Reno cracking down on RVers overnighting on Casino lots

markopolo · 09-19-2008, 05:31 AM

Quote:

The city of Reno has received a rash of e-mails from out-of-state recreational vehicle owners threatening to boycott the city because of an ordinance prohibiting RVs from camping overnight in casino parking lots.

But Reno officials on Wednesday said the ordinance in question has been on the books since 1996 outlawing RV camping anywhere in the city except in designated parks with water and sewage hookups.

Read more here:

http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic ... 8809180358

julievojo · 09-19-2008, 02:51 PM

I would think the casinos would get more involved in this. It means their customers will have to leave earlier.

Mike · 11-21-2008, 10:06 PM

Speaking of boondocking, I'm surprised Walmart hasn't started charging an overnighter fee for their parking lots. We did a fair bit of it on our first 2 trips and mostly used Walmarts. We do spend at least a few dollars in every one we visit, so I don't feel like I'm abusing them at all. Does anyone know if casinos generally allow overnight RV parking? I would assume they expect some commerce from them, like Walmart presumably does, otherwise I''d think they wouldn't allow it. So if you enter a casino and spend a few bucks at the slots or whatever, they'd be ok with it? We were in Vegas back in October, but didn't think we'd be allowed to stay in a casino parking lot for very long, so we didn't even try. (The article link has expired, did it talk about this?)
Anyone tried the casino boondock experience?

Mike.

markopolo · 11-22-2008, 02:44 AM

Update

Quote:

November 20, 2008

Council delays action on RV casino parking

The Reno City Council failed Wednesday to decide whether to change an ordinance allowing motor homes to camp overnight in hotel-casino parking lots.

Mayor Bob Cashell favored allowing them on casino lots, because they are self-contained and no longer the public health hazard they once were. Abuses could be regulated through a special-use permit.

Councilman Dave Aiazzi said he's not sure that's fair. Under special-use permits, he said other businesses such as Wal-Mart are prohibited from having RVs remain in their parking lots.

The planning staff will research how other cities with hotel-casinos deal with the issue.

In an e-mail campaign in September, RV users threatened to boycott Reno if they cannot park overnight at casinos. Atlantis and Peppermill casinos have put stickers on RVs in their lots to notify the owners they shouldn't be there.

Mike · 11-22-2008, 12:50 PM

" Councilman Dave Aiazzi said he's not sure that's fair. Under special-use permits, he said other businesses such as Wal-Mart are prohibited from having RVs remain in their parking lots. "
I now wonder if the "special-use permits" thing about Walmart is state wide or just Reno. If we ever get back to Nevada.
You'd think they'd see the potential commerce aspect of RVers staying overnight, although not all RVers would gamble necessarily, I'd think. Strange, you'd think they'd leave it up to the individual hotel-casino to decide what their policy would be. In Florida last week, we weren't bothered at all in any Walmarts where we stayed, but did see signs occasionally prohibiting overnight parking in various other places like hotel parking lots, which makes sense to me.

" because they are self-contained and no longer the public health hazard they once were " Anyone know what this is about? I wasn't aware of the health hazard aspect of RVing.

You can certainly learn a lot on this frorum.
Thanks for the update,
Mike.

Whiskyecho · 11-23-2008, 12:38 PM

personally I'd never consider using casino, walmart, camping world, flying j for an overnight park - I'm not that chea.. er, frugal that I can't take the time to find a commercial campground.

I can drive to a casino if I want to gamble - drive to a walmart, camping world et al if I want to shop - I won't use the reasoning[sic] of "I'm spending money there, so they owe me.."

different strokes

Mike · 11-23-2008, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whiskyecho

personally I'd never consider using casino, walmart, camping world, flying j for an overnight park - I'm not that chea.. er, frugal that I can't take the time to find a commercial campground.

I can drive to a casino if I want to gamble - drive to a walmart, camping world et al if I want to shop - I won't use the reasoning[sic] of "I'm spending money there, so they owe me.."

different strokes

Each to his own then, I guess. I found them convenient when it was late and I was tired of driving and couldn't be bothered looking for a commercial campground (I prefer commercial campgrounds, circumstances permitting).

Davydd · 11-23-2008, 04:14 PM

My first choices are national parks, state parks, national and state forests, county campgrounds, etc., that have a picnic table and fire pit with privacy, scenery and woods. Electrical and running water showers are the two pluses I seek in those places. Second choice would be a good commercial campground with the amenities. But I would not turn down a casino, Walmart, etc. if free and convenient in my travels. I just haven't taken advantage of them because I usually plan my itinerary fairly well.

Mike · 11-23-2008, 05:42 PM

Hey Davydd,
We like the NPS and State parks too. We bought an NPS annual pass on our western recon tour in October and visited several parks along the way and stayed at a couple (Grand Canyon, Bryce, etc.). Their facilities were about the same as a couple of commercial parks we'd tried earlier. I agree about the running water showers. Most critical point to us. Any other amenity is a bonus. We're planning a stay next spring or fall at Myrtle Beach State Park which we checked out last week on our east coast recon mission. It's got everything we'd need for a campground. I wish there was an annual "U. S. State Park Pass" that we could get to stay at the nearest one to wherever we happened to be, in any State, as there seem to be a lot more of them than National ones. I say "recon" because we decided to take a pot luck approach to our stops on our first 2 trips, to see what was available in areas we wanted to eventually re-visit. My wife suggested the approach, and it turned out ot be a bit difficult at times, but worked out better in the end. No money wasted on dumps, no disappointments. So our trips have been pretty much free for alls as far as planning goes, but that was by choice. Once we've done all of our recon trips, we'll plan our stopovers better.
So, Walmart/Flying J it was for the first 2 trips, when necessary.
And, I don't think they owe me anything, nor I them, I just think they hope for a bit of commerce from the overnighters, but don't expect it. It's just good business practice to them to provide a parking place for truckers and boondockers, without hassles, so that if they do need something (even if it's just a cup of coffee) they may spend a buck with them instead of someplace else.

Mike.

Davydd · 11-23-2008, 11:17 PM

I always get a season pass in my home state for Minnesota State Parks because I know I will come out ahead with frequent use. The National Parks senior pass of a onetime lifetime fee of $10 is the best deal going. It gets you in free at all national parks and monuments and half price on camp sites. I've saved a lot of money on that.

Mike · 11-24-2008, 12:11 AM

That does sound like a fantastic deal for $10. Alas, we're neither seniors (although we're rapidly closing in

) nor American. Still we figure we'll get at least a few more solid uses out of our annual pass and easily reduce our average park entrance fee to a couple of bucks. I don't think we get any deals on campsites, but they do seem less expensive than the commercial park's price, at least the ones we've been to. We're nature lovers, plain and simple, and enjoyed the wooded settings at Bryce and Grand Canyon National Parks. The facilities were adequate, and the rangers were pretty helpful, if not downright amusing to talk to. I guess the veterans have seen a bit of it all over the years, at least the ones we talked to. Nice folks, they were. That aspect alone will get repeat business from us, and we like the idea of supporting something as worthwhile as a national or state park or forest. Too bad the Grand Canyon was so busy in October (we went then thinking it might not be as bad as summertime). I wanted to do the trail down from Angels, but it was so crowded, I feared falling with people pushing past us on the rim trails and walkways. I wonder if there's a time when it isn't just a big crush of people?

Mike.

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