By Amy Baratta
Reed Travel Features
ASH MEADOWS, Nev. -- Building the Longstreet Inn, Casino &
R.V. Park here took five years from start to finish, but to
proprietor Jim Marsh, it was worth the wait. According to Marsh,
who was looking to establish a gaming operation near the
Nevada-California state line, the U.S. government owns more than
three-quarters of the state's land, so finding private property
that was for sale was one challenge and finding that property in a
good location was another.
However, Marsh found and bought his state-line land in the
Amargosa Valley -- situated 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, near
Highway 373. "It was the last remaining highway of significance
that did not have a casino," Marsh said. Then he tried to find a
development partner. "My original intent was not to develop the
property," Marsh said. "I tried to get someone else to do it." When
that failed, he said, "I decided to design [the property] and do it
myself."
Thus was born the idea for the Longstreet Inn, Casino & R.V.
Park, which opened last year, when the property's gaming license
went into effect. The 60-room inn -- named for gunslinger, settler,
miner and gambler Jack Longstreet -- includes 43 standard rooms,
three designed for travelers with disabilities and 14 mini-suites
that feature gas fireplaces, patios or balconies and views of the
Funeral Mountains. In addition, all of the guest rooms are
decorated in turn-of-the-century, Victorian style.
The decor reflects Marsh's interest in the history of the Old
West. For example, Bar None, the inn's watering hole, features one
of the serving bars from the old Windsor Hotel in Denver, and items
such as an 80-caliber rifle and early pictures of Las Vegas are on
display in the property's various public areas. The area's mining
and farming history is represented by displays of old mining cars,
ore buckets and antique farm machinery. The inn also features an
outdoor swimming pool that opened last spring and a lagoon and
gazebo from which guests can relax and watch the resident ducks or
fish.
Dining options include the Nebraska Steakhouse, which seats
approximately 80 people and offers mountain views, and Jack's
Coffee Shop. The latter is located near the casino, which features
table games and slots in 12,000 square feet of gaming space.
For those who would rather take their chances on a golf course,
Marsh said, the property will introduce a par-28, nine-hole layout
in mid-October. Marsh also said he is considering constructing a
skeet range at the property later this month. In the future, Marsh
added, he would like to build an off-road racing course and expand
the golf operation to 18 or even 36 holes on a 640-acre tract of
land he owns less than a mile from the property on the California
side.
For clients traveling in recreational vehicles, the property's
R.V. park features 51 full hook-ups with cable television and
telephones.
A convenience store, gift shop and fully equipped laundry
facility are located at the inn.
In the summer, nightly room rates range from $39 to $69. In the
winter, the prices increase to from $49 to $99 per night. Clients
who wish to stay in the R.V. park pay $16 per day or $12.50 per day
for stays of three days or longer. For reservations, agents can
contact the inn at (702) 372-1777; fax (702) 372-1280.