Receiver named for property

Monday, March 6, 2000 | 11:39 a.m.

MESQUITE -- The owner of two Mesquite hotel-casinos and three Las Vegas neighborhood casinos has taken over operations of the Mesquite Star hotel-casino.

Randy Black Sr. closed the property's casino this morning but kept the hotel open.

Black, who heads a partnership that owns the Virgin River and Casablanca hotel-casinos, took over operation of the 210-room property Sunday night after being appointed receiver Friday by District Court Judge Mark Gibbons.

The owner of the property, NevStar Gaming & Entertainment Corp., Las Vegas, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December, but the company's reorganization plan was rejected in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, opening the door for Black to be appointed to operate the property on behalf of creditors.

Black said today he intends to maintain operations with the property's 267 employees. Black said he has asked the state Gaming Control Board to issue him a license to operate the casino, which has 382 slot machines and nine table games. He said he hopes the board will consider his request Friday so the casino can quickly reopen.

"We just took the reins last night," Black said. "Now, we're trying to get our arms around it and operate the property with all the employees."

Black and his partners also own three neighborhood casinos in Las Vegas, Beano's Casino and Smoke Ranch Junction in the northwest and Shucks Tavern in the south.

When NevStar filed for bankruptcy, it listed assets of $22.2 million and debts of $23.5 million and an appraised value of $34 million. There are more than 200 creditors listed in bankruptcy filings.