Michael John Gaughan (March 24, 1943 in Omaha, Nebraska) is an American casino owner and operator in Las Vegas, Nevada, who is the owner of the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa. He is the son of Jackie Gaughan and was the owner of a NASCAR race team, South Point Racing, for which his son, Brendan Gaughan, used to drive. The team was dissolved at the end of the 2007 season.
Michael Gaughan | |
|---|---|
| Born | Michael John Gaughan March 24, 1943 |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa, Coast Casinos |
| Children | Brendan Gaughan |
| Parent | Jackie Gaughan (father) |
| Website | www |
Biography
editGaughan won the 1966 Mint 400 race, and continued that interest with South Point Racing which he founded in 1999 and dissolved in 2007.[citation needed]
After many roles in casinos, including various ownership roles, Gaughan opened the Barbary Coast Hotel and Casino in March 1979 at a cost of $11.5 million. That casino, on 4.3 acres (1.7 ha) of land, became the foundation for Coast Casinos.[1] He was instrumental in bringing the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA)'s year-end championship event, the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), to Las Vegas in 1985. He serves on the NFR committee and is a longtime sponsor of the NFR and PRCA. He is also a board member of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.[2] In 2004, Gaughan sold Coast Casinos for $1.3 billion to Boyd Gaming. In July 2006, Boyd gaming announced that it was selling the South Coast to Gaughan for an estimated $576 million. The casino was built at a cost of $600 million. [citation needed]
Honors
edit- In 2007, Gaughan was inducted into the PRCA's ProRodeo Hall of Fame.[3]
- In 2009, Gaughan was inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame.[4]
- In 2017, Gaughan was inducted in the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame.
- Also in 2017, the ProRodeo Hall of Fame honored Gaughan with the Legend of ProRodeo award.[5]
- In 2021, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) honored Gaughan with the Jim Shoulders Lifetime Achievement Award.[6][7]
- In 2023, Gaughan was awarded the Ben Johnson Memorial Award of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.[8]
Michael Gaughan Airport Slots
edit
Gaughan has been granted the rights to operate slot concession at Harry Reid International Airport under the name Michael Gaughan Airport Slots,[9] operating over 1,300 slot machines in all of the airport's terminals.[10]
Sources
editReferences
edit- ^ Ward, Matt (February 19, 2007). "Gaughan are the days ..." Las Vegas Business Press. Retrieved July 7, 2007.
- ^ "National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Board of Directors". Retrieved August 26, 2022.
- ^ "Michael Gaughan in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame". ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ "The Gaming Hall of Fame". University of Nevada Las Vegas. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
- ^ "Michael Gaughan awarded Legend of ProRodeo in 2017". ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ "PBR honors Michael Gaughan with Jim Shoulders Lifetime Achievement Award". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
- ^ "Jim Shoulders Lifetime Achievement Award". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
- ^ "Michael Gaughan". National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
- ^ "Michael Gaughan Airport Slots". World Casino Directory. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
- ^ "MICHAEL GAUGHAN AIRPORT SLOTS LAS VEGAS". casinozone.com. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved March 13, 2009.