Senate OKs bill to cater gaming rooms to high-rollers

Wednesday, April 18, 2001 | 11:21 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Without a dissenting vote, the Senate on Tuesday approved bills to allow Las Vegas Strip megaresorts to create private gambling rooms for high-rollers and to make it tougher for casinos to be built in residential neighborhoods.

Another bill, which would require more members of the County Commission to approve neighborhood casinos, also passed the Senate.

Sen. Jon Porter, R-Henderson, said Senate Bill 283, which allows private salons in casinos, would permit Las Vegas to compete with other places around the world that cater to high-rollers who shun publicity and don't want their lifestyles revealed.

Porter said Nevada must develop new ways to lure customers because there is growing competition, especially from Indian gambling in California.

The state Gaming Commission would develop regulations and customers would be permitted in these gaming "salons" based only on their wealth. Casino executives have said that an individual in this class might be able to lose or win up to $20 million at a visit.

In addition, the Senate approved Senate Bill 171, which is the outgrowth of the controversy to construct a casino in Spring Valley in Clark County and the furor that surrounded former Clark County Commissioner Lance Malone.

The bill will require a three-fourths majority vote of all the members of a County Commission or City Council before a permit would be allowed for a residential casino. The present law says that three-fourths "of those voting' must approve any neighborhood casino. The bill says the three-fourth vote must be of all the members of the commission or council.

The vote to approve the Spring Valley project was 3-1, with the other county commissioners abstaining because of conflicts of interest. That gave it the necessary three-fourths approval of those voting.

Under the proposed law, the casino project would have to have five of the seven members voting for approval. The five votes would be required, even if somebody abstained.

The bill extends the distance a casino must be from a neighborhood from the current 500 feet to 1,500 feet. The minimum distance between a casino and school or church would be increased from 1,500 feet to 2,500. And the measure requires the casino owner to prove there will be no adverse impact on property within 3,500 feet, up from the present 2,500 feet.