Hotel Golden: Total Destruction

In early 1954, brothers William and James Tomerlin negotiated what ended up being a swap with Frank Hofues for the New Golden. The deed was transferred to New Golden Hotel Company on February 10, 1954 and the sale was completed that April.

The brothers were not initially interested in the gaming operations but that changed in 1955 when a license was approved for the new operators of the Golden Bank Club. The Tomerlins were listed as officers in full control of the partnership with an additional 25 limited partners.

A press conference was held November 15, 1955, at which time the Tomerlins announced they had bought out the Bank Club, casino, and restaurant lease effective December 1. The main casino and theater restaurant closed at midnight November 16 so a massive remodeling project could begin. The hotel, slot machine bar, Bank Club and coffee shop remained open and several employees were shifted over to those areas. Architects for the project were Bill Wagner and Wayne McAllister and the project was expected to cost $200,000 to $250,000.

A six-day closure of the Golden Bank Club occurred at the beginning of December for cleaning and redecorating.

The Mardi Gras Show Lounge and Golden Casino opened May 25, 1956. Visitors were entertained by the Kirby Stone Four.

The Malt Shop opened that August with an entrance to the Lincoln Alley. This space was designed by Frank Green with red and white stripes and white wrought iron furniture. Management was very clear about welcoming children as long as they were accompanied by an adult.

Another remodeling project was announced in the Spring of 1957 which included a new cocktail lounge with a coin arcade connecting to the Mardi Gras. A new glass entrance to the Carnival Room was constructed along Lincoln Alley measuring about 44 feet along with a marquee and neon sign. The grand opening was held July 3, 1957.

The Mardi Gras Show Lounge was redone again in April of 1959, at which time the first sunken bar was installed in Reno. This bar curved around the base of the stage to make performers visible from every seat in the house. That August, Harrah’s was rumored to be interested in buying the Golden Bank Hotel and Casino but Bill Tomerlin, who lived in a penthouse and actually grew corn on the rooftop, insisted it would more likely be the other way around.

In early 1960, the Mardi Gras was refreshed with waterfalls bookending the newly enlarged stage. At that time, the keno bar was also updated with a venetian glass mosaic. The Bank Club closed for remodeling in December of 1960. It was redone in a clash of Victorian and Rococo styling with red and gold punctuated with brass and crystal chandeliers.

Bank Club Gay Nineties Saloon and Gambling Hall opened February 3, 1961. The Tomerlins added live entertainment to this venue, where it had previously been in the lounge only. Employees wore handmade Victorian costumes, which were all different.

The Girl in the Gilded Cage was unveiled at the February 24 formal grand opening, which revealed (like, literally revealed) a true commitment to the Naughty Nineties. Ragtime pianist “Nickelodeon Jimmie” Kellogg provided the entertainment.

Hotel, casino, and lounge remodeling projects were still in progress at that time. An elaborate revolving neon sign was installed in April of 1961. It was more than 50 feet tall and was said to weigh more than 8,000 pounds.

The enlarged Mardi Gras Show Lounge reopened May 11, 1961. In addition to the gilded cage, there were girls on a swing under the Roaring 20s marquee. The main attraction that season was Barry Ashton’s “Playmates in Paris” with dancers who performed nude from the waist up. It caused quite a stir. A colorful rain curtain was added across the front of the lounge stage for the production of Ashton’s “Les Girls” in November of 1961.

The Mardi Gras Show Room closed again for remodeling to increase seating capacity to around 350 on January 3, 1962. Cafe La Rue, modeled after a Paris sidewalk, opened at the beginning of March.

Ashton’s “Paris Playmates of ’62” opened March 22. Three tiers had been added to allow for better visibility in the Mardi Gras Show Room. The show included dancers inside a giant champagne bottle and glasses, “brimming over with pink flesh.” Food service was also added to the three nightly shows.

Twelve days later, Hotel Golden was destroyed by a deadly fire. Like the one in 1912, this blaze started in the basement. Building engineer William H Smith reported a welding tank pressure gauge exploded as he prepped furnace cleaning brushes needing new handles. Smith attempted to extinguish the flames and cut the gas and electricity before being overcome by fumes. He was treated at a local hospital. Photos: Reno Fire Antique and Classic Apparatus, Inc.

Six people lost their lives, including 20-year-old Carol Maye Snelgrove, who was a “Paris Playmates” cast member. Other victims were hotel barbershop bootblack Nathaniel Banks, guests Gertrude Holbrook, Marie Colnar, and Walter Klitz, and permanent resident Lucia Pedlar. More than 20 people, including five firefighters, were hospitalized for smoke inhalation.

Jon Wagner’s YouTube page has incredible footage of the blaze.

Those dreadful metal louvers covering the windows were blamed for hindering firefighters’ efforts. Survivor Margaret McCollum claimed there was no fire alarm on the fourth floor. She credited Golden security officer Paul Gallo with saving her life by carrying her through the smoke to safety. In an interview from his hospital bed, Gallo claimed Reno firefighter Lloyd Davidson saved them both. McCollum was apparently the last guest out of the building before it fully collapsed. Gallo, left unemployed after the fire, was later arrested and charged with armed robbery and vehicle theft.

The neighboring Dondero Building, home of Harrah’s Bingo, was demolished due to severe structural damage. Numerous lawsuits were filed against the hotel and its owners. Meanwhile, Reno building codes were changed to disallow louvers and other window coverings.

The Tomerlins hired architect Martin Stern of Beverly Hills to design a new entertainment, casino, and hotel complex. This project was planned to be constructed in multiple phases with the ground floor casino being the first priority.

Construction of Phase One began in November of 1962.

A grand opening was held in the Golden Casino’s Carnival Room on July 3, 1963 with entertainment by Buddy Greco and Helen Boice. Not even Phase One was fully completed at this time. Cafe La Rue began serving food a few weeks later and the basement barber shop opened on August 23. Plans called for a three-story parking garage above the casino and entertainment spaces and the steel framing was in place.

Meanwhile, retired Golden bartender Charles “Chick” LaMonte had a couple fountains installed at his home which were made using glass salvaged from the demolition debris.

The basement Gourmet Room opened September 26, 1963 and “Paris Playmates” returned to the Golden that October in the Carnival Room. Phase Two, the Mardi Gras Theatre Restaurant, didn’t open until June 30, 1964. Barry Ashton was back again with his new “Mardi Gras Follies” in an enlarged space with seating for 500. This floor had four tiers instead of three. The stage had a hydraulic lift, rain curtain, steam curtain, and a portable ice rink for good measure.

Rumors that the Golden had been sold were flying by December of 1964. The Tomerlin brothers issued denials and said that was all news to them. The Mardi Gras Room was completely redecorated that month in a Japanese theme for the December 23 opening of “Hello, Tokyo.”

Work on Phase Three, the parking garage above the casino, was supposed to begin in the Spring of 1965. The steel girders for the parking levels still extended upward from the main floor. Phase Four was to cover the convention center, pool deck, and health clubs. The 24-floor hotel tower was planned for Phase Five. None of those things happened under Tomerlin ownership.

By February of 1966, rumors were again floating about the Golden being for sale. A piece in the March 16, 1966 Nevada State Journal included quotes from both William Harrah and William Tomerlin denying any agreement had been reached.

However, Harrah and the Tomerlins announced that Harrah’s had signed a five-year lease on the Golden the evening of March 28, 1966. This deal was effective April 1 and the Golden closed for business the morning of March 29. At that time, William Tomerlin stressed that it was only a lease, with an option to renew, and the brothers did not intend to sell the property.

The Golden’s sign was removed on April 7, 1966. Harrah’s Reno Theatre Restaurant held a grand opening on June 20, 1966, which was the 20th anniversary of Harrah’s in downtown Reno. Eddie Fisher headlined the event.

The former Mardi Gras became known as the Headliner Show Room.

Bill Harrah announced plans for a 24-story hotel on January 10, 1968. Its design appeared to have been recycled from the plans created by Martin Stern back in 1962. In fact, Stern was rehired for the project. Construction would begin in early Spring.

Harrah’s 24-story tower became Reno’s tallest building. The first event to be held in the new Harrah’s Hotel was a members-only gathering of The Prospectors club on October 9, 1969 in their space on the fourth floor.

The hotel officially opened for business the following day. At that time, work hadn’t been completed on about 40 percent of the upper floors. Danny Thomas headlined the formal dedication on November 8, 1969. Harrah’s Reno opened its new convention center on May 19, 1970.

Bill Harrah died in June of 1978 and Holiday Inn bought Harrah’s in 1980. The business has been sold and spun off and reorganized several times since then. Those corporate maneuvers are widely accessible on the interwebs. In addition, Harrah’s expanded several times to take up the better part of two full blocks downtown.

The Headliner Room was renamed Sammy’s Showroom in honor of Sammy Davis, Jr. who died May 16, 1990. Jay Leno performed the night of the dedication, April 19, 1991, with repeat performances April 20-21.

In January of 2020, it was announced that Harrah’s Reno was being sold to Reno City Center, LLC. The facility was ordered closed by the governor that March due to COVID and the deed was officially recorded in September of 2020. Reno City Center filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on February 16, 2024 with the case being dismissed on February 26, 2025. There have been hard feelings and probably some strongly worded letters.

I won’t attempt to describe the cast of characters doing the partner hokey pokey in this saga. It’s extremely convoluted. As of this writing, the project has been rebranded as Revival Reno. There have been many, many plans…with jazz hands. The project had a developer, until it didn’t. Tommy Ahlquist of Ahlquist, LLC exited stage left this December. As of right now, the property sits in limbo.

This is how the site of the former Hotel Golden looks today:

I randomly selected Hotel Golden from a batch of vintage postcards with the idea that I learn a new city best by digging into its history. This choice was made with zero knowledge about the fire or its evolution into the Harrah’s property. Now that I know, I’m very interested in what happens next.

You can catch up on the first two parts of the Hotel Golden series by clicking the links below:

Hotel Golden: A Three-Story Beginning

Hotel Golden: The Prodigal Son Returns

Many thanks to Reno Fire Antique and Classic Apparatus, Inc. and the University of Nevada, Reno Special Collections and University Archives Department for graciously allowing me to use historical images in this series.

If you like what you see, be sure to subscribe (way at the bottom of the post on mobile devices) to receive an email each time a new post is published and share on social media. You can also support my work by donating below. This content is 100% funded by history fanatics such as yourself. Thanks for reading!