tastefully tuscan

Peppermill Reno takes the resort concept to new heights.

By CHARLIE JOHNSTON | March/April 2008

Photo: PR (above and below)

Resort-casinos in Reno and Sparks see 2008 as a rebuilding year, and there might even be a few new ones in the coming years if all goes as planned. Leading the way is Peppermill Reno, which opened its 19-story Tuscany Tower late last year. The highlight of the resort’s $400-million expansion is the addition of 600 European-style luxury rooms, all with high-def TVs, marble bathrooms, pillow-top king-sized beds, custom-made furniture, hand-painted art, and Wi-Fi access.

Closer to the ground, the Peppermill added 62,000 square feet of meeting space with the Tuscany Ballroom, the largest free-span convention space in Northern Nevada, bringing the property’s total to 102,000 square feet. Some established groups are already taking notice. The 2008 Nevada Governor’s Conference on Tourism will be held at the resort in December, and one of the area’s largest and most profitable conventions, Safari Club International, was held in January at the resort and will return to the Peppermill in 2009 and 2010.

Other completed additions include Biscotti’s restaurant, the Terrace Lounge, and two wedding chapels.

The Peppermill is far from finished. Projects scheduled for completion in 2008 include a new pool area, spa and salon, poolside restaurant, barbecue restaurant, and nightclub. The pool deck will include three pools, three Jacuzzis, cabanas, and Tuscan gardens, all scheduled for completion by summer. The three-story European spa and salon, set to open in September or October, will feature separate relaxation and rejuvenation spaces for men and women, an infinity pool—designed to give the visual effect of extending into the horizon—and a caldarium, a steam room modeled after those of ancient Rome.

The poolside nightclub and Caribbean steakhouse, Bimini, are scheduled to open in fall 2008. Menu highlights at the tropical eatery will include lobster fritters with Key lime butter, pistachio-crusted grouper with rock shrimp fricassee, and wood-grilled bone-in rib eye with Tortuga Rum peppercorn sauce.