar]

Too bad for the employees, I hope they find suitable work.   Couldn't help feeling sad as I watched the video.

I did notice the machines and was thinking " Hmmm, maybe I could.........."  you know the rest.      (wife on left, me under frying pan)

Thanks,
Wayne

[Brianzz]

when you're watching the video about midways through there's some fat chick walking up an aisle and she passes a machine then backs up and looks around and hits the cashout button, think she found some credits? Sounded like dollars 

[StatFreak]

This is sad to watch. I used to love playing there back in the mid 80's and it was always crowded. It's hard to look at how empty the place is in the video. I can't even say how many times I'd been up and down that escalator in the back to go up to the buffet. The arcade for the kids was up there too. They used to put pictures of large keno and slot winners on the wall to look at as you went down the escalator. There was a special high-percentage dollar slot area just to the right of the main entrance and I won a top jackpot of $500 there on a very busy evening. It was so packed that I had to wait over 20 minutes to get paid the extra 300 dollars (the machine paid $200).

 

[PWRSTROKE]

Yes,  It was a sad story Mostly for the employees.  Casinos are in business for one reason-which we all know.  I seen that lady also in viedo and it looked a bit strange as well.  It sounded like an old s+ dropping dollar tokens out.  This for some reason reminded me of "Titanic" am I of the chain here?   Thanks B.  Perhaps some good will come from this as there may be some NEW/OLD inventory floating about in the months to come? (NEW in the sense it would be NEW to us!)  Later.