Book, The Marshall Plan, by Jack Sheehan, 2013

The Marshall Plan By Jack Sheehan Raised in a humble immigrant family, Art Marshall forged a highly accomplished life - a wonderful marriage and family, a successful business, constant devotion to faith-based causes and his community, and a network of political connections across international boundaries. The Plan worked. (Inside front dust-cover jacket) As the fastest growing city in America for much of the latter half of the Twentieth and early Twenty-First Centuries, Las Vegas didn't happen by accident. It thrived and grew because of generations of believers that felt the city had the potential to become a truly great western metropolis. One of those believers was Art Marshall, who settled here in the 1950s with his wife Jayn and young children Todd and Cari. Coming from Cleveland and a Russian immigrant family that wanted to give its brothers and sisters and children a chance to pursue the American dream, Art took advantage of every opportunity that presented itself. Through hard work and exceptional people skills, and in concert with his brother-in-law Herb Rousso, they built a retail clothing chain that would become popular from coast to coast. Art Marshall's devotion to his family, his Jewish faith, and his community is yet one more inspiring story that parallels the rise to the top of his adopted city. (Inside back dust-cover jacket) Jack Sheehan has authored 20 books on a variety of subjects and has been writing in Las Vegas for nearly four decades. He has also written three feature-film screenplays. He has been honored as "Outstanding Feature Writer in the Western U.S.," was given the Lowell Thomas Award for Best Travel Article in the U.S., for his essay on "The Loneliest Road in America," and was presented the Nevada Governor's Award for Outstanding Screenplay for his script Hayden Lake. Two of his books have made the New York Times Bestseller list. (Back Cover of book) In his 60 years as a Las Vegas businessman, Art Marshall has met and mingled with a Who's Who of well-known politicians, casino moguls, international figures who shaped public policy, artists, and entertainers spanning several generations. A short list would include Las Vegas magnates Kirk Kerkorian, Steve Wynn, Parry Thomas and Jerry Mack, Sheldon Adelson, Gary Loveman, Terry Lanni, and Jim Murren; Nevada U.S. Senators Sawyer, Laxalt, Cannon, Reid, Hecht, and Bryan; Nevada Governors O'Callaghan, List, Miller, and Sandoval; Israeli leaders Begin, Sharon, and Netanyahu, Jewish VIPS like Edward Teller, Elie Weisel, Simon Weisenthal, and Abe Foxman; and entertainers Frank Sinatra, Red Skelton, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Danny Thomas, Danny Kaye, Judy Garland, Marlene Dietrich, Shecky Greene, Orson Wells, Betty Grable, Cary Grant, Phyllis McGuire, Tony Curtis, Debbie Reynolds; and artists Erte, Yuri Kuper, Harry Jackson, and the list goes on. Art Marshall's story provides a template on how to live a rich and full life, taking full advantage of every opportunity to maximize each day, and giving back in equal measure for the good fortune his country and his city have provided him and his family. It is a story well worth telling, and reading. Dedication: This memoir is dedicated to Jayn Marshall, 1929-2010, my dear wife, partner, best friend, and guide who taught us, "Always remember who you are and what you are." She was a devoted mother, outstanding grandmother, and amazing friend to all. Whether she knew you or not, she always greeted you with the warmest smile, as if you were the only one in the room. I am blessed to have had her in my life.?Art Marshall Table of Contents Introduction 1 Chapter One: Early Years 16 Chapter Two: Vegas Bound 39 Chapter Three: Business Philosophy 56 Chapter Four: Red Skelton 58 Chapter Five: Fancy Cars 73 Chapter Six: Moe Dalitz 85 Chapter Seven: Eugene Warner 90 Chapter Eight: Other Friends 98 Chapter Nine: Chic Hecht 102 Chapter Ten: The 'Art' of Networking 113 Chapter Eleven: Sheldon Adelson 119 Chapter Twelve: The Nevada Gaming Commission 128 Chapter Thirteen: Banking On It 142 Chapter Fourteen: The World of Erte 148 Chapter Fifteen: The Family Getaway 160 Chapter Sixteen: Harry Jackson 163 Chapter Seventeen: Other Important Friends and Honorable 'Menchens': (In Art's words) 167 Introduction If you trace back far enough with any American family, you'll find that the members of that family settled in the U.S. through a series of small miracles, strokes of fate, and odd occurrences. In many cases it's one person's act of courage, or a carefully plotted decision to seek a better life that caused the emigrating man or woman to leave the country of birth and settle in a land of freedom and unlimited opportunity. In the family of Arthur (Art) Marshall, the long-time Las Vegas businessman, entrepreneur, devoted patron of Israel, loving husband, father, grandfather, and all-around good man, the act that started the family's migration to the United States started in Russia with his uncle Julius Moskowitz. In 1905 Julius, the oldest child of eight in a Jewish family living in Dvinsk, Latvia, was conscripted into the Russian army. On the day he was to sign up, two of Julius's uncles went with him to the stockade. Shortly after he was registered, the uncles lifted Julius over the wall of the stockade, and using all the guile and ingenuity he could muster, the young man ran off to America. The Russian army came looking for Julius, threatening serious repercussions if he wasn't brought back to the stockade. Julius's father turned the tables on the military police, threatening them with legal remedies for the crime of "losing his son." The issue became a stalemate and eventually went away. Art's cousin Jan Moskowitz, whose late father David was an inspiration and guiding light for Art from boyhood onward, uses the Yiddish term "seychel," which means wisdom or sharp thinking, to describe the family's strategy regarding Julius's escape. The ripple effect of that daring act over a century ago has had a lasting impact on the city of Cleveland, where Julius settled and over time brought his seven other siblings including Art's father Leo; and particularly Las Vegas, where over a half century later Art Marshall and his brother-in-law Herb Rousso would bring their business and people skills to a women's clothing chain known as Marshall Rousso. The Marshall Plan 1 "If Julius hadn't gone over that wall, this entire story would be different," says Art, in one of a series of interviews for this book in 2013. There are many important aspects to the accomplished career of Art Marshall, but he will tell you the single most important moment of his life was on the evening in Cleveland in 1953, at a casual dinner in a local restaurant, when he first laid eyes on a beautiful woman, Jayn Saltzman. If indeed there is such as thing as love at first sight, this was it. Three days after their first date Art proposed marriage to Jayn, and several weeks later they were married. Art's and Jayn's was not an ordinary romance. By any measure it was an exceptional romance, one that had minimal disharmony, but was accentuated rather by unconditional support for each other. Perhaps it was a whimsical line that Jayn Marshall uttered to her friend Phyllis Friedman, the Nevada regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, that best explained the couple's exceptional relationship. When asked by Phyllis in 2008 what the secret was to their marriage, Jayn replied, "We're both in love with the same guy." The Marshalls functioned through their 56 years together as an unbreakable team, raising two accomplished children: Todd, 57, and Cari, 53, who in turn produced three grandchildren; working closely with the Jewish community in Las Vegas and for other causes in support of the nation of Israel; and giving their time selflessly to a number of civic activities. The Marshalls were a couple who followed the straight and narrow, always looking beyond the present day to find ways to improve a Las Vegas community that has always battled image problems and a divide between perception and reality, but nevertheless has grown into an important and vibrant modern American city. Sadly, in 2010, Jayn lost a battle with breast cancer. As was characteristic of his lifelong devotion to her, Art rarely left Jayn's side during the nine months she was ill. "Obviously, that was a really difficult time for my dad," Todd says. "He was completely devoted to my mother. It was a big deal for him even to leave her to go down to check the mail. He lost a lot of weight during that time. They were so close it was as though the illness affected them equally." The Marshall Plan 2 If one were pressed to find a single aspect of Art's and Jayn's life together where they didn't think alike, it would be regarding medical care. Jayn Marshall didn't go to doctors, and she was a firm believer in holistic care. This extended to her embrace of the spiritual art of Transcendental Meditation, which she adopted with her sister Este Rousso in the middle 1960s and practiced until the end of her life. Art didn't embrace TM, but he came to accept Jayn's passion for it because he saw how much she cared for it. That's what loving couples do. They respect each other's beliefs and support them unconditionally, although their level of passion may differ greatly. "My parents had a common bond in their dedication to their family and each other, and that was more important than anything else," says Cari Marshall. "And that extended to all members of their family. Although my father was an only child, he had dozens of cousins that were almost like brothers and sisters." Very few stories came up in the course of many interviews with Art that Jayn didn't play an integral role. "She was a guide for me in our life together," he says. "She was a partner in every sense?a beautiful, wise, kind, loving, and talented woman totally devoted to her family." Art tells the story about how shortly after they were married Jayn made sure he paid back seventy-five dollars that he owed on a draw account with a former employer. He explains that it was common in the aluminum siding business (more on that later) to draw money against future sales commissions and settle up when the jobs were completed. When Art and Jayn went to the business owner's home to repay the money, he told them it was the only time he'd been repaid like that by an employee who left the company. "That story is an example of what Jayn believed," Art says. "Honesty, integrity, and truthfulness were so important to her, and she always emphasized those qualities to our children and grandchildren." He also says that Jayn had a gift for conversation, and she was comfortable speaking to people of all stages in life, including the powerful and the famous. "I recall with admiration many late evenings of conversation with people (note: many of whom we will meet later in this memoir) like Abe Foxman, the The Marshall Plan 3 head of the Anti-Defamation League; the great Russian artist Yuri Kuper; Eric Estorick, a major world art dealer; and former Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon." Art even recalls attending a dinner party at famous fashion designer Nolan Miller's home to honor the Marshall's friend Erte, the renowned artist, and how Jayn engaged in a long conversation with Elizabeth Taylor. When Art asked Jayn later what they discussed, she said, "Oh nothing important. It was just girl talk." Art says that Jayn was always dressed immaculately when he would come home for dinner after work. "She had a terrific sense of decorum in the way she conducted her life, and it was important to her to pass that on to our children and grandchildren," he says. "They will all tell you she was the rock of our family." Cari feels that her father's being an only child, and being an extremely bright young boy who was twice moved from schools to a more advanced course of study, compelled him to seek to better his life from the humble conditions of his upbringing. Cari says her paternal grandparents' main ambition in America was surviving and staying alive, while Art's was to accomplish all he could with the opportunities he was given. Art fully understood the sacrifices that his parents and aunts and uncles had undergone to find their way to America and provide better opportunities for their children, and he was determined to take full advantage of them. With a pleasant demeanor, an instant likeability, and a gift of gab, Art's people skills were apparent to all he met from an early age. Todd agrees that his father's being an only child probably subjected him to a lot of praise within the household, and gave him the self-esteem at an early age that he could accomplish anything he set his mind to. One thing is certain. Art was always comfortable meeting important and famous people, and he had a knack for being able to nurture those introductions into long-term friendships. Art is particularly adept in the world of politics, where his support of Israel is always in the front of his mind. And although he is a loyal Democrat, he will support and befriend Republicans who are sympathetic to Israeli causes, or whom he considers to be good people with a strong sense of integrity. As Cari's daughter Dana Marshall Bernstein likes to say, "Grandpa has a Democratic heart and a Republican wallet." One of Nevada's most enduring Democratic figures, seven-term Congressman Shelley Berkley, emphasizes this point in a recent interview: The Marshall Plan 4 "I can't begin to tell you how close Art and I have been," says Berkley. "But yet he has been equally close to Chic Hecht (a former Republican U.S. Senator) and to Sheldon Adelson (who reportedly gave over $100 million to Republican candidates in the 2012 Presidential election). "I mean, these are not people I ordinarily break bread with," Berkley says, "and yet Art would defend each of us to the other within an inch of his own life. There has never been a question in my mind that he loved me and would stand by me. And yet I knew that he was friends with some people that are?and I hate to use this term?enemies of mine. But that never impacted on my relationship with Art. I trusted him, and I knew that he had my best interests at heart as much as he had with Sheldon, as much as he had with Chic or anybody else. That is the sign of a true friend and a giant of a man." Another attribute of Art Marshall's is that when he gets involved in a cause, he typically takes a leadership role. His work with the Anti-Defamation League earned him that organization's Distinguished Community Leadership Award. He also received the Prime Minister's Medal from the state of Israel in honor of his financial support for Israel Bonds. And his decades of work on behalf of the University of Nevada Las Vegas was acknowledged with his reception of a Distinguished Nevadan Citizen award. He has also given thousands of hours of time and commitment to the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas. He coerced his friend Danny Greenspun to become involved with the Federation, and although Danny says he went, "kicking and screaming to early meetings," he eventually became president of the organization and says the experience was "extremely educational and positive. I've learned that listening to Art is a wise thing to do," Danny says. "He's right 99 percent of the time." As gifted as Art was with people skills and being able to balance judgments of people so that he always leaned toward the positive side of their nature, he would tell you that some early experiences as a car salesman only sharpened those skills. He studied people carefully, read Dale Carnegie's books about making friends, and took it as a challenge to turn around a negative first impression of a person. The Marshall Plan 5 "The best networker I've ever known...Art never met a stranger.. .A master at putting people together to their mutual benefit.." These are the types of comments one hears over and over in discussing Art Marshall. Long-time Las Vegan Jay Brown, who is Nevada Sen. Harry Reid's attorney, says this: "Art has such a friendly disposition and easygoing personality that he can get along with anyone, which is a great talent to have. My feeling is that if you can't get along with Art Marshall, you can't get along with anybody." Jayn Marshall was also from a close-knit family and was extremely close to her two sisters, Malvene, who would marry a chiropractor, Dr. Herb Rowe, and Estelle (Este), who would marry a Southern California entrepreneur, Herb Rousso, who would become Art's immeasurably important business partner. Indeed, it was the bond between the sisters that united them with their husbands and eventual children in Las Vegas half a century ago, so that they could all be close to the women's parents, Abe and Sara Saltzman. And it was this important decision to keep the Saltzman family together that would open windows of opportunity in this rapidly growing southwestern city that Art Marshall and Herb Rousso would grasp with both hands. In interviews with dozens of Art's friends and business associates, there are other characteristics mentioned about him repeatedly: integrity, loyalty, common sense, an amazing ability to network and link people together in a way that is always mutually beneficial?these qualities are touched on time and again. Another is compassion. Todd Marshall says his father is a great believer in rehabilitation and giving people second chances. "When Dad served on the Nevada Gaming Commission, he took great pleasure in giving back someone's work permit after they'd made an earlier mistake," Todd says. "He's always been big on forgiveness." An example of this lies with Cari Marshall's early marriage. She was wed for 10 years to prominent Las Vegas attorney Ed Bernstein, and Art welcomed Ed into the family like a second son. When the marriage ended in divorce, Art and Jayn were both hurt, and the feelings remained raw for a few years. One day Jayn said to Art: "This war with Ed has to end. It's too hurtful to Cari and Dana (their daughter)." The Marshall Plan 6 Art agreed with her reasoning, and today Art and Ed are close once again. Ed Bernstein says that Art is "like my second father. There is no one I respect more or whose advice I value more than Art's." Regarding his three granddaughters: Todd's daughters Jessica and Alexis Marshall, and Cari's daughter Dana Marshall Bernstein, they all feel an extra special bond with Art and consider him the smartest man in the world. "The grandkids always felt that Grandpa could do anything," Cari says. "And he could. They knew he would always deliver for them." One of Art's pet quotes, which he pulls out occasionally at family gatherings, is, "Grandchildren are God's gift for not killing your children." Unless it's overlooked, Art has a pretty keen sense of humor as well. All three granddaughters are full of praise about the love and guidance they have received from Art and Jayn through the years. "Grandpa is so amazing, he's been totally involved in our lives since we were little," says Alexis Marshall, 24, Todd's younger daughter, who works as a production coordinator for a film studio in Los Angeles. "When we were growing up, if he couldn't be at an event, he wanted to hear the story about what he missed. And he always remembered our friends' names, which was pretty cool. "Grandma was amazing as well," Alexis says. "She taught us morals, and always to follow our gut. She created such a warm environment for us. She had great intuition and would celebrate our happiness when things were going well, and was supportive when things weren't going well. I once got caught sneaking out with my dad's car at night. It was late and I pulled out of a parking lot in a park that was closed and was pulled over by a cop. My dad yelled at me, which I deserved, but when it was my grandparents' time to say something, they explained that the danger was that I was out late at night when people were drunk driving. They smoothed it over and came to it from a loving place." Alexis's older sister Jessica, 27, who is a buyer for a large online shopping company in New York, remembers a story from when she was just four years old. The Marshall Plan 7 She was with her grandfather at his summer home in Coronado, and she had developed the habit of always calling him "Art." "There are only three people in the world that can call me Grandpa, and you are one of them," he told her. "I wish you'd just call me Grandpa." A short time later she said, "Art, I really want some ice creme." "Art doesn't want to get ice creme right now," he replied. Little Jessica looked up at him and said, "Well then, does Grandpa want to get some ice creme?" Needless to say, Grandpa instantly headed for the ice creme store. Dana Marshall Bernstein, 24, says that she determined as a young girl, just five or six years old, that she was so proud of the Marshall name that she has gone by Dana Marshall-Bernstein ever since. "Because my parents divorced when I was really young, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents, "she says. "And I formed a really close alliance with my grandfather. If ever there was an instance of taking sides over an issue, it would always be my mom (Cari) and grandmother on one side and my grandfather and I on the other. He was always my best ally, and it's always been comforting to know that he has my back in every situation. I remember my grandfather used to laugh and tell my cousins and me, 'We have a common enemy: your parents.'" Visiting Art Marshall's penthouse apartment is like gaining admittance to a prestigious art gallery. The most prominent paintings on display are of course the work of his beloved Jayn, whose artistic talents were such that on two different occasions major figures in the art world offered to host shows of her work. "But Mom was never interested in that," Cari Marshall says. "She painted because she had to express what was inside of her. She never had any interest in selling her work or showing it off." In looking through photos of Art's collection through the years, most of which he's dispersed, there are a number of magnificent pieces, including bronzes from Paul Troubetzkoy, considered the greatest Russian sculptor of modern times; The Marshall Plan 8 the western painter and sculptor Harry Jackson; and the great Russian artist Yuri Kuper, who became close friends with Art and Jayn and with whom Art still corresponds. Through the years he has owned terrific Faberge works, and he has a good story about each of them. One can only imagine what the response would be if Art went on a television program like Antiques Roadshow and revealed to a Russian history expert a pair of baby slippers that belonged to Tsar Nicholas, but that's another story. It's almost as though the first name he received at birth, and the last name he chose as a teenager to become more Americanized, have in an unusual way defined one of his passions. Because Art Marshall is a man who has through his life marshaled some invaluable works of art, and he has treasured them with the understanding that they represent in their creators a brilliant sense of workmanship and an intuitive understanding of the human condition. While most of us would be pleased to know we had four or five close friends that we could count on in times of great need, it's likely Art's list would be five to 10 times that long. That is because nearly everyone interviewed for this memoir mentioned that Art had been beside them in a time of particular need, and they would be honored to reciprocate if he needed them. The comments of Shelley Berkley perhaps best exemplify the bonds Art is capable of forming with his friends: "When I was growing up in Las Vegas, Art Marshall was a larger than life figure in the community, both in the secular world and the Jewish world," Berkley says. "When I was first running for Nevada State Assembly in 1982, there was nobody that I wanted to meet more than Art. I arranged through his then son-in-law Eddie Bernstein to meet him. That was a very fortuitous meeting for me, and Art and I became as intimate as two people can be without having sex. (laughing). "When you have a conversation with Art, it is not a small thing," she continues. "It is a major commitment of time. That is because there is so much to share and he is so knowledgeable about so many things, and he has the most extraordinary intuitive nature of anybody I have ever met. He helped me through some very, very tough times, and he's been with me through very, very good times. I consider him a friend and a mentor and just one of the most extraordinary people I've ever met." The Marshall Plan 9 Others who have worked with Art on the political or business front are equally effusive in their praise of him. Here's a sampling: Sen. Harry Reid, the U.S. Senate Majority Leader since 2007: "My experience with Art Marshall extends over these many years, and the quality about him that most stands out is his loyalty to friends and family. And his loyalty to me. No matter what happens, he's been there for me. You know I've been kicked around.. .popular at times, not so popular at other times, but to Art none of that matters. Whether I'm up or down, he's always with me. He lost his wife Jayn, which was traumatic, and his granddaughter Dana has battled many health issues, but he's always there to help whoever needs it. He has two great children, Cari and Todd, and he's always there for them no matter what they might be going through. Art's sense of loyalty is just exceptional." Jan Jones, former mayor of Las Vegas and currently Senior Vice-President of Caesars Entertainment: "What a wonderful man Art is. He supported me in my campaigns for mayor and governor, but he doesn't let politics get in the way of friendship. He has great friends on both sides of the aisle because he is an eminently fair man. He does things out of his own good heart. Together he and Jayn were just a wonderful couple. They were their own love story." Sam Lionel, founding partner of the Lionel Sawyer Collins law firm, who was recently married at age 94: "Art Marshall has been my neighbor for many years and a friend for even longer than that. I don't know anyone who knows more about the politics and personalities in Las Vegas than Art. He just has a huge knowledge of the people of the area. Most importantly, he has a good heart and he's always willing to help people out with any problem or situation that might arise." Don Snyder, currently Dean of the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration at UNLV: "It's hard to quantify how many different businesses or projects Art has lent great support to. He did a lot for the Smith Center (for the Performing Arts) when we were in our formative years, and the Cleveland Clinic's alliance with the Lou Ruvo Brain Center is in large part a credit to Art and all his connections in Cleveland. He just knows how to get things done. Also, at Bank of Nevada he was clearly the best business developer we had because it was always in his mind to discuss the bank with people. We couldn't have had a more effective chairman. He had the maturity and wisdom to do the job, and he had great gut instincts." The Marshall Plan 10 Mike Sloan, long-time prominent Las Vegas gaming attorney and currently Senior Vice-President of Government Relations with Fertitta Enterprises: "Art and I worked together so often as fundraisers that he used to tell people, 'Mike has cost me more money than Jayn.' And it's probably true. A fellow named Jerry Berlin first got us together because he knew we had similar interests and abilities, and I think Art and I made a pretty good team. I remember we specifically worked together with Joe Biden and Howard Metzenbaum, and Art was invaluable because he was good friends with both of them, and with so many other powerful politicians. As everyone knows, Art's fundraising, while it may be skewed towards Democrats, isn't limited to them. He usually just chooses the right side of an issue and then works tirelessly for that cause. He's a collegial guy, and he's done a lot of his good work in a quiet way." Gary Loveman, CEO Caesars Entertainment: "The gaming industry, other than nuclear power, is the most exhaustively regulated industry in America, and not for very good reasons. Among gaming regulators I've dealt with--and our company operates in every U.S. state that has gaming--Art is unique in that he was always looking not just for problems with an application or an opportunity, but for ways to expand opportunities. He understood that his purpose as a regulator with the Nevada Gaming Commission was to prevent the worst and also to enhance the best. It is also significant that as a successful retailer he understood what drives customers into our buildings and what they want to enjoy. Most regulators are lawyers or accountants, so among regulators his was a unique perspective. Having an entrepreneur like Art on the Commission was a hugely positive thing." Robert List, Governor of Nevada from 1979-1983: "I've known Art for 40 years and just consider him a brilliant guy, and so sincere. I don't think he has an enemy in the world. I introduced him to Sheldon Adelson when I was representing Sheldon in his purchase of the Sands Hotel and his subsequent licensing. I just felt they were two wonderful guys, both philanthropists and both devoted to Jewish causes. That has developed into a wonderful friendship. I also worked with him as attorney general to reduce the problem of shoplifting in Nevada, and I appointed him to the PERS Board (Public Employees Retirement System) when that board needed strong professional guidance and he brought leadership and expertise to that position." Bob Miller, Governor of Nevada from 1989-1999: "Art has always been one of the most community-minded men in Las Vegas. He has attended civic and charitable events endlessly, particularly those that are faith-based. Appointing him to the Nevada Gaming Commission was an easy decision. His highly successful The Marshall Plan 11 stores had placed him inside Las Vegas casinos daily, yet not as a licensee. He has always been regarded as an honest and straightforward person who says what he believes and acts as he says." Richard Bryan, former Governor of Nevada (1983-1989) and U.S. Senator (1989-2001): "When I ran against Chic Hecht for Senate in 1988 I knew that Art was a long-time close friend of Chic's, so I understood and respected his loyalty to his good friend. I think he would have supported me had I not been the challenger and running against his long-time friend. I remember working with him through the Retail Merchants Association when I was attorney general of Nevada and governor. The qualities that I think of with Art are loyalty and fair-mindedness. I remember seeing Art and Jayn at so many local events, usually Bonds for Israel dinners and events for the Jewish Federation. He's always been a class act." Sen. Tom Daschle, former U.S. Senator from South Dakota and former Senate Majority leader: "Art is such a dear, dear soul. I can say of all the times I've been picked up by a friend at the airport, the only time I got a ride in a Rolls Royce was with Art Marshall. He used to pick me up every time I came to Las Vegas. I think the first time was in the 1990s, and I was so impressed with the car he said, 'You drive.' "So I got in and drove and told Art to sit in the back seat, so I could chauffeur him around for once. "He always contributed to my campaigns, every time I ran for office. I know he was supportive of many Jewish causes, and I've made many friends in the Jewish community through the years, and I believe I met him through those contacts. I consider Art a true friend." Bill Bible, former chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board: "I was Richard Bryan's budget director when he was governor and Richard pointed me to Art as a source of economic information. I would talk to Art about how his dress shops were doing on the Strip. Most people don't recognize how politically connected Art is both inside and outside Nevada. He knows most of the influential national politicians on a first-name basis. He also has the unique