Buyer's remorse is a three-pronged pitch fork that tauntingly and jeeringly pokes at someone, irritating the sores of uncertainty that will not heal. Poke, poke, poke. "Glad I did." "Glad I didn't." "Don't know for sure." The three prongs of the fork with three sharp points. Poke, poke, poke. If Carson City feels no remorse for losing its chance to be home to Max Baer's fabled Beverly Hillbillies Casino, it should. Hopefully, Douglas County will pick up the casino's tumbled house of cards model and follow the proposal through to completion. As a general supporter of Northern Nevada, it doesn't really matter to me personally where the casino is built, as long as it is in one of the adjoining peripheral areas of Carson City. As a potential customer, Carson City and Carson Valley are one of the same. As far as Carson City sales taxes are concerned, I think we blew it. Arguments abound regarding Baer's misfire in Carson City - many from the same people who remember his false alarm and failed attempt to build in Reno several years back. Some believe Baer should have started out small in Carson City, built his credibility by proving his point with the totals from his business receipts, and then expanded accordingly to no argument by anyone who knows that money itself does not lie. With the undisputed truth of good ole American currency, Baer could not have been denied. If life could be relived, the public announcement of his intention to build in Carson City four years ago would have been strongly proving its point for about a year now. Another back-seat driver perspective of what went wrong in Carson is that Baer should have sought optimum legal security that the entire space required for his casino complex concept was his without conflict and contestation. The derrick? The infamous derrick that caused more talk than the casino itself? In the big picture, all the rap against its construction was just a guise - an excuse - for not wanting the casino. Truth is, more than 90 percent of the people in our area surveyed in favor of the casino. But let's go back to my afterthought of Baer starting off small and then expanding as his bankroll and city tax contribution grew larger: The success of any business, be it a casino or a bank, paves a yellow brick road of glimmering gold. In that case, the addition of a derrick would have been no more of a concern than placing a hood ornament of Elvis Presley on a Lamborghini. As I openly stated in the past, I am a definitive supporter of Max Baer's quest to build a casino of his own design in Northern Nevada. I see absolutely no down side. I do, however, see a slot machine full of opportunity. All that is needed is Douglas County to make a small wager, take an even smaller gamble, blow on the dice and roll 'em. More jobs, more revenue, more entertaining things to do. The downside? Damned if I can find one. There is no doubt in my mind that the third time at bat for Max Baer Jr. is a ninth-inning, bases-loaded, white-knuckle moment in a tied game. In my view, it's his final chance for a hit after two strike outs in the same game. If Douglas County pitches Baer a fast ball straight down the middle to gain him a hit, I am certain that he will follow it up with a home run of his own.
• John DiMambro is publisher of the Nevada Appeal. Write to him at jdimambro@nevadaappeal.com • John DiMambro is publisher of the Nevada Appeal. Write to him at jdimambro@nevadaappeal.com