Andrew "Drew" Levy was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, where his family became prominent civic and real estate leaders. His grandfather was Harry Levy, a former Las Vegas City Commissioner, and his father Alvin Levy was a former councilman. Drew is always proud to say that he never left Las Vegas and of partnering with his father in the Levy Realty Company.
Florence J. Murphy was a pilot and developer of commercial aviation in Nevada. She was born on December 13, 1911 in Fernley, Nevada as Colanthe Jones, but later changed her name to Florence after her favorite aunt. She attended the University of Nevada, Reno before marrying John Murphy. They moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1936 where Murphy began working as a legal secretary and had her first experience piloting an airplane. She later took piloting lessons, and received a piloting and instructor's license by 1941.
Vida Chan Lin was born in San Francisco as the middle of five children--all given Spanish names because the family migrated to the U.S. via Chile. Vida began working as a young child in her immigrant parents' Chinese restaurant, but soon the family opened the first Yet Wah, and the Chan family restaurants eventually numbered eleven in the San Francisco area. Vida moved to Las Vegas in 1993 to help her sister and brother-in-law with legal issues.
A street on the Westside is named for Elgin Holbert's grandmother, Viola Cunningham, who was an early land owner. It is believed that in 2002 she donated the property for Madison School now renamed Wendell P. Williams Elementary School. Although from Eudora, Arkansas, a few miles from Mississippi, his parents are a mixed couple, mother is White and father, Black. His mother was treated well in the Westside community but was very private concentrating on rearing her children with little community interaction.
A series of news, press, and informational videos that follow the history of the Stratosphere Tower and show the buiding's press reveal announcment, ground breaking, construction, construction fire, and grand opening; first video is a KTNV-TV Channel 13 editorial with Jim Behling, V.P./General Manager; the news clips that follow are from multiple stations and feature multiple anchors including Paula Francis and Bill French from KLAS-TV Channel 8; Marianne McClary and Angela Rodriguez from KTNV-TV Channel 13; and Scott Andrus, Sue Tripathi, and Rikki Cheese from KVBC Channel 3; featured interviews from the videos include Robert Broadbent, Director of Aviation in Clark County; Bob Stupak, the owner of the Stratosphere Tower; Raymond Lafaire, a Las Vegas tourist; Jerry Miller, a crew worker; Jerry Smiley from Union Equity Partners; Mike Moody, a business editor; Las Vegas Mayor Jan Jones; Nevada Governor Bob Miller; and unidentified construction workers; additional videos include a history of Bob Stupak showcasing his Las Vegas legacy, Vegas World, and Stratosphere Tower; the construction fire at Stratosphere Tower on August 29, 1993; and Stratosphere Tower opening night press footage of Las Vegas Mayor Jan Jones, Nevada Governor Bob Miller, Bob Stupak, and Phyllis McGuire; b-roll footage of digital renderings, press announcements, ground breaking for construction, various stages of construction, Las Vegas, printed media of Bob Stupak, construction fire, and fireworks from the top of the Stratosphere Tower Original media VHS, color, aspect ratio 4 x 3, frame size 720 x 486.