A brand-new hotel, employee housing, a multiplex movie theater, more casino space and a new restaurant — totaling $60 million — are some of the improvements on the horizon for Casino Fandango, Carson City’s largest private-sector employer.

Currently, “95 percent of the business is locals,” said Steve Forester, general manager, adding this bread and butter customer category is an important factor in the company’s initial growth. But he sees more potential in Fandango’s future by being a regional draw. Indeed, he predicts the tourist trade will pick up once the hotel is up and running. “Hopefully, we can become even more of a destination place,” Forester says. “For one thing, we are close to Tahoe, but without Tahoe prices. Plus, we’d like to piggyback on Carson’s growth as a golf destination.”

One observer is glad to see the transformation of the property from a derelict home improvement store to thriving business. “They took a run-down store (Supply One) and turned this into one of the top casinos and a tax revenue center for the city,” says Ronni Hannaman, executive director of the Carson City Area Chamber of Commerce. “They’ve come in like gangbusters.”

Forester concurs, noting that the property was developed in four phases in little less than two years. The property opened July 2003. Las Vegas-based Carson Gaming purchased the land for $4 million, plus spent an additional $10 to 12 million “to get things up and running,” says Forester, who previously worked at Caesars Tahoe.

During a recent visit, the place was humming and living up to its moniker. “Fandango … it’s fun … it’s a dance,” Forester says, talking about the inspiration for the name, which the owners acquired from another property that was never built in Wendover. Indeed, “one super-regular’s wife calls the place ‘Café Fandango Adult Day Care,’” Forester says with a laugh, referring to the property’s key demographic, which is in the 50- to 70-year-old age range. “They [guests] typically visit twice a week,” Forester says. “They can gamble. Have a nice meal. Watch sports on large screen TVs. Visit with cronies.”

Half of the revenue is food and beverage related. “We have 850 gaming seats, and just as many restaurant seats,” Forester says, referring to the buffet, which holds 500 customers; the Palm Court, 230 seats; and a fine dining venue called Duke’s. Two thousand meals a day are served; the seafood section needs to be constantly replenished with crab claws and peel-and-eat shrimp.

Finding a reliable, committed workforce is the property’s greatest challenge, Forester notes. “We are never fully staffed,” Forester says. “We rack up 500 to 2,000 hours of overtime each pay period.” While turnover is in the 30 percent range, Forester is proud that of the 70 core employees, 50 still are on the job.

One way of increasing employee morale and retaining a loyal worker base is the company’s plan to build housing, up to 189 units. “We’re still debating whether this will be multi-family or single-family homes,” Forester says. The incentive for workers could include a special financing deal, or a rebate for long-term employment, Forester says, adding the plan is still taking shape.

Forester expects most of the expansion to proceed with few hitches. “We’re going to fast track the theaters,” he says talking about the partnership with Galaxy Theaters for a 40,000-square-foot, 10-screen theater with a digital projector. Opening is set for next July. Fast track is the order of the day for the hotel, which will open in October 2007. While Carson Gaming will oversee the construction, owners will hire a national vendor to run the show. With a hotel chain on board, customers nationwide will be able to hook into a reservations database. The hotel will require 60 to 80 employees.

Outside of the future job opportunities, the greatest economic impact to the area economy will be in the planning and construction phases. A general contractor for the project will be announced soon.

Owners are funding expansion by refinancing the existing debt, says Forester, without adding more details. “Let’s just say this: a lot more lenders are interested in helping us with the venture this round than last time,” he discloses, talking about the property’s successful track record.

Casino Fandango’s beginnings started with a group of local investors creating the business plan. “Then [Las Vegas developer] Gary Goett came into the mix. He liked the numbers … the fact that there were less gaming devices per capita [in Carson City],” Forester recalls. Minority owners include Larry Woolf and Peter Wilday. The latter, whose credits include the current expansion of the Peppermill hotel-casino, also designed Casino Fandango.

Forester also is proud of being a positive business partner with the rest of the community. To that end, he serves as president of the Carson City Gaming Association and says the group is trying to find some common ground, especially in the area of forming a coalition to obtain more affordable health care from providers. Members are exploring “other partnerships that will make our operations more profitable,” Forester says.

Likewise, Casino Fandango is supportive of other local business. Forester said top vendors include Southern Wine and Spirits, Sysco and IGT.

Speaking of the future, Forester predicts, “There will be a great synergy down here with the casino, restaurants, movies and a little bit of retail.

“It should be a lot of fun.”

Not to mention profitable.