Sheriff's office and fire-fighting personnel from Douglas County and Carson City are being given the opportunity to practice emergency procedures at the site of the now-closed Bodine's restaurant and behind it in a group of abandoned trailers.
"It allows them their time to train in all those trailers," said property developer, Kevin Coleman of Net Development and K&S Properties. "It gives them the training time on something that is really in our community."
Coleman, Bill Dutra and Jim Lira of Lira's Supermarket own Sierra Nevada Trading Co., the Minden grocery store that opened on Feb. 3.
Coleman also owns Minden Village, an 18-acre outdoor shopping mall at the corner of Lucerne Street and Highway 395 that began with Business Bank's grand opening in April 2005.
His next project is to tear down Bodine's and the surrounding trailers and build a 33,000-square-foot casino with food and bar facilities.
Prior to construction, Coleman offered the grounds to the Douglas County and Carson City Sheriff's offices, East Fork Fire & Paramedic Districts and the Carson City Fire Department.
The sheriff's offices will be training on March 23 and the fire departments at a later date.
"It gives them first-hand training in a real civilian environment," said Coleman. "It's like a grown-up playground to play in. They're letting me be one of the bad guys. What a neat event to participate in."
Coleman also let law enforcement perform training exercises at the Minden Village site prior to its opening.
Coleman said officials ask that onlookers keep their distance during training exercises at Bodine's, and watch from Fuji Park.
Coleman is also donating funds to Carson City to clean up Fuji Park, which is located on the property behind Bodine's.
"What I have done is I have worked with all the groups - parks and rec, the mayor, service organizations - to make sure all the needs are met to get the park to the level it should be at," said Coleman.
The city and local contractors are also "donating time and effort" to the cause, he said.
"It's truthfully a group effort to get this park cleaned up," Coleman said. "It's my intent to facilitate enough money to get the park completed."
Coleman said artifacts and barnwood from Bodine's will be used in the casino's construction.
"The atmosphere established by the original owners will be continued on," said Coleman.
The project is in the second phase of planning and Coleman said they are working out the final details.
"We will break ground soon," he said.
