Sponsors give high marks to Reno-Tahoe Open

Monday, Aug. 30, 1999 | 3:13 a.m.

"I think we've gotten a real good bang for our buck," said Tyler Sciotto, northern Nevada director of sales for Reno-based slot machine maker International Game Technology. The company contributed $125,000 to the purse at the Reno-Tahoe Open tournament.

Backers also say they enjoyed helping an event they believe was good for the community and for tourism officials' efforts to improve the image of Reno, which many outsiders consider a dusty, tired gambling town.

Tourism officials are trying to position the Reno-Tahoe market as both a golfing and skiing paradise and a top convention location. Those efforts are intended to help strengthen the visitor-dependent economy and reverse the stagnation of 1997 and 1998.

Sciotto estimated that more than 300 customers, mostly casino clients from northern Nevada, visited International Game Technology's canvas-topped hospitality suite overlooking the 18th green during the tournament, which ended Sunday.

"From my standpoint, a sales standpoint, I think it's been very profitable for us, very positive," he said. "And IGT takes great pride in being a good corporate citizen."

Tim Wiltshire, co-owner of Famous Murphy's restaurant, was busy preparing the Caesar salads he distributed free from his small booth. He expected to give away 2,000 over the four-day tournament.

"It's been good exposure, and I think the people really like it," Wiltshire said. "I'd do it again."

Terry Grimm, a real estate agent for Wingfield Springs Realty, said his booth promoting the Spanish Springs-area housing development and its Red Hawk Golf Course was seeing less traffic than he hoped. The location below the 18th hole was too far from paths in and out of the tournament, he said.

"We'd like to get a little more exposure than we're getting down here," Grimm said of the location for promotional booths. "I'm sure a lot of venues won't be back unless they do move it."

The Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority, a $500,000 contributor to the $2.75 million purse, hosted more than 30 convention and meeting planners in its hospitality suite above the 18th hole.

T.C. Rahme, marketing manager for the Atlantis Casino Resort, gushed over the event from the hotel's hospitality suite on the 18th hole.

"We're getting great exposure through the caddies and pros that have been staying with us and the guests that are seeing them on the (casino) floor," Rahme said. Atlantis Casino Resort contributed $125,000 to the purse.