I've been buying books on Ghost Towns of Elko county and finding only minimal tidbits about casinos. Now I've caught the bug and I'm planning a rental car for the next Elko trip. (hopefully in April?)

"The Stockmen's Hotel opened on July 24, 1944, after William Mayer, son of Charles, sold the old Mayer Hotel to Red Ellis and A.C. Bigham. The two opened the Round-up Room which was the host to some of the biggest names in show business at that time. Red sold the hotel in 1952 to Dan Bilboa, Sr., J.B. Dollard and V.J. McGee, and then retired for awhile. In 1955, he bought the Commercial and Ranchinn for more than $1 million. The Stockmen's fell victim to a spectacular fire in March 1957. Local people wept as they watched the flames destroy the hotel and it's centerpiece, a $5,000 Kodiak bear. The building was rebuilt quickly and had a grand re-opening in October 1958. A million dollar expansion was completed in 1968."

Source: Northeastern Nevada Historical Society Quarterly, "A History of Elko, Nevada" By, Shawn R. Hall 95-3

Mr. Hall sited the Elko Free Press, July 1988 Extra.