Harold's Club, Former casino in Downtown Reno, Nevada.
Harold's Club was a casino in downtown Reno, Nevada, established in 1935. It constructed a seven-story building but never had a hotel. A 70-by-35-foot mural of Old West pioneer settlers, designed by Theodore McFallon and built by Sargent Claude Johnson, stood in front of the casino; it is now at the Reno Livestock Events Center.
The casino was founded in 1935 by Harold Smith Sr. and his brother Raymond with minimal capital and just a handful of games. The business grew rapidly to become one of Reno's major casinos.
The casino's name came from its founder, Harold S. Smith Sr., who opened it in 1935 with his brother Raymond. Their father, Raymond I. "Pappy" Smith, became general manager and the public face of the club, and his marketing campaigns made it famous. The property is now an outdoor plaza used for concerts and special events.
The casino building no longer exists: it was demolished in 1999, and the site is now an outdoor plaza used for concerts and special events. The 70-by-35-foot mural of Old West pioneer settlers that stood in front of the casino is displayed about 2 miles away at the Reno Livestock Events Center.
Pappy Smith's "Harold's Club or Bust" slogan appeared on more than two thousand billboards across the United States, often painted on a Conestoga wagon. Most were removed by the 1970s under the Highway Beautification Act. The casino also served as the set for the 1955 film 5 Against the House.
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