Circus Circus tower could house UNR students until dorms fixed
University of Nevada, Reno, students displaced by the explosion that damaged two campus residence halls could find themselves living in a tower of the Circus Circus casino in Reno next fall under a tentative plan unveiled Friday.
The university has entered talks with Eldorado Resorts to see if a deal can be reached to place the 1,300 students who were slated to live at Nye or Argenta halls on the UNR campus in the hotel-casino’s newly renovated Reno Sky Tower.
The proposal is tentative, UNR President Marc A. Johnson told the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents shortly before it approved a request to enter a short- or long-term partnership to provide food and housing for the affected students.
Under the potential agreement with Eldorado, the nongaming tower, located approximately half a mile from campus, would be temporarily renamed Wolf Pack Tower and converted to offer traditional residence hall amenities like study spaces and laundry facilities.
Students would have separate, keycard-enabled entrances, and the building would be staffed by university employees and police.
To transport students to campus and back, the university shuttle would add a stop at the tower. Students with cars would have free parking in a designated garage.
The tower also would take on the civic engagement theme of Argenta Hall, offering service-learning and volunteer opportunities.
UNR also outlined plans for new dining facilities; the explosion damaged the main campus dining hall.
As a temporary measure, the university will use prefabricated kitchen and dining modules in the plaza east of Great Basin Hall beginning Aug. 12.
But in November, the university will open a semi-permanent structure made of all-weather fabric supported by aluminum arches for modular kitchens, serving spaces and restrooms.
Known as a Sprung structure, the building is being purchased from Emory University, where it served as a temporary dining facility for two years.
Contact Aleksandra Appleton at 702-383-0218 or aappleton@reviewjournal.com. Follow @aleksappleton on Twitter.
