Whirlwind renovation gets Topaz Lake Casino reopened

When Bob and Rob Cashell closed their Topaz Lodge Casino in April for repairs after a fire, they planned to have it open in time for the busy July 4 holiday.

They made it just barely and despite occasional surprises during the renovation work. The casino reopened last Tuesday, July 3.

While the April 3 fire in an attic of the casino wasn't widespread, water damage accelerated the demise of a building that dated from 1952, said Tim Kretzschmar, a vice president of Q&D Construction. The Sparks-based company oversaw the reconstruction.

Because of the damage, the whirlwind 13-week renovation included removal of the upper level of the building and gutting most of the structure down to its wood framing.

New tile, wiring and plumbing also were installed.

The design-build job created with Don Mackey Architects of Reno sought to maintain the property's Western atmosphere and views of nearby Topaz Lake south of Gardnerville.

Employees of Q&D and its subcontractors worked 58- and 84-hour weeks on the $3.9 million project, initially crossing their fingers for a mid-June reopening.

Rick Ross, general manager of Topaz Lodge, said, "We're ecstatic to finally be getting back to business as usual. We have been working hard doing everything possible to get the resort up and running by summer, and we succeeded."

Subcontractors on the project included Stitser Drywall, RHP Mechanical, Contract Flooring, Mountain View Electrical, Northeast Masonry, Lindell's Painting Service, Capital Roofing, Northern Nevada Rebar, Fabtech LLC, Insulpro Projects, J&L Windows, Kelly's Team Carpet Care, Overhead Fire Protection, Source Refrigeration, Victory Woodworks, Viper Steel, and Diversified Concrete Cutting.