Cyndi Loza

Downtown casino executives are excited about the new ballroom next to the downtown Reno Events Center.

“Truly, this ballroom is an intricate part of the overall redeveloping scene in downtown, and it’s going to be very, very helpful for driving future tourism,” said Phil DeLone, executive director of sales for the Silver Legacy Resort Casino.

The $25 million, 48,000-square-foot ballroom that holds 1,900 people was the site last week of a three-day convention for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and officially opens March 4.

“The Reno ballroom is a tool to attract larger conventions to all of downtown Reno,” DeLone said.

The Silver Legacy, the Eldorado Hotel Casino and Circus Circus Reno will operate the city-owned ballroom across from the Reno Events Center at Fourth and Center streets.

The kitchen is among the features that appealed to local casinos.

In the past, food service for the Reno Events Center had to be provided through the Silver Legacy, DeLone said.

“Now, with the new Reno ballroom, the ballroom provides a luxurious dining venue for the conventions and is conveniently adjacent to the Reno Events Center,” DeLone said.

The ballroom has six projector screens and adjustable walls.

“It just gives the city and the downtown management group more ability to entertain,” said Wesley Leedy, the city senior civil engineer.

DeLone said several corporations and organizations already have reserved the ballroom.

Construction began in January 2007 when crews dismantled the 8-year-old “temporary” City Center Pavilion at Fourth and Center streets. Completion of the ballroom originally was planned for mid-December, officials said.

The Silver Legacy had operated the aluminum pavilion since 1999, when it was built as a precursor to the Reno Events Center, but sold the land to the city for $1.