California Club Casino, Las Vegas, Version 2, Triblend Tee

Venue History

The California Club was a longtime fixture on downtown Las Vegas’s Fremont Street, located at 101 East Fremont Street. It opened in the early 1950s and operated under multiple ownerships and names, becoming emblematic of the mid-century “locals-first” casino experience in the city. The club featured modest scale, welcoming service and loyal regulars rather than the mega-resort spectacle of the Strip. Originally opening around 1951 under the ownership of Phil Copley (and later Phil Long), the California Club became known for its bear mascot logo, friendly atmosphere and gaming offerings that focused on approachable table games and slots for downtown visitors and workers alike. In 1967 (actually around January 1967) Frank Schivo, together with partner Norbert Jansen, acquired the then-closed California Club and reopened it under the name “Frank Schivo’s California Club.” Under his stewardship the club carried his name and staked claim again in the downtown market, continuing the legacy of the property. Schivo, a well-known Las Vegas gaming executive, brought his own vision and connections to the enterprise. Despite the revitalization, the California Club’s run under Schivo and its predecessors ended by about 1970. The building and lease were eventually absorbed into larger downtown developments—by February 1971 the lease at 101 Fremont was purchased by the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino, and the original California Club identity faded. Though the California Club is long gone physically, its legacy remains as a landmark example of Las Vegas’s downtown gaming and community culture during a period of significant transition. With its changing owners, including Frank Schivo’s era, the club reflects the entrepreneurial spirit and the competitive nature of the downtown casino market in the 1950s–70s era. Today, the California Club property is part of the Golden Nugget Las Vegas complex. Golden Nugget expanded onto the 101 Fremont parcel in 1983.