Reno, Nevada, often called “The Biggest Little City in the World,” boasts a vibrant downtown, proximity to Lake Tahoe, and a thriving arts scene ... by dated casinos and lacks charm.

A surprisingly outdoorsy town nestled in the Sierra Nevada, Reno has become more famous for its outdoor sports and burgeoning arts and food scene than for being the smaller, less grandiose casino ...

Mullen, originally appeared in the Reno Gazette-Journal on Jan. 30, 2000, the date of the Mapes Hotel-Casino's implosion ... the Mapes' art deco style was already becoming nostalgic.