derelict Thursday #2: Verdi Inn

This is part of the derelict Thursday challenge being hosted by An Avid Lensmen.

The Verdi Inn was built in the late 1980's and cost the owner millions of dollars to build. When it was completed, it was a spectacular restaurant, sure to draw patrons from all over the Reno-Lake Tahoe area. Newpapers and magazines from all over the world wrote stories about the famed Verdi Inn about to open. The owner had planned a spectacular grand opening down to the last detail.

But . . . Just weeks before the restaurant was to open, the county building inspectors and planners told the owner that he did not have enough parking spaces for the building occupancy. He needed to triple the amount of parking spaces before they would give him the certificate of occupancy needed to open. He tried to obtain additional land, and was successful, but the land was down the street from the restaurant. This was unacceptable to the county officials. He fought them all the way to court, but the ruling was against him. The county officials told him to tear down most of the building and put the additional parking spaces on that land. Then they would allow him to open.

The owner's response was truly amazing. He told them that he would "see the place fall into ruin and turn to dust" before he would agree to the county's terms. True to his word, the famed Verdi Inn continues to deteriorate more and more each year.