Cal Neva Resort, Spa & Casino is a resort and casino straddling the border between Nevada and California on the shores of Lake Tahoe. Its mailing address is in Crystal Bay, Nevada. It first opened in 1926, and currently has a total of 220 rooms including cabins, chalets and tower rooms.[1] This lodge was once part-owned by Frank Sinatra, who held an interest from 1960 to 1963. Sinatra's gambling license was stripped by the Nevada Gaming Control Board after Chicago mobster Sam Giancana was spotted on the premises.[2] Judy Garland performed at the lodge in 1935 with her sisters where she was spotted by MGM talent scouts and signed a few months later. Marilyn Monroe spent a weekend at the hotel one week before her death in August 1962. Over the years, guests have included Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Joe DiMaggio, Clara Bow, Will Rogers, Peter Lawford, John F. Kennedy, Juliet Prowse, and Dick Buek.
Cal Neva Owners, Canyon Capital Realty Advisors (“Canyon”) announced that as of March 31st, 2010 they will temporarily close the 5,365-square-foot (498.4 m2) casino. It has begun the process of selecting a new Nevada-based gaming operator that will re-open the casino by year’s end.[3] The property’s restaurants, lounges, showroom and wedding facilities will continue to be open for business.