Don Laughlin
Donald J. "Don" Laughlin (born May 4, 1931) is an American gambling
entrepreneur, hotelier and rancher for whom the town of Laughlin,
Nevada, is named.
A native of Owatonna, Minnesota, Laughlin worked winters during his
youth as a fur trapper. He took the profits and used them to purchase
slot machines for installation in hunting lodges. The young
businessman was making $500 a week when his school principal gave him
an ultimatum: get out of slots or get out of school. Since he was
making more than three times what the principal was, he got out of
school.
Laughlin moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, in the late 1950s and purchased
his first casino, the "101 Club." By 1964, Laughlin had sold the 101
Club. That same year, Laughlin was flying his private plane over the
California/Arizona/Nevada tri-state area near the Colorado River.
Growth in the area, specifically in Bullhead City and Kingman in
Arizona, and Needles in California, was spurred by the construction of
nearby Davis Dam, completed in 1951. The area was also a major stop
along Route 66. It was during that flight that Laughlin envisioned the
potential of the area as a resort destination. Soon after, he
purchased a shuttered, eight-room riverfront motel on 6.5 acres (2.6
ha) for US$250,000. Though the landowner had several offers, he
decided to sell the property to Laughlin because of his previous
casino background.
Artist/Author: dl December 20, 2018 |
