American Legion Post gets a fresh new look

The men's bathrooms at the American Legion Post #8 aren't pink anymore. And that's just the start of the changes local post leaders made during a recently completed remodel of the building at 733 Veteran's Memorial Drive. New carpet, televisions and a freshly painted meeting hall make the place look new according to Post Commander Eric Johnson.

The remodel was paid for through a combination of funds. Some of the money came from the building fund accumulated for years through members dues. The remainder came from a real estate deal Legion membership had a hand in.

For years the Legion owned the 3/4 acre property on the corner of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard now occupied by the Holy Cow. More than 35 years ago the land was leased on a 50-year lease. The lease only paid $1,200 a month, with a $100 increase every five years, and the paperwork required it be continued in the event of a sell.

Legion members wanted to sell the land, but found no good offers with such a long term lease. As the years on the lease decreased the land became more and more desirable to speculators. When the lease was down to 12 years, Legion members were offered $280,000. They said no. When 11 years remained they were offered $1 million and they still resisted. Finally with only 10 years left on the lease the members had a meeting and decided not to accept less than $1.6 million. Two years ago a buyer arrived at the offer and the Legion sold, but rather than take the whole pot at once, Johnson and the others opted to take $110,000 a year over 15 years.

"Rather than take all the money at once and perhaps squander it, because people around here love to spend money, we said every year send us a check for $110,000. We take 60 percent of that money and put it in an escrow account that no one can touch. Then we use the other 40 percent for post and property improvements and so forth," Johnson said.

Renovations began last October under the direction of members Lew Conant and Jack Knutson. Improvements are most apparent in the bathrooms. The stalls, fixtures and even the walls and flooring were ripped out. The old bathrooms were covered in yellowing tile and the stalls were rusted to the floors and walls. Now the facilities are bright, clean, handicapped accessible and as Johnson tells it "a pleasure to use."

"They had to take out the whole men's bathroom floor," Knutson said. "The plumbing in back wasn't working right. You just don't know how bad it is until you pull it out."

The Legion meeting hall was covered in dark, discolored wood paneling. Now the walls are sheetrocked and painted. New tile was installed and they even put in a small wood dance floor. New couches and chairs were purchased for the bar and lounge area. Stained, ripped carpet donated by a local casino ages ago was finally replaced. A new television sits overhead in the lounge and the pool table was replaced.

"I hardly even remember what the old place looked like," Vice Commander for Nevada, Harry Cowan said. "The whole point of this was to clean the place up so they can do whatever they want here. It was well over due this place was going downhill."

Now that the most needed renovations are complete, Johnson said the members have other ideas of what to do with future funds from the property sell. Johnson is hoping they can renovate the Legion's aging kitchen and other members are dreaming of adding a garden picnic area outside the Legion in an area now paved as parking lot.

Additional funds will go toward Legion programs to help needy senior veterans. The group also acts as a sponsor for Boys State, a high school government experience for young men. Johnson said he hopes the escrow funds will keep the Legion in good financial shape for generations.


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