UPDATE:
Article just posted today from the RGJ. No specific info, but reaffirms this project and the new owners commitment to actually doing this.
I have been getting impatient with the small token things they have been doing (all stuff internal to the existing building, nothing NEW) - so glad to see they are not only still planning this project, but have said 2009!!!
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Reno's Grand Sierra Resort Renovation
Big changes are happening at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno. The hotel is no longer just a destination for tourists; the owners are hoping to also transform it into a place where locals can call home.
The owners say they're excited about the $90 million renovations meant to change the face of Reno both in real estate and tourism. "I really believe this area here will be the new Reno. Like the old (Las) Vegas, the new Vegas, this is going to be the new Reno," says Nikki Beach Director of Marketing John Lewis.
Nightclub Nikki Beach is just one of the new additions to the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino. It celebrated its one year anniversary this month.
Grand Sierra is building two new residential towers set to open in 2009. They will be 48 stories high, the tallest buildings in all of Reno.
With new projects, come new job opportunities for local workers. And management says it's a plus. "I think Reno has some of the best employees in the country. They are stepping up to the challenge of delivering high level of guest service people would expect from the Grand Sierra Resort," says Richard Langlois.
But for some guests, they say only time will tell if Grand Sierra will meet its grand expectations. "I think they are going in the right direction. I think they have a good idea. Again it's too early to tell if they are going to pull it off," says Reno resident Joe Altick.
The hotel will get a chance to prove itself at the grand opening party of Nikki Beach at 8:30pm Friday.
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http://www.ktvn.com/Global/story.asp?S=6756798