Richard 'Pick' Hobson was given birth to in Illinois on May 15, 1911. He headed west in 1929, eventually landing in Reno where he worked being a dealer on the Palace Club. After gaining some experience, plus some friends, Pick invested his cash in a gaming operation with the Colombo Club at 244 Lake Street, in the Colombo Hotel. The Toscano Hotel, just across the street, housed advertising for Pick's clubs for a long time, reminding those driving by, to visit his other casinos.
Joe Hobson, Pick's brother, joined him inside a casino found in the tiny capital of scotland - Hawthorne, Nevada during the Second World War, in the event the munitions facility was at full swing. Also under way were the constantly fighting service men in town, working in the munitions facility. The Pick returned to Reno in 1943 and opened 'Pick's Club,' which reopened in 1946 as the Frontier Club when Joe invested in the casino at 220 North Virginia Street.
The casino featured a bar, craps, 21, and roulette, including a race-horse book. A bingo hall was included 1948, and 30 slots were brought-in by Virgil Smith. Later a Keno game was added along with the table games expanded. By 1956 if the club was sold to Bill Harrah, there were 172 slot machine games.
Harrah paid nearly $1 million for your casino, and part of his 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, that she operated for four years until it turned out closed so he could expand the Overland. At the same time, Pick was operating the Gold Club in Sparks, as well as the Topaz Lodge with the California State Line.
Once again, Bill Harrah came knocking, offering to lease the Overland, nevertheless the hotel and casino check here immediately closed and the property was demolished in June 1977. The Cosmo Club has also been demolished, and Harrah purchased the Riverside hotel casino from Jessie Beck and traded it to Hobson in exchange to the Overland and Cosmo Club land.
Pick Hobson was the past owner of the Riverside casino, which closed in December 1986. An auction of slots and memorabilia from your Riverside and the Overland happened, and the hotel closed in November 1987. Pick transferred to Portola, California soon afterwards. He passed away August 19, 1996, always remembered being a very congenial boss who did his advisable to take care of his employees.