A North Las Vegas casino will close next week as part of a $20 million sale and remodel, in which the new ownership group is bullish on its prospects when it reopens in the first quarter of 2026.
The Nevada Gaming Commission Thursday approved the licensing for Reno-based Truckee Gaming, which operates 10 casinos in Nevada, including Club Fortune in Henderson. The company focuses on smaller local gaming operations and its acquisition is expected to close Oct. 1.
“This is a fun project,” said Ferenc Szony, CEO of Truckee Gaming. “This fits our organization. I know the concern (about more than 100 employees being laid off) is there. We’re going to make it a priority for employees that if they want to wait or go find something else for a period of time, when we reopen we will have a home for them to come back to. Some security and administrative staff will remain employed during the closure. If you’ve had an opportunity to take a look at Poker Palace, this is a 50-year-old legacy property that needs a lot of love.”
Szony believed the renovations can be completed in phases, but once they started talking to construction people and what needs to be done with permitting and getting it into code, they learned that process wouldn’t allow for that.
“There’s a whole another chapter of what’s going to happen with this location. One of the things that drew me particularly to it is that it’s North Las Vegas. Right now, North Las Vegas is getting ready to make a mark for itself. We want to be a part of that.”
Commissioner Brian Krolicki said he has no doubt what Szony envisions will become a reality. “I appreciate the situation (with the layoffs) and what needs to be done,” Krolicki said. “Hopefully, it will come back stronger and better for those folks.”
Commissioner Rosa Solis-Rainey said she’s excited to see some new money going into North Las Vegas, which she called a great city. “This refreshment is going to be a great thing for the city. I appreciate you for offering the employees employment. It might be painful for a few months, but hopefully it will be worthwhile in the end.”
The remodel of the Poker Palace, which opened in 1974, will feature a new exterior, interior, walls, floor coverings and ceilings. The main entrance will be remodeled to make it more adjacent to the main parking area. Walls will be opened to add more casino space. Restrooms will be remodeled and back-of-house space will be created for office space. The kitchen will be expanded for a quick-serve restaurant plus adding 32 seats.
Pete McHugh, COO at Truckee Gaming, previously said that the plan for the property, which has been under the same ownership for 50 years and undercapitalized for some time, is “to refresh the slots, systems, and technology.” With better food offerings, it could also reposition the property within the surrounding community.
“We can put ourselves in a position to draw more clientele with a better strategy and capital investment,” McHugh said.
