The founder of the Nugget Casino in Sparks has died. John Ascuaga turned the Nugget from a coffee shop with a handful of slot machines and a signature burger into the major hotel and casino it is today. Sparks mayor Geno Martini tells The Reno Gazette-Journal that Ascuaga helped shape the city of Sparks. Ascuaga, who also served in the U.S. Army, was 96.