Silvio Petricciani - University of Nevada, Reno

Introduction
Silvio Petricciani is a native Nevadan, born
in Reno on December 1, 1917. His parents,
John and Julia Petricciani, had emigrated
to northern California from Livorgno, Italy,
and thence, after a few years, to Reno. Soon
after their arrival, John purchased the Palace
Club building on the corner of Commercial
Row and Center Street, and obtained a half
interest in the company that furnished slot
machines for the surreptitious gambling
establishments in the Reno-Lake Tahoe area.
As the son of the “Slot Machine King of Reno,”
Silvio Petricciani was introduced at an early
age to the world of Nevada gambling. His
own, nearly lifelong, activities in the gaming
profession began during his high school
years as he assisted his father in maintaining
and repairing slot machines. When casino
gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1931,
John Petricciani added games to the Palace
Club operation, and after graduating from
high school in 1934, Silvio began to work with
his father in the club, learning every facet of
the business.
World War II interrupted Petricciani’s
career and the Petricciani family’s operation
of the Palace Club. John Petricciani was not
well, so the club was leased to others when his
son was drafted into the United States Army
in 1943. Since the lease had not expired when
Petricciani returned from Europe two years
later, he involved himself in other activities,
working in various Reno area establishments
betore moving to Las Vegas in 1948. During
the subsequent sixteen years, Petricciani
was associated with four of Las Vegas’ major
casinos: the El Dorado, the El Rancho, the
Fremont, and the Stardust.
In 1964, Silvio Petricciani returned to
Reno to resume active management of the
Palace Club. Under his guidance, the club
was remodeled and developed into one of
Reno’s most popular small casinos, noted for
its courteous and helpful personnel and its
excellent and inexpensive restaurant. When
Summa Corporation purchased the Palace
Club in 1979, Reno lost one of its oldest
landmarks in the downtown casino area.