“I’ve already gone places. I just want to stay where I am.”
In Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Carl Rodd, manager of the original Fat Trout Trailer Park, delivered his famous line to Special Agents Desmond and Stanley. In Season 3 at the New Fat Trout Trailer, we catch a glimpse at one of those places Carl may have visited – Boomtown Reno, 7 miles west of Reno, Nevada. Thanks to fellow Bookhouse Boy @Depth_Punch on Twitter, we have another prop identified on Twin Peaks Blog.
On July 11, 2019, fellow Bookhouse Boy, The Woodsman, tagged both Ivan Bukta and me on Twitter with an image.
I love when folks help identify the props used in Twin Peaks. This one – Carl Rodd’s Boomtown Reno ashtray – was a particular treat as it’s from the New Fat Trout Trailer Park in Season 3 on Showtime.
The prop appears in two episodes (more on that in a moment), but the easiest way to see the writing on the ashtray is by looking at the publicity photo from Part 10. I cropped the image above which clearly shows the name Boomtown.
A quick search on eBay and about $12 later, I had my own replica prop from Boomtown Reno.
Located at 2100 Garson Road in Verdi, Nevada, the Boomtown Casino and Hotel opened in 1964.
Boomtown is “the first building tourists see when coming through Donner Pass and over Interstate 80 is the faux-rustic decor of Boomtown Casino and Hotel” according to an article from the Reno Gazette Journal.
Boomtown began as a small truck stop owned by Bill & Effie’s Engle. The Casino was added in 1964, and the entire property was later purchased in 1968 by Texas businessman Bob Cashell (who became mayor of Reno). He rebranded the area Boomtown and began adding many new features – a bar and blackjack table in 1971 and a hotel in 1978. He later sold Boomtown in 1988. Other owners included Boomtown, Inc. (1988-1997) and Pinnacle Entertainment (1997-2012).
St. John Property and M1 Gaming purchased Boomtown in 2012 from Pinnacle for $12.9 million. M1 Game left the partnership in 2014 and today, Boomtown Reno continues to be a thriving casino and hotel destination on the outskirts of the biggest little city.
Before Season 3, Twin Peaks had a very small connection to Reno, Nevada. Big Ed Hurley mentions he “went to Reno once” in Episode 1006 as the team prepares to go undercover at One-Eyed Jack’s.
The first time we see the prop is in Part 10 when Carl Rodd is playing “Red River Valley” on his guitar outside his Manager’s trailer in the New Fat Trout Trailer Park.
We see the top of the ashtray when the camera cuts to a closer reaction shot in the episode.
The prop is seen from afar in Part 12 when Rodd speaks to Kriscol about selling plasma for food.
I loved seeing Harry Dean Stanton in Twin Peaks again. Difficult to see in this Behind the Scenes image from The Mauve Zone, but the ashtray is just behind David Lynch’s leg.
What a fun surprise to come across your blog today. I’m a lifelong resident of the Reno area and it’s always really cool to see my hometown mentioned in movies and TV. Other notable name-drops for Reno are on The Last Ship, a character says he is from here, and Terminator: Salvation, a check-in is received over radio from the human resistance in Reno.
I was Googling around for details about Boomtown’s Motion Picture Ride when I found your blog. I had been reminiscing about numerous birthdays celebrated out there and hoped to find other people’s memories online somewhere. The motion ride is (was?) a prominent feature of their Fun Center, which also includes mini golf, a huge carousel, and an arcade. Such a fun place! Thanks for showing this fun link from a place I love to such a popular and unique show.