UNR won’t continue lease of casino tower for displaced students

The University of Nevada, Reno, will not extend its agreement with Eldorado Resorts for Wolf Pack Tower, a temporary residence hall at Circus Circus Reno leased after a boiler explosion destroyed portions of two campus buildings last summer and displaced 1,300 students.

With Nye Hall expected to reopen in August 2020, the university has instead turned to two private apartment communities, Uncommon Reno and Canyon Flats, to provide the remaining 838 beds needed for the 2020-21 academic year. The combined $10.1 million cost for both apartment communities will come primarily from the university’s insurance proceeds, according to the university.

The lease agreement for Wolf Pack Hall for the last year was about $21.67 million.

Both Canyon Flats and Uncommon Reno are still under construction, but expected to be completed ahead of the university’s August move-in date.

Argenta Hall, the other residence hall affected by the explosion, remains under construction and is expected to reopen in 2021, according to a university statement on the new housing plans.

Students who are interested in applying for university housing can do so at unr.edu/housing by May 15

Contact Aleksandra Appleton at 702-383-0218 or aappleton@reviewjournal.com. Follow @aleksappleton on Twitter.