Long-time North Las Vegas locals’ gambling spot Poker Palace closed in October of last year, losing the Vegas area yet another poker room. But it was quickly acquired by Truckee Gaming, which said it was committed to opening the doors once again.
That “once again” looks like it is just a couple of months away, as this week, the Nevada Gaming Control Board recommended that the Nevada Gaming Commission give Truckee Gaming the green light to re-open in mid-April. The refreshed casino will be renamed Club Fortune Casino North.
“It really needed a dramatic change,” said Truckee Gaming CEO Ferenc Szony. “We gave it a far more contemporary look. It was a total gut job on the interior, where we had to rip out part of the floor. We’re in the process of rebuilding.”
Szony said that Poker Palace looked like the love child of Excalibur and Circus Circus.
A local himself, Szony is excited to revive the property, which was born in 1974 as a bar named Bunny’s Casino.
“I grew up in Las Vegas and North Las Vegas was a different section of town,” Szony said. “In the last 10 to 15 years as Las Vegas has seen great growth and renovation, you didn’t hear so much about North Las Vegas. In the last couple of years, you hear a lot more about North Las Vegas. It’s coming on, and we wanted to be a part of it.”
When Poker Palace closed, 126 employees lost their jobs. Szony said that those who want to return will get priority and will be re-hired with the seniority they previously had. Because it will not have table games like Poker Palace did, Club Fortune Casino North will only have around 100 staff.
It will bring back the poker room, though, which will come as great news to local players. Poker Palace was known for its low-stakes games, with $1/$2 cash games and tournaments with buy-ins as low as $20.
Szony also plans for the casino to house a Boomer’s Sportsbook. Poker Palace had pari-mutuel betting, but Truckee Gaming’s other properties do not, so Szony said, “Let’s see how it goes and hopefully it will work well.”
Truckee Gaming owns and operates ten other gaming properties in Nevada, including Club Fortune Casino and three different Pioneer Crossing Casino Restaurant locations.
Image credit: time_anchor/Flickr.com
