Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 4

4A Reno Gazette-Journal Wednesday, October 27, 1993 GAMING Vegas set for biggest spectacle ever C5 OO Mr 77-: 7- 7 Priority snow removal i -r? "Everybody that works in the building will get an eye view," she said. "I'm going home. There's too many people." A lot of them will be sitting in temporary bleachers erected in the parking lot at the big Ballys hotel casino, across the street from the doomed Dunes. "We're going to have a front-row seat. We're going to have a party," said Ruth Pollak, who is staying at Ballys with her friend Miidred Asherman.

The two tourists from Fort Lauderdale, didn't know their trip was going to include the biggest show in Las Vegas history. They just got lucky. So did Frank Becker and Rod Ste-verson of Rochester, N.Y. They checked into their room at the Flamingo Hilton and discovered it had a perfect view of the Dunes. "We just picked the right week," Steverson said.

f9e VALLEY I'. etrttTw1 "ix SPANISH for- SJJAD SpRNGS ,5 1 5 GOLDEN 7 2 7 -a 8l VALLEY v- Qs BLACK Ct o. 2 SPRINGS Gey 9 pi RALEIGH I PANTHER 7th HEIGHTS A JVAIJLEY 5 SUN If VALLEY 445 -2Wd-7 (V iP' Baring McCanan AfW'Tnf Ij eVWA SPARKS fi.yJ. 3 HIDDEN7 ey VALLEY Priority streets 1 'A'YV-7 By Don Cox GAZETTE-JOl'RNAL LAS VEGAS Blowing up the Dunes Hotel must be a big deal. Here's how you can tell: First, they're showing it on television.

Second, they're selling T-shirts. Third, Gabe Diederich will be there. "It's going to be something to see." Diederich, a waiter at The Mirage, said Tuesday. Diederich ill get as close as he can to ground zero the intersection of Flamingo Road and the Las Vegas Strip. That's where the 23-story Dunes tower is scheduled to be demolished with a spectacular show of high explosives tonight at 10 o'clock.

It's got to be a big boom to impress Diederich. He's a Las Vegas native. He's seen it all, until now. This is a big day for Las Vegas, even by Vegas standards. Treasure From page I A plans another megaresort on the Dunes site, but has not released details of the project.

Mirage officials tried to focus on Tuesday night's opening of Treasure Island, adjacent to the company's flagship Mirage Hotel. But they were keeping a wary eye on the weather and any possible impact on tonight's Si. 6 million blast. "We're mainly concerned about the wind," Mirage spokesman Alan Feldman said Tuesday, speaking abov the din of a media center that had registered 379 people representing more than 250 media outlets worldwide. Feldman said today's fiery implosion could be delayed anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours or more if inds exceed 1 5 RENO GROWTH Another new hotel-casino on the board By Susan Skorupa gazette -journal Another multi-million-dollar hotel-casino development is on the drawing board for downtown Reno, as the anchor for an Old Town Reno theme park.

Grand Central Station would be built east of the National Bowling Stadium, now under construction on Lake Street. The hotel-casino would contain 1,200 hotel rooms, 75,000 square feet of casino space, a family entertainment center and a garage, said Donald F. Robb, president of First National Investors the company he's formed to develop the project. The hotel-casino, however, is only part of the $350-million Old Town Reno project that would stretch from the bowling stadium south to an area near the National Automobile Museum. So far, the project is only in the planning stages, Robb said Tuesday.

He's acquired one parcel of property along Lake Street, across Diederich doesn't want to miss a minute of the fireworks. He'll get off work at 4 p.m., go home, change clothes, rest and hustle back to the Strip to join a crowd expected to exceed 200,000. "I've got plenty of time," he said. Earlene Casias and Darin Pierce don't have to do anything. They can stay put and see it.

But they don't want to. Casias and Pierce work at the Gift Shop, a couple hundred yards from the Dunes. The Gift Shop has T-shirts for $7 each, plus tax that read, "It's Been a Blast! Dunes. October 27. 1993.

Las Vegas." Business is good. "We're selling a lot of them," Casias said. The Gift Shop plans to close about three hours before the blast and reopen hen it's over. "I'm stuck here," Pierce said. Casias won't be.

miles an hour or are blowing in the wrong direction. The Dunes tower is just south of Caesars Palace resort and west of Bally's. The Dunes implosion is expected to cost Si. 6 million, with the Mirage and contractors taking out S3 1 5 million in liability insurance. Wynn is scheduled to throw a switch in a parking lot across the street from the Dunes, unleashing fireballs up the building before it implodes from the force of 600 pounds of dynamite strategically-placed throughout the structure.

The tower, once one of the city's most famous and prestigious landmarks, will be reduced to a pile of rubble 30 feet tall. Wynn calls the opening of his newest resort and the demolition of the Dunes "a wonderful bittersweet moment for Las Vegas." "The Dunes, in its best moments, was a wonderful, exciting JM 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 ARTIST'S RENDERING: Grand from the bowling center, and is seeking options or commitments on other parcels. Robb said he is the only active participant in the project, but other potential investors are lined up. The entire plan should be completed within six months, Robb said. Then the project will go to Reno officials for necessary approvals.

Build-out time from that point should be about 1 8 months, he said. In 1992, Robb was part of an JBMOEb 1 Mark NowlinGazette-Journal The city plans to spend $20,000 for training its expanded snow crew this vear. And in August it approved $436,000 to buy six new trucks with snowplows and fit three others with blades. The plan is written in vague terms to be flexible, Loete said. But the idea behind the plan is simple, as former regional planner analyst Kim Carlson explained.

"It might be hard for someone to get out of their cul-de-sac but the main street would be open." "This is good example of cooperation and coordination that has nothing to do with consolidation," said Sparks Mayor Bruce Breslow when the council approved unanimously endorsed the plan on Monday. Reno's maintenance engineer. This is all good news for Ren-oites. But there's a price to be paid. Residential streets will be plowed last.

Snowplows create nice even rows of snow along the edges of streets, blocking people's driveways. That means shoveling. Loete will have the flexibility to decide when to plow the residential streets and when it's better to help residents on plowed streets clear their driveways. Finally, people who live on major snow routes can expect their cars to be towed to a side street if they leave their vehicles on the curb when the plows come by. The routes will soon be marked with signs.

place," Wynn said of the resort that became a Las Vegas landmark when it was built in 1955. "There came a time when that was not true anymore. We're taking the first step in making it wonderful and exciting again. "This is not an execution; this is a phoenix rising," Wynn said. Luxor, a $375 million pyramid-shaped resort opened just blocks down the Strip on Oct.

15. Luxor's parent, Circus Circus Enterprises also opened a $90 million water theme park in August. And the 1 billion MGM Grand Hotel and Theme Park is scheduled to open Dec. 1 8. The hotel, with 5,009 rooms, will be the world's largest.

ITT-Sheraton has announced plans to spend SI billion over the next decade on a phased themed resort at the Desert Inn. I II I 4 I "i Central Station proposal. unsuccessful bid by Grand Prix Financial Corp. to purchase Bally's Reno resort, now the Reno Hilton. He served as consultant and spokesman for the corporation, bidding against Hilton Hotels and Harvey's Wagon Wheel Inc.

According to a press release, Grand Central Station would include restaurants, shops, a general sports center, convention space, showroom and theater. On the parking garage roof, Robb plans Grand Central Park. JEFF WILLIAMS Presents Source: City of Reno, Maintenance Division Snow From page 1A through the Truckee Meadows. In all, 60 parks and streets maintenance workers compared to 12 last year have been trained and licensed to drive the big trucks. And more big trucks will roll.

With recent purchases, the city will have 19 trucks with plows on the streets compared to eight plow trucks and three sanders last year. And in case of severe snow, sleet or ice storms, Reno can also call on its neighbors for help. The City Council on Tuesday also adopted a regional snow removal plan to get help or provide help in clearing major streets for police, fire engines and ambulances. Sparks adopted the regional snow plan on Monday and it will be considered by Washoe County Commissioners in November. Whenever a request for help is made, other local governments can pitch in when they have caught up on their streets.

During those first storms last winter, the extra help could have cleared more city streets before the snow packed into ice, said John Loete, II I1 1-If Tlf RENO ONVENTION rp, CENTER NORTH HALL OCTOBER if rev Reasons 10 Join Silver Saver. In a medical emergency you want the best care possible. And in this area, you get some of the best emergency medical care in the nation, thanks to REMSA (the Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority). But emergency ambulance expenses can be tough on a budget, even when rates are regulated and kept as low as REMSA's. That's why REMSA is offering its Silver Saver membership program, to cover any uninsured portion of emergency or non-emergency ground ambulance services.

For only $49 a year, your household is protected, and remember. and most insurance plans pay only a portion of the average bill. Call 858-5700 to request your Silver Saver brochure and application. But do it today. you only have until December 15 to join.

REMSA SILVER SAVJZR MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM Silver Saver membership covers meilicalty-necessarv services pnt-vided by REMSA's paramedic ambulances to residents within REMSA's service area. Membership does not cover the seniles of Care Flight. Review the membership agreement and application for other rules that apply. 29th, 30th, 31st THE BIG ONE Enjoy the works of hundreds of Craftsmen and over 105,000 square feet of exhibits. Continuous Stage Bands Vaudeville Entertainment.

Friday 12-9 Saturday 10-8 Sunday 10-6 Adults $5.00 Children 6-1 2 1 .00 Under 6-Free BENEFIT FOR THE NEVADA HUMANE SOCIETY Fme Am and QuolUy Opli Fmiuofj LTD I 316 Ave, Suite 122 Reno. NV 89509 (702) 324-6435.