Horizon casino turns into training facility

South Lake Tahoe’s SWAT vehicle rams the entrance of the former Horizon casino in Stateline on Aug. 13. Photo/Provided

South Lake Tahoe’s SWAT team  stormed the old Horizon casino on Wednesday, causing extensive damage to the Stateline property.

And the owners are OK with this.

This was one of many training exercises by law enforcement at what is now a construction site. Brothers Jon and David Park are spending $60 million to transform the property into Lake Tahoe Hard Rock Hotel.

Because the large-scale renovation calls for significant demolition, SWAT and K9 units have had the opportunity to practice realistic scenarios in a controlled environment.