High Desert, Higher Hospitality: The Silverland Inn's New Era

On the Fourth of July, Zach Maley and his wife, Katie Emick, looked out across a lawn full of laughing guests and neighbors after 14 hours behind the grill and knew the vision for the Silverland Inn was working. Hundreds of people, hotel guests, and Virginia City locals alike, filled the property for a night of games, music and pure joy.

The Silverland Inn in Virginia City has new owners at the helm. They are reviving the luxury tied to the Comstock Lode's storied past. The hotel blends a modern take on Old West hospitality with a deep commitment to family values and community engagement. Ownership aims to bring the gold standard of guest service to the intimate town setting.

Maley and Emick took over full ownership of the 66-room hotel in April, after Maley's mother and original co-investor, Carol Maley, retired. Zach Maley first purchased the Silverland Inn in December 2023 in partnership with his mother. Today, the family, including their two young daughters and their Bernese Mountain Dogs, live in Virginia City full-time, a decision Maley and Emick describe as being due to the tight-knit community and opportunities.

"You're forced so quickly into a sense of community, and I think that's one of the real driving factors of why we wanted to bring our kids here – it takes a village," Maley said.

Maley has a long background in hospitality. He is the vice president of casino loyalty and marketing for Wynn Resorts in Las Vegas, traveling between the big city of Las Vegas and the small town of Virginia City. Emick has been involved in project management and strategic planning for more than 10 years. Most of all, they bring family values to the hotel with a shared desire to see Virginia City thrive.

On the operational level, there is Anthony Jones, known locally as "TJ." He has served as general manager since November. Jones offers nearly 10 years of expertise in mountain resort hospitality. He previously managed lodging for Vail Resorts sites in Lake Tahoe and a few locally around town. He transitioned into the Virginia City community five years ago with plans to sew deep roots. 

"In the 1860s and '70s, this was the richest place, oysters on the half shell. We want to bring that feel back, Western modern, more luxurious setup, plush amenities," Jones said.

The couple said the Silverland's appeal was rooted in its size and its bones. Built in 2006, the Silverland is one of the newest and largest buildings in a town that has looked largely the same for more than 160 years. The property spans roughly 12 acres including Comstock parkland, the new owners say they feel responsible for keeping intact.

So far, there's been no major overhaul. Instead, the changes have come in pieces. The team rewired the property with fiber internet and replaced every room with lush pillows. The interior is slowly shifting away from its Victorian look toward something more Western and contemporary.

"We want to pay homage to the history, and that is very much core to who we are in the holistic community," Maley said.

The 8.5 acres behind the hotel will stay undeveloped. The owners are working with Nevada's Forestry Service to bring back native trees like the ponderosa pine and fir, while maintaining the mountain views known at the property. Emick and her mother, Cathy Rodgers, are assisting through their nonprofit Rooted in Hope, which focuses on reforestation projects worldwide.

The hotel's Silverland Bistro & Bar, which replaced the swimming pool, brings an elevated scratch dining experience. Ownership hopes it goes well beyond what guests typically expect from a small mountain town. They are committed to cultivating a superior culinary program, merging quality dining choices with sophisticated details designed to enhance the overall guest experience.

"We wanted to be able to cater within our walls, offer food on site, and manage and control it for health and safety standards, and provide a higher quality product," Jones said.

Menus and hours are evolving as the concept grows, and updated details are available on the hotel's website and social media. Jones also discussed prospective plans to add a new pool and hot tub in an improved, heated location on the property.

The family has also launched a private-label wine collection with Comstock-inspired names, such as Comstock Chardonnay, Paranormal Pinot Noir, VC Outlaws Viognier and Silver Rush Rosé. The award-winning boutique wine is produced through a vineyard owned by Rodgers at Rivercrest Ranch in Jacksonville, Oregon, another former mining town whose story mirrors Virginia City's own.

The hotel currently operates with an in-house staff of nine that continues to grow. For ownership, finding the right people willing to be part of the team is as vital to the hotel's future as any renovation.

"Maintaining high-quality standards, cleanliness is key. It's a fun dance, I like to call it. Having a good family and team is really key," Jones said.

Gatherings have become a signature of the new ownership. A Fourth of July block party drew more than 1,000 guests and locals to the property, with barbecue, cold drinks, lawn games, live music and a cornhole tournament. They also held a free spaghetti dinner and games at the end of June for local families, with plans for many more to come.

"We're really trying to incorporate family-oriented activities, to come and share memorable experiences, and that's not only for our guests but also for the broader community," Emick said.

Maley has similar ideas, floating a barbecue cook-off or a Western country music event as ways to lean into the town's history while bringing in new visitors. The two are discussing family-focused additions, such as an arcade space, Western mini golf, and a larger game room.

Emick and Maley said their broader goal extends beyond the hotel's own success to the health of Virginia City as a whole, framing the Silverland's growth and the town's growth as the same. Programming such as trivia nights, tastings and live music is designed to complement, rather than compete with, existing local businesses, a philosophy the couple hopes will uplift C Street as much as it does their own property.

"Our priority is not just seeing the success of the Silverland. It's driving overall growth and positive experiences in the entire community," Emick said.

Maley and Emick expressed deep appreciation for their mothers: Carol Maley's early investment, continuous support and endless devotion to the hotel, along with Rodgers providing premium wine, picnic tables, umbrellas and hands-on help with the property's tree-restoration project. Alongside Maley, Jones thanked Virginia City's planning, fire, sheriff's and tourism departments for their role in the transition. Together, their gratitude points to a larger truth: the Silverland belongs to the whole town.

"I want them to all walk away knowing that they are part of the family. At the end of the day, this is a family-run establishment," Maley said.

What Maley and Emick are building at the Silverland Inn is bigger than a hotel. It's a bet that Virginia City's next chapter can honor its silver rush past while writing something entirely new, this time measured in community rather than silver.

"The best is yet to come," Jones said.