Richard 'Pick' Hobson was born in Illinois on May 15, 1911. He headed west in 1929, eventually landing in Reno where he worked as a dealer at the Palace Club. After gaining some experience, and several friends, Pick invested his profit a gaming operation in the Colombo Club at 244 Lake Street, inside the Colombo Hotel. The Toscano Hotel, just across town, housed advertising for Pick's clubs for many years, reminding those driving by, to go to his other casinos.
Joe Hobson, Pick's brother, joined him in a casino perfectly located at the tiny city of Hawthorne, Nevada throughout the Second World War, when the munitions facility was in full swing. Also arrived were the constantly fighting service men around, working with the munitions facility. The Pick returned to Reno in 1943 and opened 'Pick's Club,' which reopened in 1946 because Frontier Club when Joe dedicated to the casino at 220 North Virginia Street.
The casino featured a bar, craps, 21, and roulette, along with a race-horse book. A bingo hall was added 1948, and 30 slots were brought-in by Virgil Smith. Later a Keno game was added along with the table games expanded. By 1956 once the club was sold to Bill Harrah, there are 172 video poker machines.
Harrah paid nearly $1 million for the casino, and section of his purchase price was a stipulation that Hobson wouldn't normally operate another casino for three years. In 1960, Pick purchased the Overland Hotel, just around the corner on Commercial and Center Street. The club backed-up to his old Lake Street casino.
In 1970, Pick purchased the Cosmo Club, which he operated for four years until it absolutely was closed so he could expand the Overland. At the same time, Pick was operating the Gold Club in Sparks, and the Topaz Lodge on the California State Line.
Once again, Bill Harrah came knocking, offering to lease the Overland, but the hotel and casino immediately closed as well as the property was demolished in June 1977. The Cosmo Club was also demolished, and Harrah purchased the Riverside hotel casino from Jessie Beck and traded it to Hobson in exchange for your Overland and Cosmo Club land.
Pick Hobson was the last owner of the Riverside casino, which closed in December 1986. An auction of slots and memorabilia from your Riverside along with the Overland occured, along with the hotel closed in November 1987. Pick gone to live in Portola, California soon afterwards. He passed read more on August 19, 1996, always remembered as a very congenial boss who did his better to take care of his employees.