Casino lacking hotel is at issue

Diana Sahagun

Thursday, June 22, 2000 | 11:10 a.m.

The Fort Las Vegas Casino in North Las Vegas will be open another 60 days -- but just how much longer it remains so or in what capacity is unclear.

The owners of the casino, Patricia and Boyd Bulloch, appeared before the City Council Wednesday for a "show cause" hearing to explain why their gaming and liquor license should not be revoked because of a failure to build a 100-room hotel.

In 1992 the council approved a non-restricted gaming license for the owners of the 4,000-square-foot casino at 2428 E. Cheyenne Ave. with the condition that they would build a 100-room hotel and swimming pool two years from the opening date. The non-restricted gaming license allows for more than 16 slot machines or any live gaming.

The city has had the 100-room hotel room requirement on gaming licenses since 1984. The city of Las Vegas and Clark County currently have 200-room requirements.

The North Las Vegas Planning Commission approved an extension of time on the license in 1997, stipulating again that the hotel had to be built two years from the opening date. The casino opened in March 1998.

According to staff reports, the deadline for completion of the 100-room hotel was March 4, 2000. So far there is no hotel and they owners have not broken ground, City Attorney Sean McGowan said.

"City policy rationale is (the room requirement) creates a greater investment in gaming and the tourist business so that the state and local governments are well-served ... for the benefit of community," he said.

Other North Las Vegas casinos like Jerry's Nugget and the Bighorn Casino were built before the requirement was passed in 1984, and were grandfathered in.

The council had a number of options, including revoking the license. Members opted to continue the matter for 60 days so that the owners can file a new use permit and modify it to one that may not include hotel rooms. The council then will decide whether to allow the casino without a hotel.

Dave Crosby, the owners' attorney, said at this point there is no indication that a hotel will ever be built.

He admitted the conflict with the use permit, but said the casino's location may not warrant a hotel and that the 100-room requirement should be taken on a case-by-case basis.

"We don't deny that the city needs to have appropriate documentation," Crosby said. "We think we can rise to the needs of the community to addressed these questions. That does include the 100 rooms."