Washoe County unveils last-minute plan to save Reno landmark

Sunday, June 27, 1999 | 9:36 a.m.

In a letter sent Friday to the Reno City Council, County Manager Katy Simon said a county study calls for $70 million in office and courthouse space in downtown Reno.

"We thought that perhaps two community goals could be met in the same proposal," she wrote, noting the plan would save the Mapes and provide much-needed space for the county.

But Reno City Councilwoman Sherrie Doyle was skeptical of the request.

"It's too little, too late," she said. "It is definitely grandstanding by the county, to make it look like they are the white knight."

The Reno City Council is expected to vote Monday on a plan to turn over the historic 51-year-old hotel to private developers for demolition.

After years of delays, Mayor Jeff Griffin said there is not enough money to rehabilitate the building along the Truckee River that once hosted the rich and famous, including Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation last year listed the Mapes as one of the 11 most endangered historic sites in the country.

Its unique art deco style earned it a listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

The 12-story resort was the first hotel in the country to feature gambling, dining, entertainment and luxury accommodations under one roof, but has stood shuttered since its 1982 closing.

"I would hate to see it torn down without giving it one last shot," said county Commissioner Pete Sferrazza, former Reno mayor.