As Wynn recalls, E. Parry Thomas was ‘the guy’
We see these names on buildings all over Las Vegas, on the Strip and at UNLV, and they can seem like brands instead of people. But there are human beings behind those giant letters, with legacies that much larger than even those great signs.
E. Parry Thomas was such an individual, and even the man whose name graces one of our city’s most famous resorts struggled to describe the late banking legend.
“What could I possibly add to what has already been said about Parry Thomas?” said Steve Wynn, the last to pay tribute to Thomas during a Tuesday memorial celebration attended by about 500 friends, family members and Vegas dignitaries at the Encore Ballroom. “He was ‘The Guy’ here. For those of you who were not in Las Vegas or who don’t remember what it was like here, it’s almost impossible to explain the influence, the power, the awe and respect that he enjoyed in the community.”
Thomas died Aug. 26 at his family’s River Grove Farm estate in Hailey, Idaho, just on the cusp of Sun Valley. He was 95.
Parry Thomas’ children Roger Thomas (the acclaimed resort designer for Wynn), Jane Thomas Sturdivant; Thomas A. Thomas; Dr. Steven Thomas and Peter Thomas also spoke.
Thomas founded the Bank of Las Vegas, later known as the Bank of Nevada, with his close friend Jerry Mack (who died in 1998) as his business partner. The financial institution was the first to routinely loan money to casinos. Many resort magnates — including Howard Hughes and Wynn — were able to purchase properties that reaped many millions in profits in Las Vegas. Thomas was largely responsible for the change in laws that allowed publicly held companies to invest in casinos, pulling the gaming industry away from organized crime and into the light of corporate ownership.
With Mack, Thomas also formed the foundation that bought the 300 acres of land that became the UNLV campus and later funded the arena that bears their names.
Thomas A. Thomas recounted some of the major figures his father conducted business with, a veritable Hall of Fame of Las Vegas legends. “Nate Mack (Jerry’s father), Herb Jones (co-founder of the prominent Jones Vargas law firm), Sam Boyd (father of Bill Boyd, founder of Boyd Gaming and original owner of the Sahara, the Mint and the California), Hank and Barbara Greenspun (founders of the Las Vegas Sun and the Green Valley development), Benny Binion (the founder of the Horseshoe and World Series of Poker), Moe Dalitz (the gangster owner of Desert Inn), Jack Entratter (the original general manager of the Sands), Jackie Gaughan (owner of El Cortez, Las Vegas Club, the Western and Golden Nugget), Bill Harrah (founder of the Harrah’s chain of resorts), Bill Bennett (owner of Circus Circus and Sahara), Kirk Kerkorian (owner of the International and MGM Grand and the architect of the megarsesort boom in Las Vegas), Frank Fertitta Jr. (founder of Station Casinos), Larry Ruvo (an original business partner in what later became Southern Wine &Spirits), and Steve and Elaine Wynn.
“Interwoven in the lives of every one of these remarkable people and many, many more was Parry Thomas,” Thomas A. Thomas said. “They shared their financial secrets and in many cases, the intimate details of their personal lives. They gave my dad their trust, and he kept their confidences.”
Dr. Steven Thomas, a Las Vegas orthopedic surgeon, talked of the many patients who told him that “without (Thomas’) help, his faith in them and his kindness, they would never have been able to do what they did or be where they are today. We loved this gentle, generous genius, and for having had a remarkable influence in our lives. ”
Wynn, who referred to Thomas as “Dad” for most of his adult life, said he long admired Parry’s “stunning humility.
“In the 50 years I knew him, I never saw him raise his voice, or become angry, no matter the provocation,” Wynn said. “If I ever get too full of myself, I’ll remember Parry, and that will bring me back down to size.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday in the A section. He also hosts “Kats! On The Radio” Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on KUNV 91.5-FM and appears Wednesdays at 11 a.m. with DaynaRoselli on KTNV Channel 13. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
