YOUR COMMUNITY SPARKS NEWSPAPER SINCE 1910 Tribune community SPARKS Dogs get an earful at Sparks Library Page 6 TribuneYOURYOUR COMMUNITY COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERNEWSPAPER SINCE SINCE 1910 1910 Volume 108, Number 7 Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016 95 cents SPoRtS coVER StoRy Nugget ‘should be the pride of Sparks,’ new owner says By Kent Lauer Sparks Tribune Cougs handle The owner of a Las Ve- gas company that has Reed in regular purchased the Nugget ho- season finale tel-casino calls the Sparks property a sleeper and says Page 8 he has plans to wake it up and make it shine through an extensive renovation. “I think the Nugget’s a sleeper,” Anthony Marnell III, owner of Marnell Gam- ing, told the Sparks Tribune. “It should be one of the top three products in that mar- ket not only in how it looks and how it feels, but how the market responds to it. It’s too good of an asset, too good of a location, to be po- sitioned where it’s at today. Reed heading to “It should be the pride of Sparks, and it shouldn’t postseason be a product that has never after win had enough money put into John Byrne/Tribune The Nugget hotel-casino has been purchased by Marnell Gaming, a Las Vegas company Page 9 it and fixed up. It should be the spot Sparks wants to go that plans an extensive renovation of the resort. to.” Marnell vows to make inSiDE that happen, saying his AnnouncEmEnt on salE of thE nuggEt company will invest heavily Marnell Gaming, a Las Vegas company, has improvement plan for the Nugget, including Weather..............................2 in transforming the Nugget State Briefs........................ 2 purchased the Nugget Casino Resort. new slot machines and a renovation of the into the jewel it once was. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed 800 hotel rooms in the hotel’s west tower, the Pages of the Past...............4 But don’t expect the changes in an announcement issued last week. The convention area, casino floor, restaurants and Opinion...........................14 to happen rapidly; Marnell purchase is expected to formally close in the showroom. Calendar of Events.........17 said he wants to listen and spring after regulatory review and approval by “We see this as a remarkable opportunity the Nevada Gaming Commission. to join forces with an iconic Nevada brand Puzzles.............................18 learn first to make sure that Advice..............................19 Marnell owns the Colorado Belle and Edge- and one of Northern Nevada’s premier casino his vision for the venerable water casino resorts on the Colorado River in resorts,” Marnell said in the statement. Health..............................20 Sparks hotel-casino is the Laughlin. Members of the Nugget Advantage Rewards Classified Ads..................21 right one. The Nugget, one of Northern Neva- program will receive all of the benefits offered Legals...............................22 “I’m not in a big hurry, da’s largest casinos with 1,382 rooms, a in Marnell’s planned corporate-wide players 75,000-square-foot casino, eight restaurants club and will not lose points, comps or priv- and we have the money,” he and an 110,000-square-foot convention center, ileges from their Nugget rewards account, Follow us on said. “But what we want to was built by gaming pioneer John Ascuaga. according to the statement. Twitter: make sure of is that we get The Ascuaga family sold the property to a “The Marnell family has a rich history in the @SparksTribune it right. I have a lot to learn private investment group in 2013, and Global gaming industry and shares our vision of a when I get there (by) talking Gaming & Hospitality has been operating the revitalized Nugget,” said Carlton L. Geer, CEO resort since that sale. of the Nugget. “The resources and capital to people and listening. It’s In a prepared statement, Anthony Marnell Marnell plans to deploy will be critical in im- amazing how many emails III, chairman and CEO of Marnell Gaming, said proving the Nugget facilities and overall guest his company will initiate a significant capital experience.” > See NUGGET, Page 5 Visit our website at www.sparkstrib.com 2 Feb. 16, 2016 youR SEVEn-day foREcast today WEDnESDAy thuRSDAy fRiDAy SAtuRDAy SunDAy monDAy 64/40 57/39 47/34 52/33 54/28 59/29 65/35 Partly sunny Cooler; brief p.m. Rather cloudy, A shower in the Partial sunshine Clearing Mostly sunny showers showers around afternoon news fRom ARounD thE bAttlE boRn StAtE Associated Press angle looking at third-party candidate. Man suspecteD of becoming the first director of possible senate biD selling counterfeit “If you look on the website, contact lenses Nevada’s State Public Char- RENO — Nevada conserva- you see I’m looking for that ter School Authority. He later DMV increases tive Sharron Angle says she’s support,” Angle said. “I need LAS VEGAS — Federal became a deputy state super- funDing for trying to determine if she to know that people want me authorities are accusing a intendent, and took over as Virtual-line systeM could raise enough money to to run and that, of course, Las Vegas man of selling chief of the department over LAS VEGAS — The Ne- run for the U.S. Senate again, translates into dollars and counterfeit contact lenses, the summer when then-su- vada Department of Motor a move that could throw cents.” some found contaminated perintendent Dale Erquiaga Vehicles is putting more a wrench in Republicans’ with bacteria. took a job in the governor’s money into a virtual line hopes to claim Democratic police Dog stabbeD The Justice Department office. system that it blamed for Sen. Harry Reid’s soon-to-be- while enDing stanDoff said that 29-year-old Dmitriy He lives in Reno with his long wait times last sum- vacant seat. LAS VEGAS — Police dog Melnik was indicted by a fed- wife and two daughters. mer. The tea party darling won Nicky was hospitalized with eral grand jury on charges of The superintendent job The state Board of Examin- the Republican nomination stab wounds after she helped trafficking counterfeit goods, was posted online on dozens ers has voted to expand a five- in a divisive three-way pri- end a 12-hour standoff be- introducing misbranded de- of sites through the Careers year contract with vendor mary in 2010, then lost to tween authorities and a po- vices and conspiracy. in Government posting ser- QLess by about $300,000, to Reid in the general election, tentially armed man. Authorities said he illegally vice, but only attracted a more than $800,000. 50 percent to 45 percent. Authorities responded to and knowingly imported handful of applicants. QLess offers services such Republican U.S. Rep. Joe reports of possible gunshots from China and South Korea as Dash Pass, which allows Heck and former Democratic fired from an apartment last thousands of colored contact couple faces charges customers to check into a Attorney General Catherine Thursday night. A man re- lenses packaged with coun- for haVing sex on ferris wheel virtual DMV line and walk Cortez Masto currently are portedly barricaded himself terfeit trademarks and brand to the window only when a vying to replace Reid. in the apartment. names on them, including LAS VEGAS — A Houston technician is ready for them. Angle said during a tap- Nicky was set loose on the Ciba Vision FreshLook Col- man and a New York woman The DMV last sum- ing of KRNV-TV’s “Nevada suspect Friday morning. The orblends. are facing felony charges af- mer blamed the system’s Newsmakers” last Thursday man had stopped commu- He’s accused of selling the ter authorities say they were remote check-in option she’s excited that two state nicating with officers and medical devices unautho- recorded having sex in pub- for long wait times, say- GOP lawmakers — Sen. Don SWAT negotiators. rized by the Federal Drug lic during a 30-minute ride ing people who checked Gustavson of Sparks and As- The suspect was bitten, Administration and without in a glass-enclosed cabin on in from home and didn’t semblyman Brent Jones of taken into custody and had prescriptions, directions or a Ferris wheel 550 feet above show up made lines worse. Las Vegas — have launched injuries treated at a hospital. warnings for use. the Las Vegas Strip. The company disputed the the “Run Sharron Angle for Officer Jesse Roybal told Authorities say some of the A Las Vegas judge set a theory. Senate Committee.” the Las Vegas Sun that the lenses were contaminated March 9 date to see if the The DMV scaled back the She said she hasn’t decided man stabbed the police dog. with possibly hazardous bac- charges against Phillip Frank service but rolled out what it whether to enter the race and The K-9 was taken to an an- teria. Panzica III and Chloe Scor- called an improved version a didn’t indicate if she might imal hospital and underwent dianos can be resolved with- few months later. run as a Republican or a surgery. perManent state out trial. school chief naMeD The two were arrested Feb. CARSON CITY — The in- 5 after riding alone together terim state superintendent of in one cabin on the High Nevada schools is taking the Roller. job on a permanent basis. Police say surveillance Gov. Brian Sandoval an- cameras captured the act, se- nounced that Steve Canavero curity warned the couple to was selected for the job, after stop, and people in another interviews with three people car shot cellphone video. the state education board had Scordianos’ lawyer, Chris passed along.