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May 21, 2004
ALLEYS AND AISLES Nugget begins bowling alley, movie theater
By MARK WAITE
The completion date for the bowling alley and movie theater is projected to be next March, according to Bill Ensign, managing partner in Generation 2000, owners of the Pahrump Nugget. Generation 2000 is building the bowling alley, Rod Fox, co-owner of Foxfire Services, is building the theater. "If everything goes well the movie theaters will be completed at the same time (as the bowling alley)," Ensign said. The $5 million in improvements will almost double the size of the existing casino, with 41,751 square feet for the theater and 26,000 square feet for the bowling alley. The Pahrump Nugget Casino, which measures 90,000 square feet, opened its doors in March 2001. "Over the last three years the community has been very supportive of us, patronized us and now it's time for us to give back to the community," Ensign said. While officials broke ground Tuesday, Ensign said he hasn't submitted plans yet for the bowling alley with the Pahrump Building and Safety Department. Fox submitted plans for the theater, which are currently under review. Pahrump has been without a bowling alley since the Mountain View Casino burned down April 29, 2003. Pahrump hasn't had a movie theater since the last movie aired at the Pahrump Theaters on Calvada Boulevard on April 26, 2001. Members of local bowling leagues, who have had to travel to places in Las Vegas like Sam's Town and The Orleans to bowl, were in attendance during the ceremony. When the Pahrump Nugget Casino opened over three years ago, officials planned to build a movie theater as part of a phase two, but the builder fell through, Ensign said, and those plans were delayed. Generation 2000 built the Kids Venture instead, a large play area. During the third anniversary celebration at the Nugget in March, Ensign predicted a groundbreaking for the bowling alley and movie theaters before June 1, with an opening by the end of this year. Ensign said while the bowling alley and movie theater are under construction the Pahrump Nugget Casino would also be expanded to the north, to include an additional bar, a stage and dance area. The bingo area will be relocated to where the Kids Venture is now located, the Kids Venture will move across the hall to where the arcade is now. Unique Builder Company LLC, the company that built the Pahrump Nugget, will construct the additions. Fox said he's had 23 years experience in the business installing theaters. He sees the potential for business in Pahrump. "People are out here, it's a great venue for their family entertainment. The public is needing that and we're looking to provide that service to the community," Fox said. The movie theater and bowling alley are expected to attract more patrons to the intersection of highways 160 and 372, the center of town, in what is getting to become the "Pahrump strip." "It's going to become the entertainment center of the greater Pahrump area," Fox predicted. The Pahrump Nugget had live entertainment after it opened in 2001, but that area has now been converted into the sports book. The north expansion will again allow the casino to offer live music. "After this is done there will be music every weekend," Pahrump Nugget Marketing Director Lori Dollar said. "The entertainment will be different each weekend." |
