Road Closures for the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off

The 2018 Nugget Rib Cook-Off starts on Wednesday, but the meat is already in the oven for some of this year's competitors.

"The chicken we can do today, the pork we can do today, but the ribs we'll start tomorrow at 5 in the morning," says Joe Alexander, owner of Rasta Joe's Barbecue.

Before Joe and other pit masters took to the grill, first they had some housekeeping to take care of, like building their booths from the ground up.

"Some of them started setting up as early as Saturday," says Randy Kennedy, Communications Director with the Nugget.

The cooks must also pass inspections. Officials walk through the booths to make sure that each participant is meeting health and fire safety standards.

"They're just looking for things that maybe someone would have over missed, you know a line not tied or something of that nature," says Mark Grant, owner of Porky Chicks Barbecue.

The City of Sparks announced that the Nugget Casino Resort will be hosting 23 rib cookers in Victorian Square for the Best In The West Rib Cook-Off.

The event will run from August 29th until September 3rd.

The following road closures will be in place for the festivities now until Wednesday, September 5th at 8 a.m.:

•    Victorian at Pyramid Way 

•    Victorian at 15th Street 

•    Nugget Ave. at Victorian Plaza Circle East (11th Street) 

•    Westbound and southbound at the Intersection of C Street and Victorian Plaza Circle East (11th Street) 

•    10th at C Street 

•    Eastbound and southbound at the intersection of C Street and Victorian Plaza Circle (14th Street) 

•    Victorian Plaza Circle (14th Street) will be closed under the freeway to northbound traffic (Nugget parking lots will be open for public parking) 

•    Southbound 13th Street at Victorian Plaza Circle 

Parking will be available at the garage adjacent to the theatre and 12th and 13th Streets will also be open during the event. The parking garage on C and 10th Street is closed.

Shuttles will also be running from the Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority and 204 Edison Way.

•    204 Edison Way: 

  • Wednesday 8/29 - Sunday 9/2, 11:00 a.m. -10:00 p.m. (event hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.) 
  • Monday 9/3, 11:00 a.m. -7:00 p.m. (event hours are 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) 

•    Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, 4590 S. Virginia Street: 

  • Wednesday 8/29 - Sunday 9/2, 11:00 a.m. -10:00 p.m. (event hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.) 
  • Monday 9/3, 11:00 a.m. -7:00 p.m. (event hours are 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) 

Lime Bikes can be picked up at the Larry D. Johnson Center on 12th Street and at the Sparks Marina near Howard Drive. Lime Bike riding is encouraged at the Centennial Plaza bus station at 15th and Victorian, and behind the Museum in Memorial Park on Pyramid Highway and C Street. The City of Sparks is discouraging Lime Bikes through the event.

They also want to remind attendees that bringing animals to the event is unlawful unless they are certified service animals. Personal tents are also prohibited. 

(The City of Sparks contributed to this report).