Museum of Gaming History An Educational Project of The Casino Collectibles Association, Inc. An IRS approved 501 (c) (3) Tax Exempt Not-For-Profit Organization
ChipGuide - A Catalog of Casino Chips and Collectibles
(Spinetti's) In California, Harvey Gross was in the meat business. But aside from being in the food industry, he was also into gambling. He opened Harvey's Wagon Wheel Saloon and Gambling Hall in 1944.
According to the Tahoe Daily Tribune, the earliest gaming there featured only three slots and two card tables. It also had the only 24-hour gas pump in the area. During the winter season, Harvey and his wife Llewellyn made a skating rink in the parking lot to try and draw people in to the establishment.
In the 1960s, it became the first high-rise hotel in the state of Nevada. On August 27, 1980, a bomb was detonated by the FBI. The perpetrator was a down on his luck gambler who owed some casinos at least $1 million. He tried to hold hostage the area in Lake Tahoe in return for $3 million. The bomb did cause damage to the hotel and casino. However, nobody was injured. It reportedly damaged three floors of the hotel.
Though Harvey Gross passed away in 1983, the Lake Tahoe resort remained in the family. In 2001, Harrah's Entertainment, now Caesars Entertainment, acquired the hotel and casino.
Today, the casino has many popular table games, poker and a sportsbook. There is a Gordon Ramsay Hell's Kitchen restaurant. There is also a Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena where many live concerts happen.
TCR numbers are used by express permission of SSS Publishing
Contributors: Gary Acquistapace, Frank Steward, Terry Shaffer, Don Lueders
CG045362 Current Type: Roulette Chips
Issued: 1970s
Added: 2011-10-01
Last Update: 2016-12-04 Color: Dk Green
Mold: House
Logo: Spade Catalog#: N4835
Contributed by: Frank Steward
Contributors: Frank Steward, Gary Acquistapace, Don Lueders
CG045363 Current Type: Roulette Chips
Issued: 1970s
Added: 2011-10-01
Last Update: 2016-12-04 Color: Red
Mold: House
Inlay: Inlaid Catalog#: N4822
Contributed by: Frank Steward
CG045365 Current Type: Roulette Chips
Issued: 1970s
Added: 2011-10-01
Last Update: 2016-12-04 Color: Navy Blue
Mold: House Catalog#: N4830
Contributed by: Frank Steward
CG173761 Obsolete Type: Roulette Chips
Issued: 1980s
Added: 2016-12-04
Color: Green
Mold: House
Inlay: HS Gold Catalog#: E9802
Table: 1, 11 colors
Image Needed
CG173762 Obsolete Type: Roulette Chips
Issued: 1980s
Added: 2016-12-04
Color: Green
Mold: House
Inlay: HS Gold Catalog#: E9803
Table: 2, 11 colors
Image Needed
CG173763 Obsolete Type: Roulette Chips
Issued: 1980s
Added: 2016-12-04
Color: Green
Mold: House
Inlay: HS Gold Catalog#: E9804
Table: 3, 11 colors
Image Needed
CG173764 Obsolete Type: Roulette Chips
Issued: 1980s
Added: 2016-12-04
Color: Green
Mold: House
Inlay: HS Gold Catalog#: E9805
Table: 4, 11 colors
Image Needed
CG173765 Obsolete Type: Roulette Chips
Issued: 1980s
Added: 2016-12-04
Color: Green
Mold: House
Inlay: HS Gold Catalog#: E9806
Table: 5, 11 colors
CG153191 Current Type: Roulette Chips
Issued: 1985
Added: 2015-11-19
Last Update: 2016-12-04 Color: Green
Mold: House
Inlay: HS Gold Catalog#: N5152.gr
Contributed by: Don Lueders
CG113964 Type: Pin Backs
Added: 2014-03-10
Last Update: 2024-07-05 Color: Brown
Contributed by: Albert Scalzo (LM-2995-2)
Pin Back, Bill Cosby
CG234778 Type: Pin Backs
Issued: 1980
Added: 2020-01-08
Last Update: 2020-01-08 Contributed by: J. Eric Freedner (R-8501)
Pinback button, 3" diameter. First Day Tunnel Walk.
Issued in 1980 perhaps for the opening of the tunnel under Route 50 that leads to Harrah's. This would likely have been before the bombing of Harvey's in August 1980. Reverse - blank metal.