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The operator of the world’s largest sportsbook in Las Vegas is expanding into Northern Nevada this year as part of a collaboration with the Legends Bay Casino project.

Circa Sports secured a deal with Legends Bay Casino owner Olympia Gaming to operate a sportsbook at the property being constructed just east of Reno. Olympia Gaming is targeting a summer opening for its new casino at the Legends at Sparks Marina.

“We are thrilled to partner with Olympia Gaming to introduce our brand to a new part of the state,” said Derek Stevens, Circa Sports CEO. “We look forward to bringing an incredible sportsbook to the property.”

Circa Sports launched in 2019 at Stevens’ Golden Gate Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Since then, the company has expanded its footprint into five Southern Nevada casinos while also providing mobile betting services in Colorado and Iowa. Its sportsbook at Stevens’ Circa Resort & Casino, which opened in 2020, is touted as the largest sportsbook in the world.

Stevens was especially excited to partner with Olympia on the newest casino property in Northern Nevada, which he called the “icing on the cake.”

“Legends Bay is the first ground-up casino in the Reno-Sparks area to be built in 30-plus years,” Stevens said to the Reno Gazette Journal on Monday. “So we loved the opportunity to put our first Northern Nevada Circa Sports retail location in this ... property.”

Legends Bay Casino marks the culmination of a journey that started in 2007 for Olympia. Originally envisioned as a hotel-casino, the project experienced several starts and stops thanks to unexpected economic headwinds.

The first was the Great Recession in 2008, which hit Reno-Sparks’ real estate and construction industry particularly hard. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered a lockdown across the entire state of Nevada.

Housing affordability: Reno-Sparks median home price sets another record high

Following the 2008 recession, the hotel-casino concept was ditched in favor of a phased approach. The first phase involved the construction of two hotels, a 102-room Hampton Inn & Suites as well as a 104-room Residence Inn by Marriott. Both projects broke ground in 2017 and have since opened.

The next phase is the Legends Bay Casino itself, which broke ground in 2021.

“This project is 15 years in the making and we are excited to see Legends Bay Casino get so close to the finish line,” said DeCourcy Graham, Olympia Gaming’s chief operating officer. “We initially started the planning in 2007, so watching the designs and concepts transform, evolve and go from paper to reality is a great accomplishment for the entire team involved with the project.”

Graham also thanked the city of Sparks as well as RED Development, which developed The Outlets at Legends, for helping turn the stalled project into reality. RED Development expects to see a boost in business from the Legends Bay Casino, according to Scott Rehorn, managing partner for leasing.

“The casino has planned to be at The Outlets at Legends for over a decade, so we are thrilled for its highly anticipated opening,” Rehorn said. “Shopping centers with casinos see an immediate and ongoing increase in sales, tenant retention and tourism traffic.”

Full details have yet to be released about the sportsbook, but Circa assured that it will include the state-of-the-art features of its latest offerings in Las Vegas. The sportsbook will also have access to the Circa Sports mobile betting app for added convenience, the company said.

The sportsbook will have good synergy with Legends Bay Casino’s gaming offerings, which include various table games, slot machines and video poker, according to Olympia Gaming. CEO Garry Goett, who also serves as chairman of Olympia Companies, believes the addition of Circa will make Legends Bay Casino a premier sports betting destination in Northern Nevada.

“This gives us a one-of-a-kind sports wagering offering,” Goett said. 

The roughly 80,000-square-foot Legends Bay Casino will also include original dining offerings and bar concepts. Add the shopping from The Outlets at Legends and guests will have a wide range of amenities to enjoy at the property, Graham said.

“We believe that the residents of the area, as well as visitors to Reno-Sparks, will appreciate the innovations we have incorporated into the entire property,” Graham said.

Jason Hidalgo covers business and technology for the Reno Gazette Journal, and also reviews the latest video games. Follow him on Twitter @jasonhidalgo. Like this content? Support local journalism with an RGJ digital subscription.