"Operation Para-Unit: 15 Years in Yuma"
The Paranormal Unit has been conducting investigations in Yuma since 2012, accumulating 15 years of evidence for a two-hour documentary film.
The team's final visit to Yuma will occur in 2027, during which they aim to finalize their findings.
Executive Producers
Jim VanEeckhoutte
Sam Neill
Shawn VanEeckhoutte
Written and Produced by
Shawn VanEeckhoutte
Director of Photography
Mike Nash
Post Production
Shawn of the Dead
Story Research
Dennis Quesenberry
Cast:
Jim VanEeckhoutte
Sam Neill
Shawn VanEeckhoutte
Dennis Quesenberry
HISTORY
LUTES CASINO
YUMA, ARIZONA
The décor has a quirky, eclectic vibe, filled with what some might call fascinating junk, and it's absolutely everywhere. The towering 12-foot walls are covered in a wild assortment of posters, paintings, murals, and decals. You can spot a classic Laurel and Hardy poster over there, while Humphrey Bogart makes an appearance nearby. There's even a shot of Babe Ruth casually resting his bat on his shoulder. Hanging from the ceiling are a full-size Signal Gas sign and another for Western Union, making it impossible to look around without noticing a unique piece of memorabilia. And if you glance up, you'll see the highlight—a ragged foot bursting through the ceiling. On the ground, the crowd is a mix of curious tourists sipping beer and exploring the walls, alongside the regulars who seem right at home.
At Lutes Casino, you'll find regulars enjoying beers and playing dominoes at the front tables, while others are focused on their game at the pool tables in the back. Some patrons prefer to relax at the bar or engage in light-hearted conversations, making for a laid-back afternoon. Kids of all ages are drawn to the lively sounds of the pinball machines, which take up an entire wall and give the place a vibrant, almost adult vibe. When you first walk in, it might seem a bit rough around the edges, but owner Bobby Lutes insists it's a family-friendly spot. He and his brother Billy aim to create a welcoming environment for everyone, noting that trouble is rare these days, aside from the occasional inebriated visitor. Bobby reminisces about when fights would break out over pool games, but he assures that those days are long gone.
The "old days" trace back to 1901 when the Molina Investment Co. built a structure that housed the New York Store on the ground floor, offering groceries and various goods, while the Central Hotel occupied the upper level. This was well over sixty years before Main Street transformed into the Territorial Mall. Old photos reveal the building's presence on a bustling Main Street, complete with a second-floor balcony and a "Rooms for Rent" sign. Back then, Main Street was just a dirt road bustling with horse-drawn carriages and thriving businesses. Historians have a gap in the building's story from 1912 to 1920, until W.E. "Pop" McCaw opened the Casino Billiard Parlor. Around 1945, McCaw sold the establishment to Walter Weatherford from Somerton, who later passed it on to Clark "Cocky" Powers after about a year.
Bobby Lutes shares that Cocky was quite the gambler, borrowing $10,000 from his dad to purchase the establishment. The unfinished cement building at the back was intended as a gambling room, but Cocky never completed it. Lutes mentions that Powers couldn't repay the loan, leading him to hand over the Casino to R.H. Lutes, a businessman from Yuma and a former Justice of the Peace. Lutes reflects that it wasn't a great deal for his father, but he had little choice in the matter. The elder Lutes then ran the Casino, introducing dominoes and hamburgers alongside billiards and beer, making it possibly the only domino parlor in the state.
"I took over the operation in 1959 or 60," Bobby Lutes recalls. After he'd owned it for five years, he bought a neighboring store, The Toggery, from the late State Senator Harold Giss. The Casino doubled in size. "I started collecting the wall stuff in about 1960," he recalls. "People bring me stuff for the walls, but I collect the posters myself. The foot through the ceiling was also my idea." He also had the wall of coin-operated games installed. Today, Lutes Casino is booming. It has become the place to go on a Saturday afternoon or after a show. People dressed to the nines can be seen mingling with pool-shooting cowboys, ordering the famous "Special" or "Especial," a combination cheeseburger and hot dog covered with hot sauce.
