The Eastside Cannery is being built by Cannery Casino Resorts, which Wortman co-founded with industry veteran Bill Paulos in 1996. … You always have human stories with these hotels.” “When you implode, there’s a human cost to that. Wortman’s face turns a soft red as he tries to hold back the tears filling his eyes. He orders a hot tea and takes a seat in one of the shop’s booths before the emotion of the moment becomes too much. He listens intently as they discuss their jobs, their hopes and their plans.Īfter exchanging a few more greetings, including an unexpected embrace from another worker, Wortman makes his way to the property’s coffee shop. As longtime customers and employees approach him to say hello, Wortman addresses many by their first names. As he makes his way through the property, many people know him simply as Bill. Wortman has co-owned Nevada Palace, a Boulder Highway grind joint with 100 hotel rooms, since 1985. The 29-year-old hotel-casino on Boulder Highway will close for good today to make way for a parking lot fronting the $250 million Eastside Cannery, which is scheduled to open in late summer. That is certainly the plan we have here.”

To keep that close feeling like we have at the other properties. It won’t be like this here, where I can stop and talk to a customer or … I don’t know.” “I just think it will be harder on me at my age. But he is not sure he will fit in at the new $250 million Eastside Cannery and its 65,000-square-foot casino, under construction since April behind the building. William Wortman looks at 88-year-old Czapla, placing a hand on the worker’s right shoulder.Ĭzapla was 69 when he started working at the 15,000-square-foot casino in March 1989.

Nevada Palace casino porter Rich Czapla stops cleaning up paper and cups around a slot machine to give an update on his wife’s health to the property’s longtime owner.

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