Nevada Gaming Commission approves Legends Bay Casino in Sparks

After more than 15 years, the Legends Bay Casino project is finally gaining ground. The Nevada Gaming Commission approved the venue this week, just a few weeks after the state Gaming Control Board gave its approval. The goal now is to get the casino up and running by late summer.

The History Behind the Project

The Legends Bay Casino property was acquired by Olympia Gaming in 2006, just shortly after the company was created. The acquisition was then plagued with issues including politics, a recession, and the pandemic.

In the beginning, the developer had plans to use multiple phases to create the casino and a hotel. Additional amenities were considered as well, such as an amphitheater on the lakefront and possibly a baseball stadium. The goal was to have the casino ready in 2008. But that didn’t happen due to the Great Recession.

The plans for the casino have been changed several times, but issues would still arise. One problem was hotel room requirements. In the 1990s, the state would adopt a law that requires new casinos to have a minimum of 300 guest rooms inside a hotel when the county they are located in has a 100,000 to 700,000 population size.

This was an issue for the venue. However, a closed gaming venue in Sparks helped the project to keep going. The former Mint Casino had a grandfathered gaming license that was moveable, so it was purchased by the company and the project remains in place, without the hotel issue.

Moving Forward

The new Legends Bay Casino will be the newest casino to open in the Reno-Sparks area in over twenty years. It is difficult to get started in the region, but Olympia Gaming held on to the idea and now it is coming to fruition.

The casino will offer table games, slots, and keno, as well as a sportsbook operated by Circa Sports. The property will no longer offer a hotel connected to the casino but offers two hotels nearby. The Hampton Inn Suites and Marriott Residence Inn will be great options for visitors.

Several food options will be located on-site of the casino including Duke’s Steakhouse, Craft 55, LB Grill, and Food Truck Hall. The Food Truck Hall is an interesting concept as it offers vintage trucks without the engines for a permanent food truck experience.

Now that the approvals have been provided, the casino is going to start the hiring process. As many as 300 positions are open within the company. Officials have already been receiving applications for management needs and now need to focus on additional employment positions.