Friday, June 06, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

A landmark changes hands

Car dealer acquiring Henderson's locals-friendly Skyline Casino for $10.5 million

Auto dealer Jim Marsh, left, is buying the 40-year-old Skyline Restaurant & Casino, from John Kish, right. Kish made the Boulder Highway-and-Sunset Road gambling landmark famous with his father by offering bargain prime rib and porterhouse steak dinners. Photo by Clint Karlsen.

The locals casino made by offering $2.95 prime rib dinners in 1962 is being sold.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board has approved the sale of the more than 40-year-old Skyline Restaurant & Casino on Boulder Highway at Sunset Road in Henderson to car dealer Jim Marsh.

Current owner John Kish, who has owned and operated the property since 1977, is retiring and selling the Henderson landmark for $10.5 million.

The sale was considered noncontroversial, and the only issue before the agency Wednesday was whether "Mr. Marsh has enough key employees for coverage," said control board Chairman Dennis Neilander.

The Skyline casino will be the first Clark County gaming property for Marsh, who already owns the Banc Club and Tonopah Station, an affiliate of Ramada Inn, in Tonopah and the Longstreet Inn in Amargosa Valley.

The sale, which is subject to final approval June 19 by the Nevada Gaming Commission, is expected to close by the end of June.

The casino at 1741 Boulder Highway with 500 feet of street frontage features 450 slot machines, four table games, a bar, a lounge, a dance floor, a coffee shop and three dining rooms.

Neilander said Marsh will initially run the casino himself though he is working to hire a general manager.

Marsh, a 30-year veteran of the automobile business, also owns Jim Marsh Chrysler Jeep on Centennial Parkway and Jim Marsh Mazda on Sahara Avenue.

Marsh said he is looking forward to being "pretty much hands-on at first."

The appeal of the casino business for him, he said, is the fast pace and the chance it gives him to develop personal relationships with his customers and employees. He will retain the present work force and is planning only cosmetic changes in the casino.

"We will also tweak the food operation," Marsh said.

Why change a winning formula?

"John Kish and his father did a great job of establishing it as a locals casino and restaurant," Marsh said. "We're planning to continue the tradition."

When Kish's father built the casino in 1962, he hired an operator to manage the then-4,000-square-foot property. John Kish became part owner of the restaurant-casino in 1975, took over its management in 1977, and over the years expanded it to 30,000 square feet.

David Atwell, a long time casino-hotel broker, represented Marsh and Robert Deiro and Associates represented Kish in the sale.