Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 1

Journal Ma be higher outside metro area FRIDAY, JULY 28, 1995 Tin (iatllc-Journal is printed using recycled paper. 1TI0N nn 0 U) 0 0 THE GRAND OPENING i If that's not enough, anybody who wants to look can see what's inside the 180-foot dome that crowns the roof of the Silver Legacy's foot casino. Under the dome stands the 1 20-foot high automated mining machine, the centerpiece of the Legacy's Comstock Lode theme. Don Carano's Eldorado Hotel Casino and Circus Circus Enterprises, are equal partners in the Silver Legacy, the largest gambling resort built in northern Nevada since the facility that's now the Reno Hilton opened in 1978. Construction on the Legacy be gan in January 1994.

When it's all done, state economist Gary Horton estimates the Legacy will produce more than $208 million in annual revenue. That includes: Gaming win $95.8 million Hotel room rent $38 million Food sales $34 million Beverage sales $20 million Other sales $21 million The Legacy employs approximately 2,800 people. Horton predicts its total economic impact on the area will be about $320 million annually, including $19.4 million in taxes. Gannett News Service WATER WORLD: Kevin Costner, left, Jeanne Tripple-horn and Tina Marjorino star in film opening today. 1E By Don Cox GAZETTE-JOURNAL The Silver Legacy Resort Casino opens today with fanfare, fireworks and great expectations in downtown Reno.

Official celebrating starts at 5 p.m. for the biggest addition to the city's hotel-gaming skyline in almost two decades. The 37-story hotel casino is the state's tallest. Along with free champagne and fireworks, the $350 million Silver Legacy will be musically saluted with a concert by the Reno Philharmonic on Virginia Street. Iff Y- V- l' r- v'C" 1 "iirt? Marilyn Newton SILVER LEGACY Families: Talk about the Silver Legacy.

10A The big picture: Full page graphic gives the facts and figures on the Silver Legacy. 11A Today's events p.m. Strolling musical entertainment along streets outside casino. 5-10 p.m. Buffet opens on the mezzanine.

5-8 p.m. Free champagne served throughout casino. 7- 7:15 p.m. Christening of silver mining machine in center of casino. 8- 9:30 p.m.

Reno Philharmonic performs on Virginia Street. 9:30 p.m. Downtown fireworks display. Gazette-Journal "What's special for locals is they've got this exciting project in their own back yard," he said. He says draws for locals will be the Legacy's five restaurants, the brew pub and the classy environment.

He says everyone knows new properties are lucky for gambling. And he mentions the $50,000 prize available to people who cash their paychecks at the Legacy. Other casinos run paycheck incentive programs, too. The gaming floor will have some wrinkles that locals will want to check out. See Casino, page 10A accelerate in Nevada Taxable retail sales May '95 figures compared to same period last year.

In millions of dollars, except for Nevada figures g1995 j1994 Washoe $312.8 Carson Douglas JgJf Nevada 1 SI .7 bil. 1 $1.4 bil. Source: State Department of Taxation Mark BartleyGazette-Journal Taxation has started using a new method to track data, replacing the 32 business codes previously used for taxable retail sales with 99 new codes. Among other changes, out-of-state sales now are reported directly to the county where they occurred. See SALES on page 10A flanked by the Eldorado and Circus affects traffic draw: A novelty in Reno Susan Smith case: Jury could begin deciding her fate today.

7A HIGHLOW 9656 Today: Sunny. 18A News Briefing Opinion Weather NevadaWest MetroWatch Lottery Obituaries Business Markets 1-1 8 A 2A 17A 18A 1-8B 2B 2B 7B 1- 3C 2- 3C Classified Sports 4-1 8C 1-8D 1-8E Sierra Life Dear Abby 3E Entertainment TV Watch Comics Crossword Horoscope 2E 5E 7E 7E 7E H090f 01101' Europeans: Bosnian army gets U.S. arms European intelligence reports that the Bosnian army has acquired U.S.-made military supplies have sharpened tensions between the United States and its European allies, who believe Washington is orchestrating arms shipments to Bosnia by allies in the Muslim world. The shipments, if they are (being carried out as reported, (violate an international arms embargo imposed by the U.N. Security Council in 1 99 1 Moreover, any U.S.

role would contradict the Clinton administration's stated policy of abiding by the embargo. The allied suspicions of U.S. help for the Sarajevo government have been raised repeatedly in recent high-level meetings involving France, Britain and the United States, according to senior officials from all three countries. They acknowledge that such charges have eroded trust among their capitals and complicated the quest for a coherent Western response to the latest assaults by Bosnian Serbs against Muslim enclaves the United Nations once swore to protect. Senior U.S.

officials say Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan all Muslim nations and close U.S. allies are involved in clandestine arms deliveries to the Bosnian government. They concede that the administration has not discouraged such actions by those countries. But the Clinton administration has strongly denied organizing any kind of covert program itself. 1 Meanwhile, Bosnian Croat forces, backed by the Croatian army, have entered Bosnia's war against the Serbs in force for the second time in nine months.

According to reports from the United Nations and claims from the combatants, they have launched a major offensive designed to relieve pressure on the besieged Bosnian Muslim enclave of Bihac and further squeeze rebel Serbs in Croatia. Wire reports Clinton blames U.N. 4A jet Sixth Cicus Ci cus cus rr. 2lk Fifth Gazette-Journal i Fourth i rrz 2. 1 5 Is- I I Third 5 OPENING DAY: Silver Legacy is How casino opening 7 a.m.

today to 2 a.m. Saturday North Virginia Street from Fourth Street to Fifth Street. 4 p.m. today to 2 a.m. Saturday North Virginia Street from Fourth Street to railroad tracks.

4 p.m. today to 2 a.m. Saturday Fourth Street closed from Sierra to Center streets. Source: Silver Legacy Memorial to Korean War vets dedicated WASHINGTON Aging men wept, a Korean band wailed a bouncy Susannah!" and about 50,000 endured 100-degree heat Thursday as President Clinton and South Korean President Kim Young-sam dedicated America's newest national memorial to Korean War veterans. They had waited 42 years, and stifling heat and humidity along the banks of the Potomac didn't stop thousands of Korean War veterans from enjoying it.

They relished a moment when America finally remembered a war it long had hidden away in its psychic attic. "The Korean War heralded the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the demise of communism," said Kim, whose country was rescued by a 22-nation coalition that fought off North Korean and Chinese invasions from 1950 to Circus. Casino's the By Mike Henderson GAZETTE-JOURNAL Local residents will probably want to take a gander at the new Silver Legacy Resort Casino, but they'll probably go back to their usual haunts after the novelty wears off. That's the diagnosis of Carl Geer, general manager of the Pep-permill Hotel-Casino, which has a traditionally strong following among area residents. Other officials at casinos outside downtown Reno agree.

But Jim Rogers, general manager of Harrah's Reno, located downtown, sees it differently: Associated Press up to its reputation at the ceremony that went off like clockwork. They applauded politely, listened respectfully and guzzled bottled water while perspiration soaked through old uniforms, souvenir T-shirts, baseball caps, summer dresses. Gannett News Service "I think that the facility, with its intrigue and the parking, should get a lot of locals down here. You have to overcome the stigma of going downtown, but I think the experience has always been, and we certainly have seen it with Planet Hollywood, is that people will come down and check it out. If it's a magnet, it will bring people." But, said Geer, "Looking at their ads, they're not targeting the locals.

We expect their main marketing emphasis to be on the tourist and visitors market." Glenn Carano, the Legacy's marketing director, said no special programs targeting Reno-area residents are planned. Consumers purchasing Washoe: Posts strong gains. By Susan Skorupa GAZETTE-JOURNAL Nevada posted its strongest taxable retail sales gain of the year in May and Washoe County and neighboring areas weren't far behind the statewide increases. Washoe County's increase was 1 2.4 percent for a total $312.8 million in sales. Carson City sales grew 13.1 percent and Douglas County taxable sales were up 13.4 percent from May 1994.

Clark County sales increased 1 5.4 percent. State sales totals jumped 15.1 percent over May 1994, even though sales at eating and drinking establishments, one of the state's largest taxable categories, fell .6 percent. But the state Department of lil'r frf' -H 11 1. fkSnft -i -ir iii i in li ALmi" rifi idmi Vt 1 KOREAN WAR VETERANS MEMORIAL: South Korean President Kim Young-sam is escorted by President Clinton and retired Marine Gen. Ray Davis as they tour the memorial Thursday.

1953. "The Korean War has been transformed from a forgotten war to a war most worthy of remembrance." The Silent Generation that dug Korean War foxholes, hauled ar- tillery pieces up to Heartbreak Ridge and tlew nrst-generation jet fighters into MiG Alley lived.