Johnny Z's turning heads in Central City

Johnny Zimpel winds down his shift slinging espresso at his parents’ new Central City casino Johnny Z’s a few days after its June 9 opening.

It’s the first new gaming property to open in Central City in four years, and the buzz factor is evident by the packed video poker bar and slot machine seats.

Johnny, a Colorado State University student, punches out and exits his namesake casino in true, young-turk style. He slides into a fully restored 1969 Camaro painted tangerine orange with the Johnny Z’s logo emblazoned on the side.

It’s one of two cars – the vintage muscle car and a 2010 Camaro – that will be given away during a casino promotion. He glides the vehicle down Lawrence Street vrooming the louder-than-loud engine all the way. A marketing ploy, perhaps? Whatever the motive, it’s getting attention.

The senior Zimpel is a former general contractor who built several other landmark casinos in town including the Century Casino, which was five buildings assembled under one roof. He was an investor in that property, and sold his interest to self-finance the new digs – the first new casino in Central City since the Century opened.

In its former life in the 1990s it was known as the Central Palace Casino, which Zimpel bought for $725,000 in November from George Maloof, owner of the Palms Casino in Las Vegas.

On opening day, June 9, word spread around town via guerilla-style marketing so by the time the doors opened, there were roughly 100 people waiting in line for a first glimpse.

Johnny Z’s is a looker. Bright turquoise walls are set off with a bold colored Mardi Gras style carpet throughout the three-story place that features 37 flat-panel high def TVs, 200 slot machines, four black jack tables, one three-card poker table, a craps table, roulette wheel, and a restaurant that serves breakfast all day (at $2.50 for a double down dish of two eggs, bacon, sausage or ham and home-style potatoes), salads and sandwiches at lunch and steak, pasta, chicken prime rib and ribs (at $5 with coleslaw and waffle fries).

An outdoor barbecue doubles as the smoking deck with built-in heaters when the weather turns.

“Everybody comments that it’s really comfortable in here,” Jan Zimpel said.

“They like the feel of it,” John said. “Maybe it’s the carpet. I picked it out.”

Bunch bunch. You know it’s Madam Lou Bunch Day in Central City when you see a gentleman strolling through Fortune Valley Casino decked in a suit of red long johns complete with a back door.

Lou Bunch Day, a celebration of the last madam who ran a successful house of ill repute in the late 1890s, includes brass bed races through the middle of town. Judging by the mood of the red-suited reveler, I’m guessing he either won, placed or showed in the annual contest, which also gives awards for costumes for best-dressed Dandy Dans and scantily clad bustier busters. Winners pocketed $50, then most likely redonated the money to the local economy.