Central City’s largest casino opened first as Harvey’s Wagon Wheel
By Jeffrey V. Smith
The current Fortune Valley Casino began as Harvey’s Wagon Wheel. File Photo
Fortune Valley Hotel and Casino is one of Colorado’s largest and most popular gaming destinations in Colorado. The building housing Central City’s largest casino and hotel remains as impressive today as it did when it opened at Harvey’s Wagon Wheel Casino in 1994.
The main building, other then signage, remains the same on the outside as when it opened. It was designed to resemble 10 separate, vintage storefronts and businesses, in keeping with the Western theme, and contained a 400,000-square-foot casino with 938 slot machines and 24 gaming tables, two restaurants, and a two-level underground parking garage.
By the end of 1995, however, the casino defaulted on a $4 million principal payment to one of its minority investors and earnings did not meet expectations. In order to restructure its $11.9 million debt, Harvey’s bought out its minority partner and made Harvey’s Wagon Wheel a wholly owned subsidiary of Harvey’s Casino.
In 1997, a 530-spot, self-parking garage and additional slot machines, bringing the total number to 1,000, were added to the property. In subsequent years the complex added a 118-room hotel, restaurants and entertainment lounges.
Harrah’s acquired the property in July 2001 as part of its purchase of Harvey’s Casino Resorts. The branding remained Harvey’s. By 2003, however, the casino was changing hands again. This time, Centaur Colorado LLC, a subsidiary of Centaur Gaming Inc. of Indianapolis, became the new owner.
Harvey's Wagon Wheel
On Nov. 20, 2003, Harvey’s officially closed and on Nov. 21, Centaur debuted Fortune Valley Hotel and Casino. The casino was vital to the construction of the Central City Parkway, which connects the town of Central City to Interstate 70 and Denver, after Centaur worked with city leaders and its business improvement district to arrange financing for the 8-mile, four-lane road. Work on the Central City Parkway began in 2003, and it opened at noon on Nov. 19, 2004. The road was expected to level the playing field between access to Central City and Black Hawk.
The casino remained a Centaur property until the company filed for bankruptcy protection early in 2010, ironically partly due to debt associated with the road. Centaur named Ames Construction, which built the $38 million parkway as one of its unsecured creditors in its bankruptcy filings. It was put up for sale last year, however there were no offers so it was placed on the auction block by a Delaware judge in charge of the bankruptcy.
Fortune Valley Hotel and Casino is the largest in Central City. Photo by Jeffrey V. Smith
Luna Gaming Central City ultimately purchased the casino for a bargain price of $7.5 million in cash and a $2.5 million promissory note. The new owners, who also own a vineyard in Napa Valley and the Red Dolly Casino down the street, took over the casino in January 2011 and have completely renovated the property with a rock ‘n’ roll theme. The new changes are immediately evident upon entering the casino, which now features a sleek, boutique-style design. It’s a far cry from the kitschy, Old West theme of the Wagon Wheel.
New additions to the property include a 65-foot long guitar-shaped bar featuring 14 slot machines; a more than 400-person capacity Las-Vegas-style Lava Bar nightclub; a new Italian restaurant; a VIP media room featuring five high-definition TVs; a new lobby, front desk and gift shop complete with Harley Davidson centerpiece; and multiple minor and major changes to décor. Continuing the music theme, the property’s 118 hotel rooms will also be named after musical celebrities.
The narrow-gauge locomotive in front of Fortune Valley played a part in the region’s mining history. It was moved into it’s current home soon after the casino was constructed. File Photo
Similar to when the casino property first opened, the idea behind the recent changes is to provide an experience and theme that is distinctive from what other casinos in the state offer.
One intriguing historical feature associated with the property has been there from the start, and remains a prominent sight for anyone driving down the hill from Central City. It’s the No. 71 Colorado & Southern narrow-gage locomotive parked outside the casino at the entrance to its parking garage.
The locomotive was built in December 1896 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia for the Union Pacific, Denver and Gulf Railway. It was given the No. 9 on receipt and placed into service on the Clear Creek Lines and renumbered 71 two years later when the Colorado and Southern Railway was formed. Rail service was provided from Golden to Central City from 1878 to 1927. It made its last run up the canyon to Black Hawk on April 10, 1941, and then was hauled by truck the rest of the way to Central City. It was restored to operational order in 1987, and ran for tourists until about 1989. When gaming was legalized, No. 71 was temporarily relocated to the renovated Cour d’Alene Mine shaft house above Central City before being moved down the hill when the casino initially opened where it continues to be displayed with the Colorado & Southern Adams Express Company car No. 20. Don’t be fooled by the No. 71 locomotive in Black Hawk, it’s an imposter. That one was “renumbered,” with a touch of controversy, when it was brought in from Palmer Lake and placed at the, then, Colorado Central Station Casino.
