Illinois company says it acquired Mesquite Star

Tuesday, May 9, 2000 | 10:07 a.m.

AmeriResource Technologies Inc., a company based in Rolling Meadows, Ill., said it has acquired the defunct Mesquite Star Hotel & Casino for an undisclosed price.

AmeriResource did not disclose the price paid for the Mesquite Star, saying only that the property was appraised at more than $31 million. The closed property has 210 hotel rooms and a 38,000-square-foot casino

The property was opened by NevStar Gaming & Entertainment Corp. of Las Vegas, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December. But a bankruptcy judge dismissed this petition, forcing the hotel-casino to close in March. All of the property at the casino, except for the building, was liquidated.

AmeriResource did not say if the property was purchased from NevStar, or from one of the creditors of NevStar. The company said it will have to apply for a Nevada gaming license "or provide for a joint venture operator to operate the casino" before the property could reopen.

AmeriResource's primary line of business is the construction industry. However, the company said it is attempting to branch out into the "assisted care" industry, apartments, mobile homes and "adult residential lifestyle communities."

Steve DuCharme, chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, said he was unaware of the sale, and no application has been filed yet with the control board.