Rural Nevada casinos do not come and go. Only their owners seem to. And when you live out here, such changes are usually meaningful.

Take the past 20 or so years in Tonopah.

First, we had the status quo of local owners and operators. We knew who held the gaming licenses; they went through state Gaming Commission scrutiny and approval like you-know-what through a goose.

Then Frank Scott, revered in Las Vegas and forever beloved in Tonopah, came along. He purchased the stately Mizpah Hotel and sunk millions into its refurbishment.

Thank God for Frank Scott. Too bad the golden touch did not last.

Recently, Jim Marsh, with the same respect of locals, came along. He purchased and refurbished the two major gaming properties in town.

Thank God for Jim Marsh. Too bad a big project hasn't come along to revitalize the local economy and help repay his investment. Tonopah awaits its next patron saint.

But while Tonopah stagnates, look what's happening up the road in Fallon. Locals were abuzz last summer, and the Lahontan Valley News and Fallon Eagle Standard were filled with big casino news last month. Although sale speculation started last year, the newspaper's headline recently proclaimed, "Ownership Change of Stockman's Expected Feb. 1." Turns out the Stockman's Casino, the fine local joint and dining establishment, along with the adjacent Holiday Inn Express, were changing hands from owner James R. Peters to Full House Resorts Inc.

The significance of the ownership transfer was brought home recently when I found an open letter to patrons of Stockman's from Full House Resorts in a Northern Nevada newspaper.

Names appearing on the Gaming Commission agenda relative to Full House Resorts include Andre Marc Hilliou, president and chief executive officer; Barth Frederic Aaron, secretary and general counsel; and James Duane Meier, chief financial officer and treasurer.

But further down the list was a name that caught my eye: director and shareholder Lido Anthony Iacocca.

Wait a minute -- is that Lee Iacocca? You know, the guy from Chrysler and Ford?

Why, yes, it is. And he even signed his name to the newspaper advertisement that included his familiar photo. I guess things are still popping in rural Nevada gaming.

He wrote: "I just wanted to tell you, the residents of Fallon and Churchill County, how happy we are to become part of your community. ... The Stockman's is the premier casino in Fallon. With the excellent management team already in place and with the support of Full House Resorts' executive team, I can assure you that we will continue to provide you with a quality and hassle-free customer experience."

Iacocca goes on to explain how his friend, Allen Paulson, founded Full House Resorts 17 years ago and brought him in as a partner.

He also touts Full House Resorts' "track record of success" with projects in Delaware, South Dakota, Oregon, Michigan, New Mexico, Montana and "of course, here in Fallon."

He pledges, "We will continue to provide you with the best and most popular slot machines, casino games and the best Players Club in town."

This may sound like "much ado about nothing" to Las Vegans who are accustomed to big announcements and ownership changes in the casino industry. However, to the people of Fallon, I am sure it is very special.

They might lament the loss of ownership by the familiar Peters family. After all, the days of family ownership in gaming have few remaining holdovers like the Carranos of the Eldorado and Silver Legacy in Reno.

But now Fallon residents can call Lee Iacocca one of their own, just like Tonopah claims Jim Marsh and the late Frank Scott.

One can only hope that Iacocca and his fellow Full House Resort gamers someday experience a minor engine problem with one of their private jets during a Fallon-to-Las Vegas run. They might have to land for repairs at Tonopah International Airport.

If they do, I'll be glad to give them a local tour. Maybe they will find something here they would like to call their own.

Bill Roberts is a veteran journalist in Tonopah. His column appears every other Wednesday. Contact him at broberts@ reviewjournal.com.