Want a Crowd at Your Event? Invite a Candidate

We’re just clowning around on a Saturday afternoon.

Apparently, if you want excitement at your next event in Reno, the formula is simple: make a campaign contribution and suddenly an elected official is thrilled to attend even if your business, etc. isn’t in their Ward.

Now before anyone gets the wrong idea, this isn’t a knock on the Bonanza Casino. Far from it. The casino’s owners, Russ Sheltra and Margo Sheltra, have been part of the Reno community for decades. They’ve supported countless nonprofits, treated their employees well, and have long been known for looking out for Reno’s senior population. Their reputation as community stewards is well earned. Russ and Margo deserve a round of applause.

If anything, the Shelta's simply had the unfortunate timing of landing in the middle of campaign season.

Mayor Wanna Be Devon Reese at a celebration with Ryan Sheltra breaking ground for Boomer’s Sports Book at the Bonanza Casino. Also hanging out Councilmembers Brandy Anderson and Meghan Ebert. We ponder why Ebert hasn’t received a Ward 4 contribution - you know - where the Bonanza is located yet they have contributed money to Reese?

Enter Devon Reese, currently working hard on his run for mayor of Reno. Reese recently posted enthusiastically about the casino’s expansion — the kind of civic cheerleading that seems to appear frequently when campaign season rolls around.

Bonanza Casino Contribution Reports.

To be fair, the Sheltras have supported many candidates over the years - Meghan Ebert’s predecessor Bonnie Weber comes to mind. In fact there was an ethics violation lobbed against Bonnie. They’ve been generous donors across the community and even helped out Reese’s business partner, Alex Velto, during his unsuccessful run for the Nevada Assembly.

But the Sheltras are also experienced business owners, and experienced business owners tend to hedge their bets. Campaign finance records show they’ve also contributed $3,500 to Kathleen Taylor.

And honestly, that might explain why they’ve been successful in the casino business for so long — knowing how to play the odds.

Because in Reno politics these days, it can sometimes feel like civic enthusiasm comes with a campaign finance receipt attached.

Need someone to show up and celebrate?

Opening a new bar?
Running a supermarket promotion?
Announcing an expansion?

Just make a contribution and apparently Devon Reese might show up looking excited about it and telling us how great this is for Reno.

At this rate, if the mayoral fundraising pace keeps up, the next Reese appearance might not be at a ribbon cutting.

It might be as the clown at a kid’s birthday party.