Jason Hidalgo and Siobhan McAndrew | Reno Gazette Journal

Jason Bean, RGJ

A Circus Circus Reno tower that is housing students after a dorm explosion will soon revert back to hotel rooms, according to the University of Nevada, Reno and Eldorado Resorts.

The western building or "Sky Tower" was temporarily re-christened the Wolf Pack Tower after the university leased it last year from Eldorado Resorts subsidiary CCR Newco to house 1,300 students.

The agreement came after a "catastrophic" boiler failure triggered explosions that damaged two campus residence halls on July 5. Several people were treated for minor injuries.

The UNR-Circus Circus deal was worth $21.6 million and included an option to renew the lease for one more year. The university has opted not to renew its lease, which ends May 16.

UNR

“It will revert back to hotel rooms after the end of the contract,” said Caroline Coyle, Eldorado Resorts vice president of advertising and brand marketing.

The end of the lease agreement will return 902 rooms to the downtown Reno hotel room supply, according to Coyle.

The fate of the Circus Circus tower has been the subject of speculation over the years, particularly as it saw a marked decline under previous owner MGM Resorts International. One persistent rumor involved the university potentially buying one of the towers to convert to student housing. In 2014, MGM representatives lobbied the city of Reno not to include Circus Circus in a proposed downtown university district for fear of losing its gaming license or having it restricted.

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“Circus Circus is concerned about ever losing its gaming use so the safest way is for it to stay the way it is,” said then-representative Dick Scott. “Being in the entertainment district is an important part of our business.”

Jason Bean, RGJ

While the rumors of the Sky Tower turning into student housing calmed down afterward, it re-surfaced again after the university signed an agreement in August to lease the property following the boiler accident. The tower was quickly transformed into student housing, with 24-hour security, a police station, key card access and the installation of 65 washers and dryers.

The university, however, denied that it plans to permanently turn the tower into student housing.

“The University does not have current plans to purchase Wolf Pack Tower or to lease it next semester,” said spokeswoman Nicole Shearer via email. “Nye Hall is on track to re-open and house students starting in August 2020.”

“Argenta Hall is on track to re-open and house students starting in August 2021,” she added.

UNR is already working on a student housing plan for the coming school year, according to Shearer. The information will be released once the plan is finalized, Shearer said.