Terrible's Town Casino to celebrate five years

On June 25, 1996, the fledgling Pahrump casino industry took a big step forward when the Terrible's Town Casino opened on the main intersection in town at the junction of Highways 372 and 160.

At that time there was no Walgreen's Drug Store, Bank of America, McDonald's and certainly no Pahrump Nugget Casino, which opened earlier this year. The Saddle West Inn and Casino was the only other large casino in Pahrump, located down the block.

"When they put that traffic light in, I thought they were crazy. What do you need a traffic light for?" said Terrible's Town security guard Les Kochan, a five-year employee. The town now has two traffic lights and a busy, growing downtown area.

To celebrate the occasion, Terrible's Town management is planning a fifth anniversary celebration the weekend of June 23-24. It will be marked by a car show, barbecue, live music and contests out in the parking lot.

Terrible's Town marked the foray into the Pahrump casino business for the Herbst family of Las Vegas. General Manager John Theilman said it was a natural for Jerry Herbst, who owned a country store on Highway 160 in Pahrump for 15 years. The family eventually expanded into the Terrible Herbst chain of gasoline stations.

The name Terrible's came about from the gas station days, when a competitor griped, "that terrible (so-and-so) was going to run them out of business." Theilman said they were known as the "best bad guys of the west."

Theilman said he worked for the Herbsts a year and a half before they opened Terrible's Town. Theilman recalled he was browsing around Pahrump, spotted the 12-acre site and contacted the Herbst family in 1992 or '93. They didn't get around to breaking ground until 1995, he said.

"It's been a true success story from the beginning," Theilman said. "It's been a lot of fun. I've gotten personally to know a lot of people out here and we look forward to the next five years."

Kochan recalled the most exciting day, on Thanksgiving Eve 1999, when a California woman visiting her family struck a $1.25 million jackpot playing dollars on the Wheel of Fortune slot machine. Kochen said he was called at 11 p.m. to come down to the casino. They broke open champagne for the occasion.

"The busiest we've ever been was the night we gave away the house," said Margaret Haines, marketing manager. She recalled it was raining heavily that night, but people were waiting in line outside in hopes of winning the home, valued at $85,000.

Like the other Pahrump casinos, Terrible's Town has a western decor. It is adorned with numerous artifacts: a stagecoach above the bar, along with a Tom Sawyer mannequin with a fishing pole, a mock western village storefront along the restaurant wall and other collectables.

Theilman said the 4,000-square-foot casino has four blackjack tables and 325 slot machines,. The slots are changed out regularly for the latest games, which now include names like the Addams Family, Betty Boop, I Dream of Genie, Monopoly Grab and Texas Tea. The food court -- with Pizza Hut and Baskin-Robbins -- was added later. Terrible's took over the sports book and expanded it.

Theilman recalled he closed the old Double Eagle Casino, which reopened as the Herbst's second casino in Pahrump, Terrible's Lakeside, on Homestead Road in March 1999. A recreational vehicle park was added last year. In November 2000, the Herbst's bought the old Continental Casino on Paradise Road in Las Vegas and opened it as Terrible's Casino.

The opening of the Las Vegas casino meant a few changes at Terrible's Town to standardize all three casinos, Haines said. Kenny Rogers' Chicken was replaced by the Bougainvillea Cafe, the same as the Las Vegas casino, with a new menu. Cocktail waitresses sported more Las Vegas-style uniforms. The sports book was expanded with desks at the individual counters.

Haines said one major marketing tool is the mailer packed with coupons sent every two months to every address in Pahrump. She said the player's card is a multi-linking card that can be used at all Terrible's casinos for gas, meals or other purchases. Gamblers who rack up 1,000 points at the casino can win a free T-bone steak dinner, she said.

Haines pointed to a slot machine in the corner, Paycheck Poker, where people who cash their checks at the casino receive a token for a free spin.

"I still think we have one of the friendliest places in town," Haines said. Senior citizens form a good part of the business, she said.

The landscape in Pahrump has changed since that first day. Other casino owners were curious to see what would happen to their business when the new Pahrump Nugget Casino opened its doors this spring. The doors at the Nugget face out onto Terrible's Town next door.

"I really thought the Nugget would hurt us by 20, 25 percent, it turns out it won't hurt us one iota," Theilman said. He said a few employees left Terrible's Town to work at the Nugget.

The Herbst family recently took over Jackpot Enterprises Inc., which owned small casinos like The Owl Club in Battle Mountain and a Holiday Inn casino in Jackpot. The acquisition of that company by the Herbst family will add about 4,000 slot machines to their route around the state, Theilman said.

Bingo Manager Pat Havens said it's getting a little quieter in the summer when the snowbirds are gone. The bingo hall seats 134 people, in the winter they can have 80 or 90 players, in the summer about half that. On Wednesdays, Terrible's Town has a promotion where players who buy a $3 ticket get another $3 ticket free.

A new progressive jackpot remained the same as of last week. "If you bingo in 29 numbers or less, you can win up to $19,500," Havens said.

Havens said the average bingo player spends about $23 per day, which is economical. They can buy a low card and have a chance to win the money ball. Havens said it's a good game for the senior citizens because it serves as a meeting place to communicate with other seniors, although she said younger people are also playing the game because it's economical.

The Herbst family members are avid off-road racers. The Terrible's 250 off-road race in April begins and ends at the casino; drivers compete in trucks, motorcycles and quads in the race, which travels a circuit up to Springdale, north of Beatty, and back. Super Bowl parties are loaded with continuous food and giveaways. Of course, New Year's Eve is also a popular time.

The fifth anniversary party, to be held in the back parking lot, begins at 2 p.m., June 23 with the show and shine car show. The Valley Cruisers, Trick Trucks and Area 51 Corvettes will be joining the party. Car show judging will be at 7 p.m.

The popular Pahrump band "Shakers" will play rock 'n' roll as well as country and western music beginning at 7 p.m. There will be a sexy legs contest, a jalapeno eating contest, a beer drinking contest and a hula hoop contest at 8 p.m. The Budweiser and Miller beer party wagons will be on the grounds, with the Bud girls and Miller girls. The Fiegling girls will be serving up the fig-flavored vodka drink. A barbecue will also be served up.

"Basically, what we're doing is a street dance, party, barbecue and car show," bar manager Pete Soto said.

On Sunday, June 24, the casino will kick off its cash giveaways, with $100 random cash drawings hourly from 1 to 10 p.m. On the actual anniversary day, Monday, June 25, the casino will award $1,000 drawings every hour from 1 to 10 p.m., Haines said.

"At 6 p.m., June 25 we're going to have a casino-wide celebration with champagne, party favors," Haines said.

There will be a random draw for tote bags and other merchandise. Haines said during the entire month of June, the casino will give away six packs to those with a four-of-a-kind on video poker.