Ranchos residents adamant against slots

GARDNERVILLE RANCHOS - The job of filling the old Gorman's grocery store in the Tillman Center may be a little more difficult if the county commission listens to Gardnerville Ranchos General Improvement District board recommendations.

The district board voted last week against supporting a zone change for the Tillman Center. Board members Beverly Page, Bruce Nystrom and Dewey Jay sided with a Page motion not to support a zone change. Al Wagner voted against the motion and Victor Hyden abstained.

The planning commission will next hear the zone change request on Dec. 14 and its recommendation will be heard by the County Commission Jan. 6.

Wagner had tried to make a motion stating trustees supported a zone change to tourist commercial, but on the condition a casino is not put into the old grocery store, but was told he cannot make conditions like that and withdrew his motion.

The board skipped over everything before the zone change request on the agenda to get the item taken care of quickly.

A rowdy crowd of about 40 people continued to yell out negative comments while Rob Anderson of RO Anderson Engineering, Inc. gave his presentation to the board, even after several requests from Nystrom to remain quiet until he asked for public comment.

Anderson told the board the Park Cattle Co., which owns the Tillman Center, had lost a lot of money "subsidizing" Gorman's for the last three years, and even paid for $100,000 in upgrades to the store.

If the zone change is approved, the Carson Valley Inn has plans to put in a slots casino with a restaurant and a deli.

However, community members at the meeting made it clear they just don't want a casino.