Any collectors in Reno area? I'm in town for one more day.

[sledworks]

I've been in the North Lake Tahoe area for a week with my family and have visited some fun gameroom/coin-op locations, both in CA and NV. I made a side trip to San Francisco too.

I plan on doing an article for GameRoom Magazine and COCA about my travels here. I know it's short notice but is there anyone in the Reno area that has a coin-op collection of any size that would like to show it off today? The rest of my family is going skiing today so I'm free most of the day.

If so, send me an email sledworks at aol dot com

Thanks!

[bakerb95619]

If you haven't been to Virginia City, they have a nice collection in their coin-op museum. It's a bit of a drive from N.Tahoe though.
I live south of Sacramento in Sutter Creek. Can you give an overview of the locations you've visted? I'd like to hear about any I might not know of.
Thanks,
Bill

[sledworks]

Hi Bill:

Went to VA City before I left for SF and saw the slot display there, among other things. I love towns like that although the drive from Reno through the mountains made me nauseous. LOL! VA City will be included in my article.

Met a nice man in Sparks who was a slot operator in the area and now sells machines to the home. Mostly 60's-80's machines but had some earlier mechanicals. He also had plenty of old bingo and one ball machines in his warehouse, mostly disassembled. Interestingly, at one time he was a slot designer/engineer for Bally. One of his machines from 1975 was on display and for sale. I'll include his info in my article.

Also visited the Musee Mechanique at Fisherman's Wharf in SF.

I was told to check out the museum at the newly-renovated Mustang Ranch near Reno. Don't know if there are any coin-op machines there. I'm this close so I better check it out. (My wife is rolling her eyes)

Jimmy

[sledworks]

Thanks to Reno resident, COCA member and slot collector David Armstrong for inviting me into his home last minute. What a very nice man! He has over 40 restored machines and many more projects awaiting completion. He says he's been collecting 25-30 years.

I'm uploading photos from his collection and the rest of my trip on my photobucket site:
http://s211.photobucket.com/albums/bb19/sledworks/

Plus I'll be doing an article for GameRoom Magazine about slots in western Nevada. I visited the Fey Collection in Carson City and another interesting slot museum in Virginia City. I also met an old slot operator who now sells newer and vintage machines to the collector. He had a big warehouse stacked with machines. A real treasure!

If you don't get GameRoom, I suggest you give it a try. www.gameroommagazine.com