Silver City Casino
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA former casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada, that operated from 1974 until its closure in 1999 and demolition in 2004.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Silver City Casino was a casino property on the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. It opened in 1974 under the ownership of Major Riddle, occupying the site of the short-lived Riata Casino, which had opened in 1973 and closed within less than a year. Silver City was a relatively small Strip casino rather than a large integrated resort, and its later history was shaped as much by property transactions and redevelopment proposals as by casino operations. Circus Circus Enterprises acquired the casino in 1981 for a reported $30 million and subsequently refurbished its interior and exterior. In 1991, Silver City became the first casino on the Strip to prohibit cigarette smoking, a policy decision that distinguished the property within the local gaming market at the time. The casino continued operating while ownership and development interests around the site changed. In early 1997, United Leisure acquired the 8.5-acre property with plans for a hotel-casino development. In October 1999, San Francisco businessman Luke Brugnara bought Silver City from United Casino Holdings LLC for a reported $31.5 million. The casino then comprised approximately 20,000 square feet and was being operated by Mandalay Resort Group under a lease arrangement. It employed roughly 150 people and was scheduled to close at the end of October. The closure took place on October 31, 1999. Brugnara had applied for a Nevada gaming license in August 1999, but the application remained subject to a pre-licensing investigation. Without the license, he could not continue casino operations. He proposed a major redevelopment that included remodeling Silver City, removing the adjacent Las Vegas Shopping Plaza, and replacing portions of the site with restaurants and eventually a hotel-casino. Walgreens opened on part of the property in November 1999. By early 2000, Brugnara was describing a San Francisco-themed resort with a multimillion-dollar renovation and a target of full hotel-casino operation by 2002. The Nevada Gaming Control Board rejected Brugnara's gaming-license request in March 2001. Although he initially indicated that he might challenge the decision in court, he later abandoned that course. He began pursuing a new application by July 2001, but the casino did not return to operation. In May 2002, Brugnara sold the casino and 3.5-acre portion of the property to Angelo, Gordon & Co., which intended to demolish the building and develop a Ross clothing store. Brugnara retained six acres of vacant land behind the casino and later proposed a separate 24-story, 304-room resort called Tycoon, designed by Lee Linton and projected to cost approximately $100 million. That proposal also did not restore Silver City Casino as an operating gaming venue. The casino building was demolished in 2004 for redevelopment as Silver City Plaza. Although the business ceased operating years earlier and the physical property was removed, a Silver City Casino marquee remained on Convention Center Drive as of November 2021. The property is therefore remembered as a former Las Vegas Strip casino whose identity persisted through its signage and redevelopment history.
History
Silver City Casino opened in 1974 in Winchester, Nevada, on the Las Vegas Strip. Its founder, Major Riddle, developed it on the site previously occupied by Riata Casino, a property that had opened in 1973 but lasted less than a year. Silver City began as a standalone casino rather than as a large hotel-resort complex. In 1981, Circus Circus Enterprises bought the casino for a reported $30 million. The new owner renovated both the inside and outside of the property. A decade later, in 1991, Silver City adopted a ban on cigarette smoking. This made it the first Las Vegas Strip casino identified as having such a policy, giving the relatively small property a distinctive place in local casino history. The property's ownership and development prospects changed again in the 1990s. United Leisure acquired the 8.5-acre site in early 1997 and contemplated replacing or expanding the existing operation with a hotel-casino. In October 1999, Luke Brugnara purchased Silver City from United Casino Holdings LLC for a reported $31.5 million. At that time, Mandalay Resort Group operated the approximately 20,000-square-foot casino under a lease. The property employed about 150 people, but it closed on October 31, 1999. Brugnara had applied for a Nevada gaming license before the closure, yet the application was still undergoing a pre-licensing investigation. That prevented him from reopening the casino under his ownership. His redevelopment concepts included a comprehensive renovation, the demolition of the neighboring Las Vegas Shopping Plaza, and the construction of restaurants. Walgreens opened at the property in November 1999. By January 2000, Brugnara was promoting a San Francisco-themed hotel-casino concept, with a multimillion-dollar renovation and a possible opening around 2002. The Nevada Gaming Control Board rejected Brugnara's gaming-license request in March 2001. He initially suggested that he might sue the regulator but subsequently dropped that intention. He was reported to be pursuing another application by July 2001, but the property did not resume casino operations. In May 2002, Brugnara sold the casino and 3.5 acres to Angelo, Gordon & Co., which planned to demolish the building and construct a Ross clothing store. Brugnara kept six acres of vacant land behind the casino and later promoted a proposed 24-story, 304-room resort named Tycoon. The concept was to be designed by Lee Linton and was associated with an estimated $100 million development cost, but it did not revive Silver City Casino. Demolition took place in 2004, and the site was redeveloped as Silver City Plaza. The casino brand consequently became defunct as an operating business and as a physical venue. Nevertheless, a Silver City Casino marquee remained on Convention Center Drive as of November 2021, preserving a visible reminder of the former property.
- 2004
Casino building demolished
[1]The former casino was demolished for development of Silver City Plaza.
- 2001
Gaming-license request rejected
[1]The Nevada Gaming Control Board rejected Brugnara's request for a license to operate the casino.
- 1999
Casino closes after Brugnara purchase
[1]Luke Brugnara acquired the property, but Silver City closed on October 31 while his gaming-license review was pending.
- 1997
United Leisure acquires the property
[1]United Leisure bought the 8.5-acre site and planned a hotel-casino development.
- 1991
Smoking ban introduced
[1]Silver City became the first Las Vegas Strip casino described as banning cigarette smoking.
- 1981
Circus Circus Enterprises purchases the casino
[1]Circus Circus Enterprises acquired Silver City for a reported $30 million and renovated the property.
- 1974
Silver City Casino opens
[1]Major Riddle opened Silver City Casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada.
- 1973
Riata Casino opens and closes
[1]The short-lived Riata Casino opened on the future Silver City site and closed in less than a year.
Products and positioning
A compact Las Vegas Strip casino property that later became notable for its early no-smoking policy and repeated redevelopment proposals.
Casino gaming · 1974
Silver City Casino gaming floor
The casino's principal offering was its gaming operation on the Las Vegas Strip. Available source material identifies the venue as a casino and gives an approximate floor area of 20,000 square feet near the end of its operating life, but does not provide a reliable itemized account of its table games, machines, restaurants, or entertainment program.
Brand decisions
2004
Demolition and conversion to Silver City PlazaStrategyBackground
The former casino had been closed since 1999 and was no longer being restored as an operating gaming venue.
Action taken
The casino building was demolished and the site was redeveloped as a shopping center known as Silver City Plaza.
Aftermath
Silver City Casino became a defunct brand and property, although its marquee remained on Convention Center Drive as of November 2021.
2002
Sale of the casino property to Angelo, Gordon & Co.M&ABackground
Brugnara's casino project had not reopened after the licensing setback, and redevelopment plans continued to change.
Action taken
He sold the casino and 3.5 acres to Angelo, Gordon & Co.; the buyer planned to demolish the casino and develop a Ross clothing store.
Aftermath
Brugnara retained six acres behind the casino and later proposed the Tycoon hotel-casino concept, while the original casino property was eventually demolished.
1999
Closure pending redevelopment and licensingStrategyBackground
After Luke Brugnara purchased the property, his Nevada gaming-license application was still under pre-licensing investigation.
Action taken
Silver City closed on October 31, while Brugnara pursued plans for a remodel and a future hotel-casino.
Aftermath
The casino never resumed operations, and later ownership changes led to demolition and retail redevelopment.
1991
Adoption of a casino-wide smoking banStrategyBackground
Silver City operated in a Las Vegas market where smoking was common in casinos, making a complete cigarette-smoking ban a notable operating choice.
Action taken
The property prohibited cigarette smoking and became the first Las Vegas Strip casino described as adopting such a ban.
Aftermath
The policy became one of the casino's most distinctive historical characteristics. The available reference does not quantify its effect on visitation or finances.
Sources1 sources
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