Property owner sues Sierra Gold developer

A company that planned to build one of Carson City's largest casinos is being sued for more than $260,000 by the owner of the proposed site for the casino.

Gardnerville-based RIDL filed a lawsuit earlier this month in Carson City District Court against Las Vegas-based Golden Gaming Inc. for allegedly breaking a contract, failure to pay rent and damages.

RIDL says in the lawsuit Golden Gaming has not paid to help relocate a tire store on the site as was agreed upon in a 30-year lease signed in 2005.

Golden Gaming should pay $250,000 for the tire store relocation, $10,000 in damages and $7,500 in rent, according to RIDL.

Golden Gaming got permission from the city last fall to build the $100 million Sierra

Gold Casino on 4.5 acres at the corner of Highway 50 East and the Carson City freeway. The company said the project would include a 100,000-square-foot casino, a 220-room hotel and employ about 1,000 workers.

It has until 2012 to start building the casino.

Kimberly Juday, a representative for Golden Gaming, said the company has no comment on the lawsuit or whether the company plans to ever build the Sierra Gold casino.

The company runs casinos in Colorado and Pahrump and taverns throughout the state.

Lynn Hettrick of RIDL said he hasn't received payments from Golden Gaming or an explanation for failure to pay.

"We believe at this point they haven't complied with the terms of the lease," he said.

Hettrick was a Republican assemblyman from 1992 to 2006 representing Douglas County and parts of Carson City. He runs RIDL with his wife, Arla, and son, Andy.

A court date for the lawsuit has not been set. Golden Gaming has not filed a response to the lawsuit.

Golden Gaming closed Sparky's restaurant and bar on South Carson Street last week. It ran the business under one of its subsidiaries, Golden Tavern Group.

The property owner, Ribeiro Companies, posted an eviction order at the business and a claim for about $17,500 in back rent.

Jamie Krahne, property management director for Ribeiro Companies, said her company is trying to enforce the contract with Golden Tavern Group. She said she could not comment on financial details of the contract.