Jessie Beck’s Riverside opened on April 1, 1971, in downtown Reno, Nevada, inside a landmark hotel overlooking the Truckee River. The building had a long history, originally opening in 1927 and serving generations of visitors during Reno’s rise as a destination for gambling, entertainment, and quick divorces. By the late 1960s, however, the Riverside had fallen on hard times, cycling through owners before closing. Jessie Beck, already a respected figure in Nevada’s gaming industry, saw an opportunity where others had failed. Nearing 70, she invested $3.15 million in the property, betting she could bring the old hotel back to life.
Beck had built her reputation over decades at Harolds Club, where she became Nevada’s first female craps dealer before rising to become a casino supervisor and gaming operator. After her husband, Fred Beck, died in 1954, she took over his gaming concessions. When Howard Hughes acquired Harolds Club in 1970, a dispute over those operations ended with Hughes buying Beck out for $3 million. She used the money to acquire the Riverside, opening with nine gaming tables and 100 slot machines. The gamble paid off almost immediately. By the end of the year, the hotel’s 188 rooms were booked every weekend, and crowds filled the casino. Beck’s hands-on approach and reputation for generosity earned her the nickname “The Gambling Grandma.”
Beck ran the Riverside for seven years, making it one of Reno’s popular downtown casinos before selling it in 1978. The property continued operating under new ownership until its casino and hotel eventually closed in the 1980s. The historic building was later acquired by the City of Reno and redeveloped into artist lofts, restaurants, and businesses. Today, Jessie Beck’s Riverside remains a memorable chapter in Reno’s history, both for the revival of a struggling landmark and for the woman who proved that one of Nevada’s most successful casino operators could make her biggest gamble on her own terms.
Jessie Beck’s Riverside opened on April 1, 1971, in downtown Reno, Nevada, inside a landmark hotel overlooking the Truckee River. The building had a long history, originally opening in 1927 and serving generations of visitors during Reno’s rise as a destination for gambling, entertainment, and quick divorces. By the late 1960s, however, the Riverside had fallen on hard times, cycling through owners before closing. Jessie Beck, already a respected figure in Nevada’s gaming industry, saw an opportunity where others had failed. Nearing 70, she invested $3.15 million in the property, betting she could bring the old hotel back to life.
Beck had built her reputation over decades at Harolds Club, where she became Nevada’s first female craps dealer before rising to become a casino supervisor and gaming operator. After her husband, Fred Beck, died in 1954, she took over his gaming concessions. When Howard Hughes acquired Harolds Club in 1970, a dispute over those operations ended with Hughes buying Beck out for $3 million. She used the money to acquire the Riverside, opening with nine gaming tables and 100 slot machines. The gamble paid off almost immediately. By the end of the year, the hotel’s 188 rooms were booked every weekend, and crowds filled the casino. Beck’s hands-on approach and reputation for generosity earned her the nickname “The Gambling Grandma.”
Beck ran the Riverside for seven years, making it one of Reno’s popular downtown casinos before selling it in 1978. The property continued operating under new ownership until its casino and hotel eventually closed in the 1980s. The historic building was later acquired by the City of Reno and redeveloped into artist lofts, restaurants, and businesses. Today, Jessie Beck’s Riverside remains a memorable chapter in Reno’s history, both for the revival of a struggling landmark and for the woman who proved that one of Nevada’s most successful casino operators could make her biggest gamble on her own terms.
