Fandango to expand north

Casino Fandango plans to build a 30,000-square-foot "satellite casino" near the Holiday Inn Express on North Carson Street, the project architect said Tuesday.

At Tuesday's Carson City major plan review meeting, city officials recommended a few changes to the Fandango Express plan, which architect Peter Wilday said will be made before the project is submitted to the Carson City Planning Commission.

"A start-up casino needs new people, such as a marketing coordinator and a food-and-beverage manager, but we can double up," he said about the new project. "So it's much more efficient for us to do it."

The proposed casino will be off North Carson Street and Broadleaf Lane, bordered by the freeway to the east and two parking lots on its north and west sides, Wilday said. A 44,800-square-foot parking area will front North Carson Street. The project calls for about 320 parking spaces, which is more than 100 above the required amount. The Holiday Inn Express and Fandango Express will share the new parking.

The casino's main entry will face this parking lot. A secondary entrance will face north to another parking lot.

Wilday said Fandango Express will contain 250 slot machines, a sports book, coffee shop, two bars and a "storm slot," which is a feature inside the Casino Fandango that simulates rain, thunder and lightning for players.

Players' club benefits will extend to this property, he said. The casino will also look similar to the Holiday Inn Express. The building will be constructed by the Holiday Inn Express owners and leased out to Casino Fandango.

According to Carson City ordinance, a hotel must have 100 rooms to receive an unrestricted gaming license. Holiday Inn Express has 85 rooms.

Jaswinder Singh Dhami, chief executive officer of Holiday Inn Express, said they will add on 18 more rooms as Fandango Express is being built. A letter of intent between Holiday Inn Express and Casino Fandango has not yet been signed, pending the owner's return from a vacation overseas. The gaming control board still has to approve the application.

"The success of Fandango inspires us to bring the same kind of facility on the north side of town," Dhami said Tuesday.

He said the two businesses will work well together.

"We do need a full-service restaurant, and the casino will help bring that here," Dhami said.

Carson City Associate Planner Jennifer Pruitt said this project requires a special-use permit for the gaming. It could go to the planning commission as soon as the first part of February.

Officials at Tuesday's meeting also requested an updated traffic management plan and lighting plan to be submitted for the special use permit.

Fandango Express must also be 30 feet from the multi-family zoning to the south. Its billboards must be on the same parcel, not up along the new highway.

Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.

Fandango Express

• 30,000 square feet

• Location: North

Carson Street and Broadleaf Lane. near the Holiday Inn Express

• About 150 employees

• Opening date is October

• Project should go to the Carson City

Planning Commission in early February

Source: Peter Wilday,

project architect