Inside the church in a casino: Meet the Nevada congregation that gathers amid the slot machines

The steady hum of slot machines is joined by a chorus of hymns every weekend at Riverside Resort and Casino in Laughlin, Nevada.

Inside the 800-seat Don’s Celebrity Theatre, just past the poker tables, rows of chairs fill up not for a lounge singer, but for Catholic Mass.

“We sometimes joke that we’re the only Catholic church that has valet parking,” Father Charlie Urnick, the longtime pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish, told The Independent.

What began more than three decades ago as a temporary response to the lack of a dedicated parish church has become one of the country’s most unusual parish arrangements.

In 1992, about 500 residents petitioned the Diocese of Reno to send a priest to the small river town, a little over 90 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip. Father John McShane began celebrating Mass in local casinos that same year.

As the congregation grew, services moved in 1996 to the Riverside showroom, where they have continued ever since.

open image in gallery

open image in gallery

St. John the Baptist Parish now has its own church building, constructed in 2003, about five miles from the casino, but weekend Mass at the casino draws larger crowds.

Usually, the space is a concert venue — next month, a Bee Gees cover band, a Shania Twain impersonator and a Creedence Clearwater tribute band are all playing. But during the weekend mornings, worshippers of all ages pass through the gaming floor to reach the showroom, where large screens display stained-glass imagery.

“The casino has bells and lights. We have bells and lights as well,” Urnick said.

open image in gallery

Parishioners often contribute to the collection basket in the form of casino chips or slot tickets, redeemed by volunteers affectionately nicknamed “chip munks.”

Weekend Masses continue to draw a wide mix of worshippers, from parishioners who prefer the visibility and accessibility of the casino setting to tourists who hear about it by word of mouth, including valet attendants from nearby resorts.

“They seem kind of surprised at first that there’s Mass at the casino, but once they come, they come back,” Urnick said. “Sometimes they even plan their vacation so they can be here for a Saturday and Sunday.”

open image in gallery

open image in gallery

Auxiliary Bishop Gregory Gordon, director of the Guardian Angel Cathedral in Las Vegas, said he often hears from visitors attending Mass during vacations in Sin City.

“Sometimes people come for a Las Vegas vacation only once a year,” Gordon said. “But they’ll tell me, ‘I’ll see you next year.’”

Catholic Mass in the Vegas-area casino hotels began in 1958, timed around shift changes for 24-hour workers, Gordon said. Casino owners later helped provide land for the cathedral. Today, churches and casinos still occasionally collaborate, including hosting services in casino ballrooms during construction.

Back in Laughlin, the mix of locals and visitors gives each service a different rhythm.

“On a Saturday night, the first Mass always has an upbeat vibe,” Urnick said. “People are arriving for the weekend—they’re going to dinner or a show later, sometimes even in the same room where Mass is held.”

“The Sunday noon Mass is different,” he added. “People are checking out, heading home after Mass. But in between, a lot of people come and make a day of it.”

open image in gallery

open image in gallery

Perhaps what keeps many coming back is Urnick, who speaks about his services like a seasoned Vegas performer, working out the punch lines and figuring out how to get the crowds coming back week after week.

“If you can make people smile when they come to church on Sunday, do it—they’ve had a hard week,” he said. “Get their attention, and then you can go with the Gospel message.”

And try the veal.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies