He installed a revolving stage, which allowed for seamless transitions between performing acts, and Nevada's first 'air curtain,' which allowed the wide entrance area to remain open to the street year-round while protecting patrons from outdoor cold and heat. The club was a success, allowing Harrah not just to open a gaming property on the south shore of Lake Tahoe, but also to purchase and expand into the neighboring Frontier Club just to the north of his Reno property in 1956, a move that doubled his square footage. Advertised as 'Nevada's Most Beautiful Casino,' the club offered dice, roulette, 21 games, faro, race horse betting, race horse keno, and 40 slot machines, and featured two bars.
His first full-fledged casino, Harrah's Club, opened at 210 N. It was just six years after the state legalized gambling, making Harrah one of the state's gaming pioneers.
William 'Bill' Harrah started his long association with Nevada gaming in 1937 with a number of small joint bingo ventures in downtown Reno.
