Successful Grand Opening of the Sutro Tunnel Extension
The Sutro Tunnel was echoing with sounds of the past and present on Saturday during a special Sutro Social & Cards in the Cavern affair. Friends of Sutro Tunnel Charity and the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce welcomed more than 300 people to celebrate the official opening of the tunnel extension for the summer 2025 season. The public can now safely walk 200 feet into the accurately restored adit and gaze down the unrestored section that Simerson Construction will continue work on this fall.
One guest stated, “that looks like a tunnel down there,” pointing at the unrestored cavern beyond, “but this new part looks like a fancy hotel, it’s beautiful.”
Volunteer docents were stationed inside the tunnel and in buildings around the property to answer questions and share in the excitement with attendees.
Sissy’s BBQ and A Scoop or Two ice cream shop kept stomachs happy while cold drinks for kids and adults kept folks cool in the heat. Rob "DJ Steel" Harmon played great tunes throughout the afternoon plus special guest local singer/songwriter Carson Chandler graced the stage for a few memorable songs.
At 4 p.m. nearly 70 seasoned and novice poker players took their seats for the Cards in the Cavern Texas Hold’em tournament led by Shilo and her team from O’Brien Event Management. The top 3 winners all received cash from the Nevada Fence tournament purse, a bottle of Frey Whiskey or 10 Torr Gin and a rare 150th anniversary Comstock silver piece pressed at the Nevada State Museum on the historic Carson City Mint Press.
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Follow Sutro Tunnel Restoration Project on Facebook and Friends of Sutro Tunnel on Instagram for event photos, details and future happenings. Visit thesutrotunnel.org for tunnel history and public/private tour information.
