There’s an Emerald in that Pot O’ Gold

By Liz Benston

Friday, May 23, 2003 | 11:57 a.m.

With some help from the Henderson Redevelopment Agency, a run-down casino in the city's downtown core is undergoing a $2 million makeover and is set to reopen today as the Emerald Island Casino.

The former Pot O' Gold Casino at 120 Market Street has stood empty for nearly three years -- the largest eyesore on a street pockmarked by other vacant storefronts.

Twin brothers Tim and Michael Brooks received approval Thursday from the Nevada Gaming Commission to run the casino.

The Henderson City Council on Tuesday voted 5-0 to approve business licenses for the casino. Approved were non-restricted gaming and non-restricted gaming-limited gaming liquor licenses.

The brothers are now leasing the building and intend to purchase it for $4 million from Burbain Inc., a real estate company whose partner, Nicholas Tunis, is a local poker bar owner and former lease holder at the Pot O' Gold.

The Brooks brothers received from the city a $90,000 facade grant that is contingent upon the purchase -- an investment that is expected to pay off for city government, Henderson Redevelopment Manager Rob Ryan said.

"We're thrilled -- it's never a good thing to have an empty building," Ryan said. "They are a quality operator and I think they are going to do a nice job."

Emerald Island is crafted in the style of a 17th Century Irish village and will feature murals, building facades and other antique touches.

The property, which does not have a hotel or entertainment, will employ about 90 people and offer 370 slot machines in addition to a restaurant and a deli. The casino will feature a separate non-smoking enclosure as well as machines that will accept bets of as little as a penny.

Emerald Island's most distinctive feature is outside the property. A 9-foot, illuminated "emerald" will beckon customers from atop a 60-foot tower.

The 1,500-kilowatt jewel will change the Henderson skyline and can be seen from miles in each direction, said Tim Brooks, who will become the property's general manager.

Brooks is the former general manager of Club Fortune, a Henderson property closer to Las Vegas owned by his cousin Carl Guidici. Triple J Casino was a faltering property that closed in March 1999 and reopened in October 1999 as Club Fortune. Since 1997, Brooks has also managed the Mint, the former Victorian Gambling Hall and Buffalo Club casinos in Sparks and the former Gambler Casino in Reno.

Mike Brooks lives in Los Angeles, where he owns Bali Construction.

Tim Brooks said his experience at Club Fortune led to a conclusion that "the city was ready for another well-run property."

Buying up the dilapidated building was a "calculated risk," said Brooks, a Henderson resident.

"We have a lot of confidence in the growth of Henderson and we feel very comfortable with our position."

Emerald Island will compete with several properties in and around Henderson, including larger properties such as Station Casinos Inc.'s Sunset Station and Green Valley Ranch Station Casino, the new Casino MonteLago at Lake Las Vegas near Lake Mead, and Boulder Highway casinos such as Station's Fiesta casino and Boyd Gaming Corp.'s Jokers Wild. Smaller properties in Henderson include Boyd's Eldorado and the Magic Star and Skyline casinos.

Emerald Island aims to attract more visitors to Henderson's core rather than take business from existing properties, Brooks said.

"The more businesses that are open the better for downtown in general," he said. "We believe (the casino) will become a nice model to bring more businesses downtown."

Henderson's downtown has suffered like those in many other cities experiencing growth at their outer edges.

The city's future is still promising, Club Fortune owner Guidici said.

"Henderson is the fastest-growing city in the country," he said. "There's an awful lot of critical mass of people. It's a desirable area that's actually bigger in size than Reno and there's a redevelopment plan in place. Henderson has the potential (to become) a major gaming market."

"(Brooks') timing is good. Our timing was good when we bought the Triple J."

Of the few vacant buildings left downtown, nearly all are undergoing redevelopment efforts that have sprung up in recent months, Ryan said.

"The downtown business association has really gotten strong and people are seeing this as an up-and-coming area where people can get in on the ground floor," he said. Henderson's downtown also has appeal as one of the Valley's only pedestrian-oriented areas, he said.

Oscar Portillo, manager of the nearby Rainbow Casino, is another supporter of Emerald Island Casino.

"We're very hopeful for them," he said. "If they take 5 to 10 percent of my (customers) and others', that's not enough to run their business. Their strategy is to bring more people to Henderson and the downtown area."