Las Vegas Legend Jackie Gaughan Goes to Meet Big Pit Boss in the Sky

In some sad Las Vegas news, casino pioneer Jackie Gaughan has died at 93.

Gaughan, at one time, owned more than 25% of the available real estate in downtown Las Vegas. So, yeah, like Tony Hsieh, but without the llama.

Jackie Gaughan
Many of the things this blog loves about Las Vegas probably wouldn’t exist had not Jackie Gaughan made them.

At various times throughout his life, Jackie Gaughan either owned or had an ownership interest in a startling number of Las Vegas casinos, including El Cortez (where he lived during the last years of his life), Plaza, Gold Spike, Las Vegas Club, the Western, Flamingo Las Vegas, Golden Nugget, Pioneer Club, Boulder Club and others.

For the most part, though, Gaughan loved downtown Las Vegas, and helped shape it into the destination we know and love today.

To honor his passing, the Fremont Street Experience created a special tribute for its Viva Vision screen.

Jackie Gaughan
A larger-than-life tribute to a larger-than-life Las Vegas institution.

Read more about this legendary casino innovator at the Las Vegas Sun.