Gaming Control Board backs Forester as Bodines manager

The Gaming Control Board on Thursday voted unanimously to recommend approval of Steve Forester as general manager at Bodines casino.

His application for a gaming license in that position will be forwarded to the board's parent Gaming Commission for a final decision later this month. The commission nearly always accepts board recommendations.

In questioning by Chairman Dennis Neilander, Forester told the board the newly-reconstructed Bodines at Carson City's southern border is doing well considering the economy.

"Business is very good," he said. "We opened last May and revenues are up 30 percent from last year."

Bodines has 300 slot machines and a race and sports book and restaurant.

He said the casino has a great location at the junction of U.S. 50 and U.S. 395 South with nearly 50,000 cars passing by each day.

Forester said that since lowering prices, the 100-seat restaurant is serving 600 meals a day. He said bringing more people in for food has helped increase gaming revenues.

The board also gave a positive recommendation to Wimar Tahoe Corp. to operate the Lake Tahoe Horizon hotel-casino at Stateline.

Wimar owner Bill Yung and his company ran the casino for nearly 20 years beginning in 1989 but were removed from control after their company, Tropicana Entertainment, went into bankruptcy in 2008. The operation has been run since then under control of the bankruptcy court.

Wimar has since worked out an agreement with the land and building owners at Edgewood, formerly Park Cattle Co., to operate the resort at least through March 2011.