Nugget unveils renovated bingo room

Looking to keep up with technology and comfort trends in the gaming business, the Pahrump Nugget has remodeled its bingo room.

Unveiled in late December, the room features upgrades in all facets, making it as good as any bingo hall you'll find over the hump.

The remodel added a non-smoking room, which bumped the number of players that could play at a single session by 54 participants, as the original room sat 144 players.

"We've added a non-smoking area, so we can seat 200 people now," said Jeff Simmons, bingo room manager. "The room is beautiful. You can't beat it."

The addition of the non-smoking room is something that will bring in some players who might have skipped playing before due to cigarette use, according to Jeremy Jenson, general manager of the Pahrump Nugget.

"It's a broader demographic today," Jenson said. "We have guests that didn't want to come in and play at all because of the smoke. So now we touched a broader audience with the non-smoking room."

Even those who smoke are switching over to the room where smoking is prohibited as they are enjoying the new digs.

"We're seeing a lot of the smokers enjoying the non-smoking room," Jenson said. "The smoking guests are enjoying the non-smoking room because they don't have to sit in the smoke."

For those who still sit in the smoking room there was an improved ventilation system installed which filters out more of the stagnant smoke that would linger around before the remodel.

Technology has been emerging in gaming over the last several years and the game of bingo is no different.

"We've got fantastic new electronics in here now," Simmons said. "We have 100 stationaries and 50 handhelds."

The 100 stationaries are a big jump from the original room, which offered players 26 stationaries. The addition was largely spurred on by keeping up with the latest and greatest bingo has to offer.

"Keeping up with technology," Simmons said. "It gives the customers more of an option to play the handhelds or the stationaries, and the stationaries are a lot nicer and a lot bigger. They're easier to see."

The room, which features thirty-five 55-inch televisions, runs games every other hour beginning at 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Sunday. There are various jackpots available each game, including a $500 cash ball and $250 second chance cash ball each session.

Since opening the newly-remodeled room to the public on Dec. 22, customers have been impressed with the changes.

"I haven't heard one bad thing about the room yet," Simmons said. "It's comparable to any place in Vegas."

Saturday's festivities kick off at 11 a.m. with cupcakes and champagne and Jensen will be on hand to call out the numbers throughout the day. There will be additional cash and prizes given out all day at every session.

Gold Town's bingo room will close on Friday for its own remodel and Jensen hopes to use the grand opening celebration to lure those customers to the Nugget until the new room at Gold Town is ready to go.

"I think it's a good opportunity for Gold Town guests to come over and see the room on Saturday," Jenson said.

Gold Town's bingo room is slated reopen on Feb. 3.

Contact reporter Mick Akers at makers@pvtimes.com. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.