Bodine's to have tallest business sign in city

Bodine's Casino can have a 42-foot tall sign, more than twice the city limit, when it opens in February, the Carson City Planning Commission said Wednesday.

Many other city casinos have permits that allow them to have signs higher than the 20-foot limit, but this would be the tallest business sign in the city - barely.

North Carson Crossing has a 40-foot sign and the new Harley-Davidson store is scheduled to have one, too. This summer, Casino Fandango on South Carson Street had two 35-foot signs approved.

A special sign code might be a good idea sometime, said city planning Director Walt Sullivan. In 2006, the city passed a special sign code for auto dealerships allowing them signs of 32 feet without special approval.

When it opens on the former Bodine's restaurant site at South Carson Street and Old Clear Creek Road, the casino will be 66,000 square feet and employee 125 to 150 people. The casino is co-owned by Arizona businessman Mike Pegram and the Carano family, who run the Eldorado Hotel Casino in Reno.

CBS sent a letter to Pegram this summer asking him to change the name of the casino, because it was used in the network's 1960s television series, "The Beverly Hillbillies."

Pegram has said the name was taken from the former restaurant and that the casino won't change its name.

The commission also approved:

• An ordinance change that would allow up to three signs advertising an "open house" to be placed off the actual property. Realtors have said this is important because the majority of home sales result from sign advertising.

• A permit to allow S and W Feed to display farm equipment outside its store when it moves across the street to 2292 S. Carson St.

• A permit to allow an auto retail office in a commercial coach while a new Suzuki dealership is being built on South Carson Street.



• Contact reporter Dave Frank at dfrank@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.