Richard 'Pick' Hobson was created in Illinois on May 15, 1911. He headed west in 1929, eventually landing in Reno where he worked as being a dealer in the Palace Club. After gaining some experience, and some friends, Pick invested his cash in a gaming operation with the Colombo Club at 244 Lake Street, inside the Colombo Hotel. The Toscano Hotel, just across town, housed advertising for Pick's clubs for many years, reminding those driving by, to see his other casinos.
Joe Hobson, Pick's brother, joined him in a casino based in the tiny city of Hawthorne, Nevada through the Second World War, once the munitions facility was in full swing. Also arrived were the constantly fighting service men around, working at the munitions facility. The Pick returned to Reno in 1943 and opened 'Pick's Club,' which reopened in 1946 because Frontier Club when Joe dedicated to the casino at 220 North Virginia Street.
The casino featured a bar, craps, 21, and roulette, plus a race-horse book. A bingo hall was added 1948, and 30 video poker machines were brought-in by Virgil Smith. Later a Keno game was added and also the table games expanded. By 1956 in the event the club was sold to Bill Harrah, there was 172 slot machines.
Harrah paid nearly $1 million to the casino, and a part of his purchase 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 more info Cosmo Club, which he 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, and also the Topaz Lodge with the California State Line.
Once again, Bill Harrah came knocking, offering to lease the Overland, nevertheless the hotel and casino immediately closed and the property was demolished in June 1977. The Cosmo Club have also been demolished, and Harrah purchased the Riverside hotel casino from Jessie Beck and traded it to Hobson in exchange for the Overland and Cosmo Club land.
Pick Hobson was the final owner of the Riverside casino, which closed in December 1986. An auction of slots and memorabilia through the Riverside as well as the Overland was held, and also the hotel closed in November 1987. Pick gone to live in Portola, California soon afterwards. He passed on August 19, 1996, always remembered as a very congenial boss who did his far better to take care of his employees.