Recreational vehicle enthusiasts are threatening to boycott the city of Reno over a 12-year-old ordinance that prohibits overnight camping in casino parking lots.

The ordinance has been on the books since 1996, and city officials say it was enacted for health reasons.

“I’ve observed people stepping out of their RV and urinating outside the door,” said Reno city code enforcement manager Alex Woodley. “We’ve had individuals use a Wal-Mart lot, and instead of being a good citizen, at 2 a.m. they’ll dump their gray water and take off, leaving a hazardous situation.”

The ordinance limits overnight camping in RVs to designated parks with water and sewage hookups.

In the past month, the city received more than 20 emails complaining about the ordinance and warning the city of a potential boycott. The emails, which were forwarded to the Reno Gazette Journal, mentioned the convenience of using casino lots because of the access to gaming and restaurants.

One such email read:

“We spend a lot of money there each year. I just cannot believe that you would take this away from us, and your own merchants!

“RVers are for the most part friendly, clean, and leave their area cleaner than when they arrived. It seems you are cutting off a good source of revenue here, and alienating and running off many who visit your town on a regular basis. You should know that there is a campaign that has started via the internet to boycott Reno as a result of this.”

Reno Mayor Bob Cashell said he is not concerned about the potential loss of revenue, noting, “I’m not sure it wouldn’t pay for a light bulb what might not come back.”

By Casino Connection Staff