The Nevada Gaming Commission approved the acquisition of the Pahrump Nugget Hotel and Gambling Hall by Golden Gaming Inc. last Thursday.

The company is acquiring the Nugget from Generation 2000 LLC, whose owners include the family of U.S. Sen. John Ensign and William Richardson.

Generation 2000 has owned the Pahrump Nugget since the building was constructed and opened in March 2001.

Golden Gaming is owned 100 percent by the Blake L. Sartini and Delise F. Sartini Family Trust.

The Gaming Control Board recommended approval subject to four conditions that were adopted by the Nevada Gaming Commission: that a key employee application for a general manager be filed within 60 days; that a license won't be issued until loan documents and pledge agreement have been approved by the Gaming Control Board chairman; that a surveillance system be installed, reviewed and administratively approved as a Category B standard within 90 days or issuance of the license; and the Gaming Control Board chairman be notified in writing if the casino offers gambling credit to patrons beyond check cashing.

Golden Gaming encompasses subsidiaries that operate low-stake casinos in Colorado, and are Nevada's largest tavern operator with 43 establishments under the name PTs Gold and PTs Pub; and run a slot route with more than 2,500 slot machines at over 200 locations throughout Nevada.

Sartini said some internal improvements are planned at the resort, with plenty of room for expansion on 38 acres at the main intersection of Highway 160 and 372 in Pahrump. But he told the Associated Press, "We don't want to get too far ahead of the market out there."

The Pahrump Nugget Hotel and Gambling Hall has 70 hotel rooms, 553 slot machines, 10 tables games, a sports book, poker room, restaurants, bowling alleys, banquet space, bingo and the Kids Venture play area.

The licenses have all been approved and the company is just putting the finishing touches on its financing packages, according to Steve Arcana, vice-president of operations for Golden Gaming.

"A lot of times this type of transaction will make more accounting sense to happen at the end of the month," Steve Arcana said. "Our official take over date is midnight Nov. 1."

The licensing process was very routine, he said. General Manager Jeremy Jenson will file papers as the licensee. The conditions on filing loan documents are a formality and the casino will be required to have manned, 24-hour surveillance, he said.

Arcana didn't show his cards yet on any renovation or expansion plans.

"We're just going to evaluate the current operation. We'll discuss current growth and development as those opportunities present themselves," Arcana said.

All the 310 employees have gone through a process of submitting job applications with the new company and have gone through the company orientation, he said.

"They're basically being hired back," Arcana said.

The Nye County Commission last week voted to approve an application to rezone the 38-acre Pahrump Nugget site to general commercial for future expansion.

The announcement of the takeover of the Pahrump Nugget last June came at the same time as the sale of the Saddle West Hotel and Casino, a longtime Pahrump establishment, by Aces High Management, with a majority ownership interest by prominent Las Vegas developer Anthony Marnell III.

The Marnell family recently announced plans to acquire two casinos in Laughlin to add to their gaming properties.