Cactus Pete Piersanti
Encyclopedia
Peter Vincent "Cactus Pete" Piersanti (1916–1994) was an American hotel
and casino
promoter active in Idaho
and Nevada
from the 1940s to the 1980s. He is credited as one of the main founders of the community of Jackpot
, Nevada, in the 1950s. He is namesake of two Nevada casinos he owned at different points in his career, Cactus Pete's casino in Jackpot and Cactus Jack's Casino in Carson City
.
Piersanti was born in Superior
, Wyoming
, the youngest of six children. His parents were Italian
immigrants. His family later moved to Ogden
, Utah
. While in Ogden in 1941 Piersanti purchased a local bar and grill with a card room and a pinball
machine distribution company. In 1943 Piersanti enlisted in the United States Army
and served during World War II
.
After the war Piersanti and his family were among the original owners of the Island Park Lodge in Island Park
, Idaho, which opened in 1947. The property featured several slot machine
s owned by Piersanti.
In 1954 the State of Idaho outlawed all forms of gambling. In response Piersanti moved his slot machine operation from Island Park to a site just south of the Idaho border on U.S. Route 93
in what was then considered a part of Contact
, Nevada, in Elko County
. The opening of Piersanti's establishment, Cactus Pete's Motor Lodge, was instrumental in the founding of the town of Jackpot.
Originally a gas station
with slot machines, by 1958 Cactus Pete's was so successful a 15-room hotel
and aircraft runway
were built to accommodate the growing numbers of visitors, mainly from nearby Idaho. Cactus Pete's was incorporated by Piersanti and others in 1956. This corporation is considered the forerunner of Ameristar Casinos
, which currently owns the Cactus Pete's property.
Piersanti sold his interest in Cactus Pete's in 1971. After a brief stay in Las Vegas
, later in 1971 he bought the Senator Club in Carson City and renamed it Cactus Jack's Senator Club. Piersanti remained active in the Carson City gaming community until his retirement in 1989. During his final years he lived in the Lake Tahoe
area.
In addition to the casinos, Piersanti Drive in Jackpot is named after Piersanti. In 2001 Piersanti was featured on a $5 casino token
issued by Cactus Jack's Casino as part of a series honoring Nevada gaming pioneers.
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
and casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
promoter active in Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
and Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
from the 1940s to the 1980s. He is credited as one of the main founders of the community of Jackpot
Jackpot, Nevada
Jackpot is an unincorporated community in Elko County, Nevada, United States. The Zip Code Tabulation Area for its ZIP code, 89825, had a population of 1,189 as of the 2010 census. Located less than 1 mile from the Idaho border on U.S...
, Nevada, in the 1950s. He is namesake of two Nevada casinos he owned at different points in his career, Cactus Pete's casino in Jackpot and Cactus Jack's Casino in Carson City
Carson City, Nevada
The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...
.
Piersanti was born in Superior
Superior, Wyoming
Superior is a town in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 244 at the 2000 census.-Notable people:*Former Wyoming Supreme Court Justice Richard V...
, Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, the youngest of six children. His parents were Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
immigrants. His family later moved to Ogden
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. While in Ogden in 1941 Piersanti purchased a local bar and grill with a card room and a pinball
Pinball
Pinball is a type of arcade game, usually coin-operated, where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass-covered case called a pinball machine. The primary objective of the game is to score as many points as possible...
machine distribution company. In 1943 Piersanti enlisted in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and served during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
After the war Piersanti and his family were among the original owners of the Island Park Lodge in Island Park
Island Park, Idaho
Island Park is a city in Fremont County, Idaho, United States. The city's population was 215 at the 2000 census. The city was incorporated by owners of the many lodges and resorts along U.S. Route 20 in 1947, primarily to circumvent Idaho's liquor laws that prohibited the sale of liquor outside of...
, Idaho, which opened in 1947. The property featured several slot machine
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
s owned by Piersanti.
In 1954 the State of Idaho outlawed all forms of gambling. In response Piersanti moved his slot machine operation from Island Park to a site just south of the Idaho border on U.S. Route 93
U.S. Route 93
U.S. Route 93 is a major north–south United States highway in the western United States. The southern terminus is at U.S. Route 60 in Wickenburg, Arizona. The northern terminus is at the Canadian border north of Eureka in Lincoln County, Montana, where the roadway continues into Roosville,...
in what was then considered a part of Contact
Contact, Nevada
Contact is an unincorporated community in Elko County, Nevada, United States. It is located on a mineral rich granite intrusion and there are many mines nearby.-History:...
, Nevada, in Elko County
Elko County, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 45,291 people, 15,638 households, and 11,493 families residing in the county. The population density was 3/sq mi . There were 18,456 housing units at an average density of 1/sq mi...
. The opening of Piersanti's establishment, Cactus Pete's Motor Lodge, was instrumental in the founding of the town of Jackpot.
Originally a gas station
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
with slot machines, by 1958 Cactus Pete's was so successful a 15-room hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
and aircraft runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
were built to accommodate the growing numbers of visitors, mainly from nearby Idaho. Cactus Pete's was incorporated by Piersanti and others in 1956. This corporation is considered the forerunner of Ameristar Casinos
Ameristar Casinos
Ameristar Casinos, Inc. is a casino operator based in Paradise, an unincorporated township in Clark County, Nevada, United States in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The company has eight properties in seven markets, including four in the United States’ largest 30 metropolitan markets.The company...
, which currently owns the Cactus Pete's property.
Piersanti sold his interest in Cactus Pete's in 1971. After a brief stay in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, later in 1971 he bought the Senator Club in Carson City and renamed it Cactus Jack's Senator Club. Piersanti remained active in the Carson City gaming community until his retirement in 1989. During his final years he lived in the Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
area.
In addition to the casinos, Piersanti Drive in Jackpot is named after Piersanti. In 2001 Piersanti was featured on a $5 casino token
Casino token
Casino tokens are small discs used in lieu of currency in casinos. Colored metal, injection molded plastic or compression molded clay tokens of various denominations are used primarily in table games, as opposed to metal token coins, used primarily in slot machines...
issued by Cactus Jack's Casino as part of a series honoring Nevada gaming pioneers.