County
rejects Beverly Hillbillies casino derrick
by Susie Vasquez
January 6, 2008
It's back to the drawing board for Max Baer Jr. and his proposed signature oil
derrick after commissioners denied a variance Thursday, saying the developers
did not meet the needed criteria.
The proposed 143-foot oil derrick was pared down from its original 200-foot
height and the readerboard decreased to 2,364 from 2,600 square feet. County
code allows a maximum sign height of 30 feet and sign area of 115 square feet.
The proposal for the Jethro Bodine's Beverly Hillbillies Mansion & Casino
did not meet the basic criteria for a variance, according to some
commissioners.
"It will cause material damage to other properties in the area," said
Commission Chairman Doug Johnson. "The circumstances and conditions for
this sign do not apply to surrounding properties."
The decision was 4-1, with commissioners Johnson, David Brady, Jim Baushke and
Nancy McDermid voting to deny Baer's appeal. Commissioner Kelly Kite cast the
opposition vote.
"Anything higher than the building is a deal-breaker for me, but now that
height is lower," Kite said. "It's not going to be readily visible
from Carson Valley and we'll be getting space for emergency responders and
increased communications. It will attract visitors to the site. That's what we
want."
Don Smit, spokesman for the casino project, said they aren't giving up. Their
staff will be working very hard to find a solution seen as good for both
Douglas County and the casino.
"We'll be working on this every day," Smit said. "But we can't
minimize the importance of this monument, nor the need for appropriate signage
for this type of structure."
Commissioners approved zoning and variances for the casino in north Douglas
County last fall. Part of the larger Riverwood commercial complex, the casino
will be located on about 23 acres opposite Carson Valley Plaza.
Phase one of Baer's project includes a 40,000 square foot gaming area with 800
slots and 16 tables, a showroom, cinema complex and a five story, 240 room
hotel.
Hillbilly casino backers to reveal derrick plans
by Susie Vasquez
December 14,
2007
Oil derrick
plans for Jethro Bodine's Beverly Hillbillies Mansion & Casino will be
unveiled at two public meetings, slated for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Indian
Hills General meeting room and 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the CVIC Hall in Minden.
Plans for the
casino and spa originally included a 200-foot oil derrick, but the Douglas
County Board of Comissioners objected to the height and 2,600-square-foot size
of the integrated readerboard. Plans have been revised and right now,
developers are proposing a 143-foot height substantially below the placement of
the hotel, project spokesman Don Smit said.
"We've
been working hard on this," he said. "The intent has always been to
make the derrick an attraction and it's been evolving throughout the entire
design process.
"We have
to give a reason for the derrick and now, the drawings are done. We like the
concept and we're in the process of refining it," he said.
The proposal
includes a tie to Riverwood retail center with an interpretive trail, Smit
said.
Next week's
meetings have not been sanctioned by Douglas County officials, but developer
Max Baer and other members of the group want the community to see the derrick
before a decision is made at the upcoming Jan. 3 Board of County Commissioners
meeting.
"The
presentation will last about an hour and we will take comments," Smit
said. "But if residents have an objection, the time to voice that will be
with the commission. We want them to go to that meeting with some knowledge of
our proposal."
Located on 23
acres between Topsy Lane and Sunridge Drive in the Indian Hills area, the
proposed $120 million casino and spa require height variances well over the
45-foot limit.
The project
received approval for the zoning change and a gaming-use permit, but got
tangled up concerning the variance approvals for two 143-foot, 12-story towers,
200-foot oil derrick and 2,600-square-foot readerboard.
The 143-foot
hotel towers were approved by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners Aug. 2,
but the derrick has been the subject of revisions for months.
Plans for a
revised oil derrick were pulled off the commission agenda in December, but will
be heard during their regular January 3 meeting, Smit said.
Susie Vasquez
can be reached at svasquez@recordcourier.com
or 782-5121, ext. 211.
What: Plans
for Beverly Hillbillies oil derrick unveiled
When: 6:30
p.m. Tuesday or Thursday
Where:
Tuesday's meeting at the Indian Hills General Improvement District meeting
room, 3394 James Lee Park Rd. Thursday's meeting will be held at the CVIC Hall
in downtown Minden, 1602 Esmeralda Ave.
Hillbillies casino zoning granted
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by Susie Vasquez
October 14,
2007
Jethro
Bodine's "Beverly Hillbillies" Mansion & Casino came one step
closer to reality Thursday, when a zoning map amendment and gaming district
overlay were approved by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners.
The vote was
3-2, with commissioners Doug Johnson and David Brady casting the two dissenting
votes.
"If it
were just a casino I wouldn't be for it, but it's so much more than that,"
said Commissioner Jim Baushke. "If it comes to fruition, it will include a
conference center, hotel and retail space. If he (developer Max Baer) can fill
those conference rooms, it will mean a lot of revenue for a lot of people.
"We can
argue the numbers all day long but the basic thing, if it's built as proposed,
it will be better for Douglas County than pure retail space," he said.
Johnson said
he has never disagreed more with the board than he does now. There are numerous
unrestricted gaming overlays in Douglas County where casinos have never been
developed, but once approved, the zoning is permanent.
"If the
casino does succeed, we don't know what it will do for us financially," he
said. "If it's a huge success, get ready for more."
Plans for the
casino project include a 40,000-square-foot gaming area with 800 slot machines
and 16 tables, a showroom, restaurants, cinema complex and two five-story,
240-room hotel towers.
Baer still
needs a variance for his proposed oil derrick and readerboard.
Commissioner
Kelly Kite said the project was not his first choice, but the zoning was
planned eight years ago.
"I see no
reason to make a change," he said.
Lyla Lane
resident Jerry Vaccaro said the project was pushed through too quickly and
there are a lot of unanswered questions. He said it doesn't enhance the quality
of life for Douglas County residents.
"They can
say they will be successful, but there's no guarantee," he said.
"We've already given Riverwood (developers) $24.7 million in redevelopment
funds because they say a lot of dirt needs to be moved and the site doesn't
accomodate what they are proposing.
"We gave
$24.7 million in redevelopment funds because they have to move tons of
dirt."
Discussions
concerning an appeal over a proposed 200-foot oil derrick, sign area and the
number of sign faces agendized for the proposed casino were continued to Dec.
6.
With oil derrick out of way, Beverly
Hillbillies casino strikes gold
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by Kurt Hildebrand
August 6,
2007
With
no 200-foot oil derrick to tie them down, proponents of the Beverly Hillbillies
Mansion and Casino were able to win approval of their project in northern
Douglas County.
Commissioners
voted 3-2 on five issues related to the project with Kelly Kite, Jim Baushke
and Nancy McDermid voting in favor and Doug Johnson and David Brady voting
against throughout the seven-hour hearing, which ended at 1 a.m. Friday.
Beverly Hillbillies
star Max Baer Jr. asked commissioners to separate the sign from the rest of the
issue.
Casino spokesman
Don Smit told commissioners they were in negotiations with staff over the sign,
which was unanimously panned by planning commissioners last month.
However, Smit said a request for a variance on the height of
two towers was required for the project to go forward.
The height variance was denied by the Douglas County
Planning Commission at their July 10 meeting. The first issue before county
commissioners on Thursday was an appeal of the planning commission decision by
casino proponents.
Public comment tended to be split on the issue, with
principal planner Harmon Zuckerman saying letters received by the county
commission were divided evenly.
“Nothing bad can
come from this,” resident David Schuman said. “It is in the urban interface
area and isn’t visible from the Valley.”
Carson Valley
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jenney Sartin told commissioners that a
survey of members revealed overwhelming support for the casino. She said
a third of the members replied to the survey and that 80 percent backed the
project.
Sunridge
resident Gary Wheeler opposed the casino. “I don’t want a casino in my
neighborhood,” he said. “You can’t drive around a casino and say ‘I sure want
to live here.”
Gardnerville
resident Jack Van Dien said he supported the project, but thought commissioners
should not approve it without knowing what impact it would have on Douglas
County’s budget.
The biggest opponent
of the casino was its neighbor, Big George Ventures, which asked commissioners
to delay approval so they could work out their differences.
Big George
spokesman Robbe Lehmann told the board he didn’t oppose casinos, but that the
towers would rise above Georgetown affecting their property value.
During his presentation on the towers, Smit showed
commissioners views of the casino from a variety of locations.
In those views, the casino sign and towers were not visible
from Carson Valley. Smit said the towers were similar in height to the
Ormsby House. “You couldn’t put a Stations casino there,” Smit said.
“They would be asking for the same thing we are.”
Baer read two
letters from other developers into the record in support of the project.
Big
George Ventures owner Raymond Sidney told commissioners that he was in favor of
a casino in the right place. “Maybe they
need this variance because they are trying to put it in the wrong place,” he
said.
Kite said the
project isn’t what he would prefer to have on the site, but that he couldn’t
turn down something that would raise money for the county at the same time
commissioners are seeking tax increases from residents.
McDermid
said that while she opposed the derrick height, she had no problem with approving
the variance for the casino towers because of the topography. “I want to
put you guys in a room until you work this out and come out with a project that
really makes us say ‘aha,’” she said.
Baushke said the
issue came down to two things. “Do we want a destination resort?” he asked. “I
think the public opinion is weighted on the ‘yes’ side. Is where it is proposed
the best location in the county? It is,” he said.
Brady opposed the
height variance saying he felt the applicant had failed to bring forward any
new information and he saw no reason to overturn the planning commission
decision. “I think most people didn’t move here for a mini-Vegas or
mini-Reno,” he said.
Johnson said he believed it would be difficult for
commissioners to deny future projects seeking similar heights.
After approving the appeal of the height variance,
commissioners denied Big George’s appeal of the casino’s special use permit and
approved a zone change and gaming district overlay and the first reading of an
ordinance that will allow the casino to go forward.
“The key
question is how does it benefit Douglas County,” Brady said during debate on
the ordinance. “I don’t think it does. We are pursuing more gaming when Indian
gaming is up.”
In a concession to
Big George, casino proponents agreed to delay second reading of the ordinance
until Oct. 11. A second reading of the ordinance permitting Big George to go
forward was also delayed until that date in an effort to give the neighboring
projects time to work out a unified plan.
Lehmann also agreed to a delay of a request by Big George
Ventures to increase the density of the project by 200 units.
Smit said casino proponents would support higher density on
the Big George project, but said he would not promise that the two property
owners would be able to work out their differences.
Derrick's departure lets dominoes fall
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by Kurt Hildebrand
August 5, 2007
With
no 200-foot oil derrick to tie them down, proponents of the Beverly Hillbillies
Mansion and Casino were able to win approval of their project in northern
Douglas County.
Commissioners voted
3-2 on five issues related to the project with Kelly Kite, Jim Baushke and
Nancy McDermid voting in favor and Doug Johnson and David Brady voting against
throughout the seven-hour hearing, which ended at 1 a.m. Friday.
"Beverly
Hillbillies" star Max Baer Jr. asked commissioners to separate the sign
from the rest of the issue.
Casino spokesman
Don Smit told commissioners they were in negotiations with staff over the sign,
which was unanimously panned by planning commissioners last month.
However, Smit said
a request for a variance on the height of two towers was required for the
project to go forward.
The height variance
was denied by the Douglas County Planning Commission at their July 10 meeting.
The first issue before county commissioners on Thursday was an appeal of the
planning commission decision by casino proponents.
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Public comment tended to
be split on the issue, with principal planner Harmon Zuckerman saying letters
received by the county commission were divided evenly.
"Nothing bad
can come from this," resident David Schuman said. "It is in the urban
interface area and isn't visible from the Valley."
Carson Valley
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jenney Sartin told commissioners that a
survey of members revealed overwhelming support for the casino.
She said a third of
the members replied to the survey and that 80 percent backed the project.
Sunridge resident
Gary Wheeler opposed the casino.
"I don't want
a casino in my neighborhood," he said. "You can't drive around a
casino and say 'I sure want to live here.'"
Gardnerville
resident Jack Van Dien said he supported the project, but thought commissioners
should not approve it without knowing what impact it would have on Douglas
County's budget.
The biggest
opponent of the casino was its neighbor, Big George Ventures, which asked
commissioners to delay approval so they could work out their differences.
Big George
spokesman Robbe Lehmann told the board he didn't oppose casinos, but that the
towers would rise above Georgetown affecting their property value.
During his
presentation on the towers, Smit showed commissioners views of the casino from
a variety of locations.
In those views, the
casino sign and towers were not visible from Carson Valley.
Smit said the
towers were similar in height to the Ormsby House.
"You couldn't
put a Stations casino there," Smit said. "They would be asking for
the same thing we are."
Baer read two
letters from other developers into the record in support of the project.
Big George Ventures
owner Raymond Sidney told commissioners that he was in favor of a casino in the
right place.
"Maybe they
need this variance because they are trying to put it in the wrong place,"
he said.
Kite said the
project isn't what he would prefer to have on the site, but that he couldn't
turn down something that would raise money for the county at the same time
commissioners are seeking tax increases from residents.
McDermid said while
she opposed the derrick height, she had no problem with approving the variance
for the casino towers because of the topography.
"I want to put
you guys in a room until you work this out and come out with a project that
really makes us say 'aha,'" she said.
Baushke said the
issue came down to two things.
"Do we want a
destination resort?" he asked. "I think the public opinion is
weighted on the 'yes' side. Is where it is proposed the best location in the
county? It is," he said.
Brady opposed the height
variance saying he felt the applicant had failed to bring forward any new
information and he saw no reason to overturn the planning commission decision.
"I think most
people didn't move here for a mini-Vegas or mini-Reno," he said.
Johnson said he believed
it would be difficult for commissioners to deny future projects seeking similar
heights.
After approving the
appeal of the height variance, commissioners denied Big George's appeal of the
casino's special use permit and approved a zone change and gaming district
overlay and the first reading of an ordinance that will allow the casino to go
forward.
"The key
question is how does it benefit Douglas County," Brady said during debate
on the ordinance. "I don't think it does. We are pursuing more gaming when
Indian gaming is up."
In a concession to
Big George, casino proponents agreed to delay second reading of the ordinance
until Oct. 11. A second reading of the ordinance permitting Big George to go
forward was also delayed until that date in an effort to give the neighboring
projects time to work out a unified plan.
Lehmann also agreed
to a delay of a request by Big George Ventures to increase the density of the
project by 200 units.
Smit said casino
proponents would support higher density on the Big George project, but said he
would not promise that the two property owners would be able to work out their
differences.
Douglas commissioners OK Hillbilly
casino
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Associated Press
August 4, 2007
MINDEN - Douglas County commissioners early Friday gave narrow
approval to allow Max Baer Jr. to build a hotel-casino in northern Douglas
County that includes two 143-foot hotel towers.
But commissioners
postponed a decision on variances to allow a 200-foot oil derrick and huge
reader board that Baer says is needed to draw visitors to his proposed Beverly
Hillbillies resort.
Baer played the
dimwitted Jethro Bodine on the 1960s television sitcom.
A public hearing on
the project ran well into the night, with the 3-2 vote coming around 1 a.m.
Friday.
Approval of the
twin towers overruled a nonbinding vote of the Douglas Planning Commission,
which denied Baer's request for the towers.
Baer wants to build
his project on a 23-acre site near the Carson City line.
The zoning changes
approved early Friday must also pass a second reading before commissioners.
Issues surrounding the derrick and zoning are scheduled to be discussed at
commission's Oct. 11 meeting.
Commissioners Kelly
Kite, Nancy McDermid and James Baushke voted for the rezoning, special use
permit and height variance for the towers. Commission chairman Doug Johnson and
David J. Brady voted against the measures.
"I feel good
that I didn't get denied," Baer said afterward. "I feel better than I
did when I was before the planning commission.
"I would much
rather have had it been unanimous," he said. "Like anybody, I want to
be liked by everybody, not just three out of five."
Some Douglas
residents told commissioners the derrick would be an eyesore, harming the
natural beauty of the area.
Baer and his
representatives said they were willing to work with the county's planning staff
to find compromise on the derrick.
During the meeting,
opponents and supporters traded comments to commissioners in heated debate.
Many who opposed
the project said they lived near the proposed site.
"It's easy to
vote for a project in someone else's neighborhood," said Tom Davis,
president of the North Valley Concerned Citizens.
Others were
surprised the project is close to fruition.
"I never paid
much attention to this project because I never figured it would fly,"
resident Gary Wheeler said. "I don't want a casino in my neighborhood.
I've got a family. You can't drive anywhere around a casino and say I sure
would love to live here. "
Others saw the
project as a way to generate needed tax money.
Robert Miller, a
partner of Baer's, told commissioners that the project would generate $4.5
million in one-time fees, $3 million annually to the county by 2014 and $16
million in taxes from 2008 to 2014.
"This would be
a source of room tax receipts," resident David Schumann said. "The
county has proposed new taxes. Here's a way to get them without having to go to
the homeowners."
Baer's plan for
similar projects in Reno and Carson City never panned out.
Gaming board recommends
casino license for Max Baer Jr.
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Geoff Dornan
Appeal Capitol
Bureau
August 11, 2005
Max Baer Jr.
won a unanimous recommendation Wednesday to be granted a gaming license at a
North Las Vegas club.
The Gaming
Commission is expected to approve the Gaming Control Board recommendation at
its meeting later this month.
But Baer made
it clear his real reason for seeking the license is to grease the path toward
opening his Beverly Hillbillies casino in Carson City.
He told the
board he and his partner Roger Cameras will own 10 percent of the North Las
Vegas club.
John Karras,
who has extensive experience in management with several Atlantic City casinos,
is buying 90 percent and will actually operate the Beverly Hillbillies Gambler
Casino.
Baer said he
expects things to break loose on the Carson City project, which he wants to
build in the old Wal-Mart building on South Carson Street, but has run into
opposition from others in the mall.
"I have
not been the impediment to putting things up," he told the board in
response to questions about the Carson City project. "We have the
financing. Glenbrook Realty and J.C. Penney have been the impediment."
Baer, who
played Jethro Bodine in the 1960s television series "Beverly
Hillbillies," said it makes no sense to him that anyone in the mall
opposes the project. He said the project includes 240 hotel rooms and will draw
more business to Carson City.
"It's my
intention to put a shovel in the ground by June of next year," he said.
He said the
first step in the process came eight months ago when he won initial licensing
to participate in the North Las Vegas casino.
He said he
needed to put the Beverly Hillbillies logo on some casino before his option
with CBS to use the theme expired.
He said a
gaming license is his goal now so that, when the Carson City project is ready,
it will be much simpler and quicker to license him to run it.