Harveys Resort Casino Lake Tahoe Bomb

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The Harvey's Resort Hotel bombing took place on August 26–27, 1980, when three men planted a bomb containing 1,000 pounds (500kg) of dynamite at Harvey's Resort Hotel (now 'Harveys') in Stateline, Nevada, United States. The mastermind behind the bomb, millionaire John Birges, was attempting to extort $3 million from the casino, claiming he had lost $750,000 gambling there.
The Harvey's Resort Hotel bombing took place on August 26–27, 1980, when several men masquerading as photocopier deliverers planted an elaborately booby trapped bomb containing 1,000 pounds (450 kg) of dynamite at Harvey's Resort Hotel (now 'Harveys') in Stateline, Nevada, United States.

Tahoe Douglas Bomb Squad was called on to train other teams across the country, and the protocols and investigative techniques used at Harveys were used in future similar situations including the.

18 Highway 50,NV 89449Stateline

Overview

This hotel and casino in Stateline, Nevada offers live entertainment and various dining options. Heavenly Ski Resort is less than 10 minutes' drive away.

Harvey's Lake Tahoe features a 4,800 square yard casino with nonstop gaming excitement. After gambling in the casino, guests can go for a swim in the year-round, outdoor pool or enjoy the stunning views of the Sierra Mountains from the hot tub.

Guests at Lake Tahoe Harvey's can enjoy the best entertainment in The Improv at Harvey's Cabaret. For on-site dining, guests can choose from traditional steakhouse dishes and more.

Rooms: 22

Hotel Chain: Caesars Entertainment

When would you like to stay?

Facilities of Harveys Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino

General

Paid WiFi

Activities

Skiing
Hiking

Ski storage

Ski rental (on site)
Ski pass vendor

South Lake Tahoe Harveys Hotel

Food & Drink

Restaurant
Room service

Vending machine (drinks)
Vending machine (snacks)

Pool and Spa

Fitness center
Hot tub/Jacuzzi

Outdoor pool

Swimming pool

Transportation

Car rental

Front Desk Services

24-hour front desk
Express check-in/out
Currency exchange

Tour desk
Ticket service

Baggage storage
ATM on site
Concierge

Common Areas

Game room

Entertainment & Family Services

Casino
Entertainment staff

Evening entertainment

Cleaning Services

Laundry
Dry cleaning

Ironing service

Daily housekeeping

Business Facilities

Meeting/Banquet facilities

Business center

Shops

Gift shop

Shops (on site)

Miscellaneous

Non-smoking rooms
Facilities for disabled guests
Family rooms

Elevator
Heating

Air conditioning

Safety & security

Safe

Internet

WiFi is available in the hotel rooms and charges apply.

Parking

Private parking is available on site (reservation is not needed) and charges may apply.

Policies of Harveys Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino

These are general hotel policies for Harveys Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino. As they may vary per room type, please also check the room conditions.

Check-in

16:00 - 20:00 hours

Check-out

07:30 - 12:00 hours

Cancellation / Prepayment

Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to property type.

Children and Extra Beds

Free!Up to three children under 18 years stay free of charge when using existing beds.

There is no capacity for extra beds in the room.

The maximum number of total guests in a room is 4.

There is no capacity for cribs in the room.

Pets

Pets are not allowed.

Groups

When booking more than 10 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply.

Accepted credit cards

Mastercard
Visa
Discover
Diners Club
American Express

The property reserves the right to pre-authorize credit cards prior to arrival.

Important Information

Your credit card will be charged immediately by the hotel for the first night room and tax. If the charge is unsuccessful, the reservation will be canceled by the hotel.
The resort fee listed in the policy section includes the following:
- In-room internet access daily for 2 devices per day
- Fitness center access
- In-room local/toll-free calls
Late check-out may be available at the discretion of the hotel.

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Harvey's Resort Hotel bombing
Location	Stateline, Nevada
Date	August 26–27, 1980
Target	Harvey's Resort Hotel
Attack type	Bombing, attempted extortion
Weapons	Dynamite
Perpetrator	John Birges
Motive	Extortion

The Harvey's Resort Hotel bombing took place on August 26–27, 1980, when three men planted a bomb containing 1,000 pounds (500 kg) of dynamite at Harvey's Resort Hotel (now 'Harveys') in Stateline, Nevada, United States. The mastermind behind the bomb, millionaire John Birges, was attempting to extort $3 million from the casino, claiming he had lost $750,000 gambling there.The bomb was cleverly built and virtually tamper-proof. After studying the bomb for more than a day through x-rays, bomb technicians decided that, although there were warnings from the bomb maker that a shock would trigger the device, the best hope of disarming it was by separating the detonators from the dynamite. They thought they could do this using a shaped charge of C-4. The attempt to disarm the bomb failed and it exploded, destroying much of the casino, although no one was injured. Harrah's Casino (which was connected to Harvey's Casino via a tunnel) was also damaged by the explosion, which broke many of the windows in Harrah's.^[1]

Harveys Lake Tahoe Casino Advice

John Birges[edit edit source]

John Birges, Sr. (1922–1996), was a Hungarian immigrant from Clovis, California. He flew for the German Luftwaffe during World War II. He was captured and sentenced to 25 years of hard labor in a Russian gulag. Eight years into his sentence in the gulag, he escaped by blowing it up. He emigrated to the U.S. and built a successful landscaping business, but his addiction to gambling led to his losing a large amount of money and prompted the bomb plot. This bombing was a primary piece of evidence linking him to the Lake Tahoe bombing.^[2]

Birges was eventually arrested based on a tip. One of his sons had revealed to his then-girlfriend that his father had placed a bomb in Harvey's. After the two broke up, she was on a date with another man when they heard about a reward for information, and she informed her new boyfriend about Birges. This man then called the FBI.^[1]

Birges built one of the largest bombs the FBI had ever seen from dynamite he had stolen in Fresno. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole. In 1996, at the age of 74, he died of liver cancer at the Southern Nevada Correctional Center, exactly sixteen years and a day after the bombing. According to FBI experts, the Harvey's bomb remains the most complex improvised explosive device ever created and a replica of 'the machine', as the extortionists called it, is still used in FBI training.^[3]

References[edit edit source]