George Maloof, Palms honor and remember Hugh Hefner

By John Katsilometes Las Vegas Review-Journal

7 years ago

The Palms hotel-casino marquee memorializes Playboy Magazine founder Hugh Hefner on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017, in Las Vegas. Hefner died of natural causes at his home on Wednesday at the age of 91. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph

Publisher Hugh Hefner and Palms Casino owner George Maloof pose during his 82nd birthday celebration during an exclusive portrait session in The Hugh Hefner Suite in The Palms Casino Resort on April 05, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Denise Truscello WireImage

Hugh Hefner and George Maloof, shown in April 2006 at Hefner’s 80th birthday party at the Palms, were friends and business partners at the hotel from 2006-2012. Maloof says: “His constant loyalty to the people around him defined his character. (George Maloof)

Playboy founder Hugh Hefner and George Maloof pose with photos with Playboy playmates and Hefner’s girlfriends during a party to celebrate the opening of the Playboy Club located in the new Fantasy Tower at the Palms Casino Resort on Friday, Oct. 6, 2006. This is the first Playboy club in 25 years. Las Vegas Review-Journal

Playboy founder Hugh Hefner cheers the lighting of the Playboy logo at the opening of the Playboy Club atop the new Fantasy Tower at the Palms casino resort Oct. 6, 2006. The first Playboy Club in 25 years boasts a bar backed by 10,000 diamond-shaped crystals and bathrooms whose walls are lined with every Playboy centerfold in the magazine’s history. Las Vegas Review-Journal

Holly Madison, Hugh Hefner, Bridget Marquardt, Kendra Wilkinson, playboy bunnies, Nahtasha Budhi and Keith Hefner pose on the red carpet for the opening event held for the Playboy Club at the Palms, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006. Las Vegas Review-Journal

Hope Dworaczyk, George Maloof, Hugh Hefner and Dasha Astafieva pose on arrival at Playboy magazine’s 2010 Playmate of the Year announcement and celebration at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 15, 2010. (AP Photo/Joe Coomber)

Hugh Hefner, Dasha Astafieva and Hope Dworaczyk, right, arrive at Playboy magazine’s 2010 Playmate of the Year announcement and celebration at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 15, 2010. (AP Photo/Joe Coomber)

The Palms hotel-casino marquee memorializes Playboy Magazine founder Hugh Hefner on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017, in Las Vegas. Hefner died of natural causes at his home on Wednesday at the age of 91. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph

The past and current owners of the Palms are honoring Hugh Hefner today, a day after the publishing icon and cultural trailblazer died at age 91 at Playboy Mansion.

The hotel swiftly assembled a message for George Maloof on its marquee on Flamingo Road. The message “R.I.P. Hugh Hefner: 1926-2017” is displayed on the side of the sign facing east and will be in place until Friday morning.

That sign dates to the opening of the hotel in November 2001, when it was owned by the Maloof family of Las Vegas. George Maloof, head of the ownership team for a decade, was a friend and business associate of Hefner through Playboy’s partnership with Palms and N9NE Group from 2006-2012. The Playboy Club atop the hotel was a Palms hot spot in that period, and the hotel christened the street leading from Flamingo Road to the east side of the hotel Hugh Hefner Drive.

“I had the unique opportunity to work with Hef for several years at the Palms,” Maloof said in a text message. “My experience with him as a partner and friend was amazing. His love of his family, friends and the company he created was always on display.

“His constant loyalty to the people around him defined his character.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.