Ormsby House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ormsby House |
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| Location | Carson City, Nevada, U.S. |
| Address | 600 South Carson Street |
| Opening date | 1972 |
| Closing date | October 30, 2000 |
| Theme | Old West |
| No. of rooms | 220 |
| Total gaming space | 10,000 sq ft (930 m2) |
| Owner | Al Fiegehen Don Lehr |
| Architect | David Jacobson Associates |
| Coordinates | 39°09′39″N 119°46′03″W / 39.160772°N 119.767488°W |
The Ormsby House was once a famous hotel and casino located in Carson City, Nevada. It first opened its doors in 1972. The building closed on October 30, 2000, for big renovations. It was supposed to open again in 2001, but many things caused delays. These included construction problems, changes to the plans, and new management. As of June 2019, the Ormsby House building was for sale. It is now expected to become homes and shops instead of a hotel and casino.
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History of the Ormsby House Building
The First Ormsby House Hotel
The very first Ormsby House was built way back in 1860. It was located at the corner of 2nd and Carson Streets. A man named Major William Ormsby built it. Sadly, Major Ormsby died later that same year. He was killed during a conflict called the Pyramid Lake War. This first hotel lasted until the early 1900s. Then, it was bought by Dominique Laxalt and later torn down.
Building the New Ormsby House in 1972
In 1972, a completely new Ormsby House was built. It was located at the corner of 5th and Carson Streets. This new building was constructed by Dominique Laxalt's son, Paul Laxalt. Paul Laxalt was a well-known person who later became the Governor of Nevada.
In 1975, the Laxalt family sold the Ormsby House to Woody Loftin. When Woody Loftin passed away in 1985, his son, Truett Loftin, took over. Truett Loftin spent a lot of money to build a large parking garage for the hotel. Around this time, casinos in Nevada started facing competition. New casinos were opening in California, especially those run by Native American tribes.
Financial Challenges and New Owners
Because of these challenges, the Ormsby House hotel had financial troubles in 1990. It had to close down in 1993. The Ormsby House stayed closed until 1995. Then, a new owner named Barry Silverton reopened it.
However, in 1997, the Ormsby House faced money problems and closed again. The new owners then hired Bob Cashell to manage the property. Bob Cashell had been a lieutenant governor and later became the mayor of Reno. He was a good manager and helped the hotel improve.
In 1999, two businessmen from Carson City bought the Ormsby House. Their names were Al Fiegehen and Don Lehr. They owned a computer company called Cubix Computer Corporation. At first, they thought about keeping the casino open while they renovated it. But they decided it was better to close completely. They let all the employees go and planned a full renovation of the entire building.
Long Renovation and Future Plans
The Ormsby House closed for renovations on October 30, 2000. The work was supposed to be finished by July 4, 2001. But many things caused delays. There were construction problems, changes to the building plans, and issues with getting permits. This made the project last for more than 18 years.
For many years, a small casino called the Winchester Club operated. It had slot machines and video poker games. This club was open only on Fridays and Saturdays in the hotel's parking garage. It helped the owners keep their special permission to have gambling games in Nevada.
In March 2018, the owners, Fiegehen and Lehr, let their building permit for the renovations expire. They announced that the building would likely be changed. Instead of a hotel and casino, it would probably become a mix of housing and retail shops. They mentioned that many people had shown interest in buying the property.
