Elko Daily Free Press
Written by: Toni Milano
The forerunner of gambling in Elko is now the new headquarters of modern gaming, with the opening of Boomers Sportsbook at the former Commercial Hotel.
Boomers’s grand opening was on Friday morning in the old barbershop of the former Commercial Hotel and Casino, where it will enable gamers to make a quick stop to place a bet and sign up for a betting app.
The sportsbook was the idea of CEO Joe Asher who fell in love with Elko since his first visit to the Elko County Fair and Livestock Show in 2007. “I’ve been here for every fair since.”
Joe Asher, CEO of Boomers Sportsbook, speaks to the crowd before the cutting the ribbon of the new business Aug. 1, 2025 at the Commercial Hotel.
Asher, who previously worked for William Hill Sportsbook, said last year he began looking for an opportunity to get back into the sports betting business. “I was asking around if anybody knew of a non-restrictive gaming license that might be available in Elko.”
He spoke to David Zornes, CEO of Nevada Casino Holdings, LLC, which owns the Commercial and Stockmen’s Casino. He learned the Commercial’s gaming license remained active even though the building has become a family-friendly activity center, the Commercial Fun Center. Boomers is segregated from the family-friendly fun center with its separate entrance.
Zornes, who said he has known Asher for more than 20 years, recommended Asher use the space once occupied by a barbershop that maintains access to the parking lot.
Asher said it needed a lot of work. “It was pretty old and in disrepair.”
The space was remodeled by Zornes’ team, which Asher said turned it into an “efficient” location for Boomers.
“It’s a place you can go bet on sports and sign up for a mobile account,” Asher continued. “In Nevada, in order to get a mobile sports betting account, to bet on your phone from home or wherever in the state, you must first physically go into a casino to register your account.”
Currently, William Hill Sportsbook has two locations in Elko, at the Gold Dust Casino and Maverik Casino.
Asher said Boomers would offer sports bettors another option. “Now, people have a choice,” he said. “We’re not saying people have to get rid of their William Hill app, you can still have that one, but you can sign up for a Boomers app. If you want to bet on a game, just check the prices and see where you’re getting the better deal on that game or where the line is more favorable to you.”
“I think that choice is going to be good for folks, and I think they will like that,” Asher said. “Maybe we can carve out a little bit of business.”
Asher, who plans to be back in Elko for the upcoming fair, said he was looking forward to having a business in a place that “I’ve got a real affection for” and hoped people would stop by and check out the location “and give us a shot and hopefully we earn their business.”
According to the organization, the name is inspired by Asher’s “loyal dog, Boomer. The company embodies the trust and devotion that define true loyalty. Just as Boomer preferred staying close to home, Boomer’s is 100% Nevada-focused, offering a homegrown mindset that sets a new standard for value, authenticity and passion for sports.”
The organization also explained its independence within the gaming community creates better pricing. “Unlike many operators tied to casino groups, Boomer’s is a true independent operator, answering only its customers. This independence allows Boomer’s to prioritize fair pricing, compelling offers, and a player-first mindset, values that resonate with every bettor.”
Bookmaker Nick Bogdanovich “brings decades of experience and sharp insight to guide Boomer’s pricing and risk strategies. His leadership and deep understanding of the market ensure that Boomer’s delivers a top-tier experience grounded in integrity and expertise.”
“At Boomer’s, you’re not just another account number – you’re part of the pack.”
David Grolman, senior vice president of Boomers Sportsbook and customer service, was also on hand for the grand opening. He worked with Asher at the William Hill Sportsbooks at the Gold Country and Maverik casinos and said, “it’s nice to be back in town.”
He pointed to the 15-minute parking spaces in front of Boomers being a unique feature of the location. “It’s really the only sports book anywhere in Nevada you can pull up and walk about 10 steps into the sportsbook. It’s the most accessible sportsbook in the state, even though we’re in small town Elko.”
Grolman encouraged the “miners and the cattlemen” to take about five minutes out of their day to register an account at Boomers and make bets over the counter. “We have the full menu of wagering over the counter that we have on the app.”
He also said he understood the full circle moment in bringing the sportsbook back to the Commercial. “It was one of the first businesses in Elko, as I understand it, and now we’re the newest business in Elko. Like Asher, he was unsure the barbershop’s small space would serve Boomer’s needs but was amazed with the final result.
“I could not envision it being a sportsbook, and now I think it’s turned out to be dynamite,” Grolman said. “It’s a nice wagering space and to be in this historic building with something brand new and modern, to be able to transform something like that makes you feel good. Dave Zorens and his team did a great job helping us put that together.”
Grolman said football season is about a month away and he hoped people would stop by and sign up for an app to “get your mobile app funded.”
Zornes said Elko’s gaming industry had a significant downturn as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the area “couldn’t support another full casino” and called Boomers “a fantastic opportunity to have Joe Asher come to town with his new sportsbook.”
Boomers is “the only Nevada-owned sportsbook, privately owned with headquarters right here in Elko,” Zorens said. “It will be a great business for Elko.”
Zornes also pointed to Asher’s loyalty to the area. “He’s the perfect person to be in Elko. He’s in Elko for every county fair. He calls horse races every year. He really appreciates Elko and understands it. That’s what we really need here is somebody that wants to see the town grow and support it.”
Boomers Sportsbook received final approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission on July 24.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Asher plans to launch approximately 10 more Boomer’s locations throughout the state.
In addition to Elko, plans call for a satellite sportsbook at the Ellis Island hotel-casino in Las Vegas and Casino Valle Verde in Henderson, the Review-Journal reported.
New addition to downtown
Assemblyman Bert Gurr, R-Elko, and Mayor Reece Keener attended Friday’s grand opening. Gurr was also the first one to place a bet on the New York Yankees to win in their game over the Miami Marlins. At deadline, the Yankees were leading the Marlins.
Gurr recalled having his hair cut in the old barbershop as a child. He agreed with Grolman about the accessibility to sports bettors and believed it would bring more people downtown.
“It makes it easy and convenient, and it brings back a little more business to downtown Elko and that’s a major objective, I think for everybody in town. We want to keep the town alive,” Gurr said.
He also hoped more growth would lead to other vacant buildings becoming occupied.
Gurr also praised Zornes for his “miraculous job with the Stockmen’s” and thanked Asher and Zorens for getting “something going” for downtown.
“I’m happy to see more activity in downtown Elko,” Gurr said.
Keener agreed with Gurr. “I think it’s a great opportunity because it’ll give Elko gamblers, wagers, a different avenue for placing bets.”
“The exciting thing is that Boomers will be Elko-based,” Keener continued. “All of their new locations they will be opening around the state will be satellites to the Elko operation. Joe Asher, the CEO of Boomers, has made a significant investment to get this up off the ground.”
“This space where the barbershop had been was vacant for quite awhile,” he said. “I think anything we can bring down here to have more foot traffic will be positive for everyone in the downtown area.”
“We’re delighted to have a new business in downtown Elko,” Keener said.
