Ormsby House could close in the days following Nevada Day

The Ormsby House will likely shut down in the days following Nevada Day, though a specific date has not been announced, general manager Bob Cashell said.

The eighth, ninth and 10th floors have already been cleared of furniture and Leroy's Sports Book closed last week. The front desk is not accepting reservations beyond Sunday.

"Right now the schedule is to close on Nov. 20, but it probably won't last that long," Cashell said. "It probably won't be open much longer than Nevada Day."

Cashell said he planned to take an employee survey today to get a better handle on when employees were planning to leave the Ormsby House.

Once the employee count drops enough, the Ormsby House is no longer bound by the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act. The act requires a large employer to give 60 days notice prior to plant closings.

Many don't stay open the full 60 days, said Karren Rhodes, spokeswoman for the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.

"That happens frequently," Rhodes said. "If they don't have the staff to keep it open, they're given the grace to close."

Depending on how the employee survey goes, Cashell may be able to determine a closure date.

The Ormsby House will shut down for an estimated nine months to allow for roof-to-street renovations inside and out to transform the near 30-year-old hotel-casino into a five-star hotel. Owners Al Fiegehen and Don Lehr are promising Carson City the highest quality hotel in Northern Nevada.

Earlier in the year, the partners believed they could do the work while keeping the hotel-casino open but found too many surprises behind the walls for that to remain a reality.

The renovations will include new furnishings for all 200 rooms. The restaurants will be relocated and casino expanded to fill more of the ground floor.

Ormsby House employees have already had their pick of furniture, lamps and anything else in the rooms.

"We're letting the employees have a shot at the TVs for $50 a shot," Cashell said.

Once employees get done picking through the items, Friends in Service Helping will get a chance. The Ormsby House gave beds to six families following a phone request from Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada.