Mapes Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mapes Hotel |
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| Location | Reno, Nevada, U.S. |
| Address | 10 North Virginia Street |
| Opening date | December 17, 1947 |
| Closing date | December 17, 1982 |
| Owner | Charles Mapes Jr. |
| Coordinates | 39°31′32″N 119°48′45″W / 39.52566°N 119.812576°W |
The Mapes Hotel was a famous hotel and casino in Reno, Nevada. It stood right next to the Truckee River on Virginia Street. It opened on December 17, 1947. It was the first tall building, or skyscraper, built in the western United States after World War II. The hotel had a cool and unique Art Deco design. It was special because it combined a hotel and a casino in one tall building. This idea became a model for many modern hotel-casinos.
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History of the Mapes Hotel
When it opened in 1947, the Mapes Hotel had 12 stories. It was the tallest building in Nevada for a while. This changed when the Fremont Hotel and Casino opened in Las Vegas in 1956. The Mapes family owned the hotel. For much of the 1950s and 1960s, it was the best hotel in Reno.
Famous Visitors and Entertainers
Many famous people stayed at the Mapes Hotel. These included movie stars like Marilyn Monroe, Montgomery Clift, and Clark Gable. They were there while filming the movie The Misfits. Even U.S. President Harry Truman visited.
The Sky Room was a famous nightclub at the top of the Mapes. Many big singers and entertainers performed there. Stars like Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante, and Milton Berle entertained guests. Sadly, at one point, Sammy Davis Jr. performed there but could not stay in the hotel. This was due to unfair segregation rules at the time.
The hotel was also featured in TV shows and movies. During filming for the TV series Bonanza, many guest stars stayed at the Mapes. In 1959, actor Jack Carson appeared on Bonanza while also doing shows in the Sky Room. The hotel was also shown in a 1961 episode of Route 66. It also appeared in the 1974 film California Split.
Challenges and Closure
The Mapes Hotel did very well through the 1960s and mid-1970s. However, it started to have problems competing with newer casino-hotels in Reno. These new places were more modern. The Mapes casino closed on December 17, 1982. This was because the Mapes family faced money problems. They also had issues with their other casino in Reno, the Money Tree.
After closing, the building was left empty and began to fall apart. Many different owners tried to buy it and bring it back to life. But all their plans failed. In 1996, the Reno Redevelopment Agency took control of the Mapes hotel building.
Demolition and New Beginnings
The Mapes Hotel was listed as a "Most Endangered Site." It was on the National Register of Historic Places. Despite this, no help came to save it. The City of Reno tried to find ways to preserve the building. They even asked a company called Artspace Projects, Inc. to study it. This company later helped fix up the Riverside Hotel across the street.
However, every expert report said the Mapes was not built well. They concluded there was no hope of restoring the building. So, the City of Reno decided to tear it down. The Mapes Hotel was demolished on January 30, 2000.
For a while, the empty space where the Mapes once stood was used as a winter ice rink. This happened each winter until 2004. Then, a temporary park was put on the lot. Today, the former Mapes site is a permanent outdoor skating rink. It also has a park and cool art displays from Burning Man.
