Richard 'Pick' Hobson was given birth to in Illinois on May 15, 1911. He headed west in 1929, eventually landing in Reno where he worked like a dealer at the Palace Club. After gaining some experience, and several friends, Pick invested his cash in a gaming operation at the Colombo Club at 244 Lake Street, within the Colombo Hotel. The Toscano Hotel, just across the street, housed advertising for Pick's clubs for a long time, reminding those driving by, to go to his other casinos.
Joe Hobson, Pick's brother, joined him in a casino found in the tiny capital of scotland - Hawthorne, Nevada during the Second World War, in the event the munitions facility what food was in full swing. Also under way were the constantly fighting service men in town, working with the munitions facility. The Pick returned to Reno in 1943 and opened 'Pick's Club,' which reopened in 1946 since the Frontier Club when Joe invested in the casino at 220 North Virginia Street.
The casino featured a bar, craps, 21, and roulette, including a race-horse book. A bingo hall was put in 1948, and 30 slot machines were brought-in by Virgil Smith. Later a Keno game was added as well as the table games expanded. By 1956 when the club was sold to Bill Harrah, there was 172 slots.
Harrah paid nearly $1 million to the casino, and a part of his final cost was a stipulation that Hobson wouldn't 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 Cosmo Club, that they operated for four years until it was closed so he could expand the Overland. At the same time, Pick was operating the Gold Club in Sparks, as well as the Topaz Lodge with the California State Line.
Once again, Bill Harrah came click here knocking, offering to lease the Overland, nevertheless the hotel and casino immediately closed along with the property was demolished in June 1977. The Cosmo Club has 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 from your Riverside along with the Overland happened, and the hotel closed in November 1987. Pick moved to Portola, California soon afterwards. He perished August 19, 1996, always remembered as a very congenial boss who did his best to take care of his employees.