High court cancels stay, Mapes implosion on again

Thursday, Jan. 6, 2000 | 9:50 a.m.

The high court on Wednesday rejected claims by preservationists that Reno officials violated Nevada's open meeting law in discussing the Mapes' future.

The Supreme Court said that even if an open meeting violation occurred, a valid public meeting held in mid-September cured any defect.

A judge in Reno found that no decisions on the hotel were made in private, and there was an exhaustive public discussion, and the Supreme Court said those findings stand because they're "not clearly erroneous."

Justices said they recognized the hotel's historic character, but added the preservationists "have not demonstrated a likelihood of success on appeal."

While the court's decision erases one stay, lawyers for the Truckee Meadows Heritage Trust also filed a second lawsuit that alleges the city of Reno failed to follow state law governing bids for the demolition project.

Jeff Dickerson, lawyer for the preservationists, sued Reno, the city's redevelopment agency, Clauss Construction, Controlled Demolition Inc. and state Labor Commissioner Terry Johnson.

Clauss had been preparing the hotel for the Jan. 30 implosion, and Controlled Demolition has the contract to destroy the old property.

Regarding Wednesday's ruling, Dickerson said his clients were "gravely disappointed that the Supreme Court saw it this way. But they're realists."

"Fortunately, we have another avenue yet to exhaust," he said, adding that he'd seek a temporary restraining order on Thursday in Washoe County District Court, where the second lawsuit was filed.

Reno city spokesman Chris Good said demolition work resumed late Wednesday afternoon, within hours of the high court ruling.

"We have lost a lot of time but we still believe we can do it on the 30th as planned," Good added. "It means the lawsuit is no longer costing the taxpayers $6,900 a day. That is what it has cost each working day since Dec. 27."

Built on the banks of the Truckee River in 1947, the art deco Mapes building was the first in the nation constructed specifically to house a hotel, casino, restaurant and live entertainment under one roof.

During the Mapes' heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, entertainers such as Mae West, the Marx Brothers, Sammy Davis Jr. and Tony Bennett headlined in its famous Sky Room with top-floor views of the Sierra Nevada.

The Mapes has been vacant since 1982. Since then, three plans to refurbish the building have fallen through. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.