In Carson: Fandango building foot-bridge to new theater

Workers have started building a pedestrian sky bridge as part of a $50 million Casino Fandango expansion that will cross South Curry Street and connect the casino to its new digital theater.

The 120-foot bridge will be finished sometime in November and cost about $800,000.

Also included in the expansion are a four-story $11-million Marriott hotel, an Italian restaurant named Ti Amo and an additional 5,000 square feet for gaming.

Steve Jackson, the project manager for contractor Metcalf Builders, said the bridge will be convenient for Fandango customers.

"People dropping their kids off at the movies might want to gamble," he said. "And they can truck on down there."

Customers will leave from the new gaming area by elevator or escalator to get to the bridge behind the South Carson Street casino.

"We're looking to provide a complete entertainment complex," said Brenda Sanchez, the casino's chief operating officer. "Lots of restaurant options. Gaming, of course. A hotel."

The new area will have a poker room and 60 additional slot machines as well as space for offices.

Vince Mack, Metcalf field supervisor, said builders started working on the bridge Thursday and lifted it to its place Monday morning. Employees are working on adding decking and stucco. About 40 of the 220 people working on the expansion are assigned to the bridge.

Despite all the construction over the last few months, the work hasn't affected the casino's business, Sanchez said.

"I feel it's pretty seamless to the guest," she said. "I feel the guest isn't feeling any disruption at all."

The entire addition will be done in early 2008 and parts of it will open before then.

Galaxy Theaters will open Friday; the Italian restaurant will open in late August; the casino expansion will be done later this year and the hotel is scheduled to open in early 2008.

About 150 more employees will be added when the project is done. Fandango is leasing the space to the hotel and the movie theater operators.

The casino also expects more visitors but, according to Fandango Marketing Director Samuel Arellano, customers from Carson City and Carson Valley are still the business' "bread and butter."

Casino Fandango opened in July 2003 and is owned by Las Vegas-based Carson Gaming.