Ex-Nevada lieutenant governor, Reno mayor Bob Cashell dies at 81
RENO — Bob Cashell, a former Reno mayor and Nevada lieutenant governor, has died, his family announced Tuesday. He was 81.
“It is with an extremely heavy heart to learn of the passing of Mayor Bob Cashell,” Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve said in a statement. “He touched so many lives with his larger than life personality. He loved the entire Reno community like they were his very own family. His legacy will forever be remembered as one of Reno’s greatest. We all love you, Cash, and will miss you more than you ever know.”
Cashell served three terms as mayor of Reno from 2002 to 2014, during which he oversaw and supported the construction of the Reno Aces baseball stadium in downtown Reno, a new City Hall and other projects.
Originally from Longview, Texas, Cashell and his wife Nancy moved to Nevada in 1964.
He got his start in state politics after he was elected to the Board of Regents in 1979, where he served as chairman during his first and only term. In 1982, he was elected as the state’s lieutenant governor as a Democrat before switching his party registration to Republican shortly after taking office in 1983. He served alongside Gov. Richard Bryan, where the two helped create the Nevada Commission on Economic Development and Nevada Commission on Tourism. Cashell would go on to serve as chair of both.
He was also a prominent businessman during his 50-plus years in Northern Nevada. He worked as the chairman of the hotel, casino and resort management company Cashell Enterprises. In 1967, he bought a truck stop on the road between Reno and Truckee, California that he renamed Boomtown Reno and transformed into a resort casino.
“He was a true Nevada icon. As a local business leader and dedicated public servant, Bob was an inspiration to many in our community and his lifetime of contributions to the Silver State will certainly leave a lasting legacy,” Nevada Rep. Mark Amodei said in a statement. “This is a great loss for Nevada and my thoughts go out to his family during this difficult time. Rest in peace my friend.”
Contact Capital Bureau Chief Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ColtonLochhead on Twitter.
