My guess is that the Yellow and Red chips were only used at the Red Lion Casino and never at the Red Lion Motor Inn. 1982
Red Lion Motor Inn became Gold Country Motor Inn, when the new Red Lion Casino was built across the street. Now Gold Country Inn and Casino
I have seen nothing that says the Red Lion Motor Inn actually burned down. But there needs to be some evidential investigation to verify that as fact or fiction, one way or another.
Stockmen's did burn to the ground in 1957. Commercial had a kitchen fire in the 90's and was closed for some time. I never found evidence of a Red Lion fire. (which proves nothing except that I didn't find it.)
Here's something I got from the casino manager last trip I made to Elko, which was possibly 2000. When Gold Country was remodeled, all the old chips, old roulette (three sets), RLMI, Poker Room, and any old chips, foreigns and foreign tokens, were buried under the new addition. Both casinos, the Thunderbird Hotel and High Dessert Inn are owned by the same corporation, in case that was a question.
Although there is a tan 50c chip listed on the approved list for Red Lion Casino, no one who works there has ever seen one, including the cage manager who has work at the casino since it was across the street.
Elko is on my list of places to visit again when I get that small motor home and retire to photograph and "See America".
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