A handful of northern Nevada casinos are getting a name change after the buyout of Sands Regent holdings.

Las Vegas-based Herbst Gaming Inc. earlier this month completed its $148 million buyout of the casinos that include Sands Regency in downtown Reno, Gold Ranch in Verdi, Rail City in Sparks and The
Depot in Dayton.

All the new names will include the moniker "Terrible's."

Former Sands president Ferenc Szony will maintain his position under the new ownership.

Szony said the changes will be made in phases.

"We are not jumping in real fast making dramatic changes," Szony said.

A $13.5 million expansion that began in June at Rail City in Sparks is continuing, and a new restaurant, the Ale House, should open in April, Szony said.

The Depot name will go away in Dayton as Terrible's takes over, he said. That casino has been repainted on the exterior and is getting a new restaurant, and will be cross marketed with the other properties, he said.

Gold Ranch also will get a face lift down the road, but major remodels are unlikely in the short term, he said.

"At the Sands, we were in the midst of doing interior renovation when this transaction happened, and Herbst has been very enthusiastic about investing additional dollars into Sands," Szony said.

Herbst also is buying three casinos from MGM Mirage Inc. for $400 million in the town of Primm on the Nevada-California state line south of Las Vegas.

The Whiskey Pete's, Primm Valley and Buffalo Bill's hotel-casinos have 2,644 guest rooms and 136,000 square feet of casino space off Interstate 15.

Three gas station-convenience stores and a mini-market are included.

The No. 1 California Lottery retailer is at Primm Valley, and No. 2 is at Gold Ranch, which puts both in Herbst's control.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)