In this interview, Stuart Mason discusses his family's construction business, Taylor Construction Co., and his involvement with building various Las Vegas Strip hotels including Caesars Palace and the Riviera, and remodeling the Flamingo. He talks about working within a "social contract" with the various unions, and other aspects of construction.
Stuart Mason was born in Columbus, Ohio, and moved with his family to Miami, Florida, when he was two years old. He received his bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Miami in 1958. Shortly after graduation, he married his wife, Flora, and started working for Taylor International, the family business. He came to Las Vegas in 1964 to start work on Caesars Palace as the assistant project manager and eventually took over the management of the business. Mason has contributed greatly to the city of Las Vegas over the years through his contributions in the development and construction of the Las Vegas Strip and his commitment to the community. He and Flora started the Nevada Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in 1970. In addition, they made donations to the UNLV University Libraries to benefit the Undergraduate Peer Research Coaches program, which helps undergraduate students obtain their college degrees. In addition to his work on Caesars Palace, Mason worked on the original and new MGMs, The Rivera, The International, the Stratosphere, and the Desert Inn, along with remodeling work at the Flamingo. Other company projects can be found in Miami, Jamaica, Aruba, the Grand Bahamas, Melbourne and Puerto Rico. His two sons took over the family business in 1997, the same year that Mason started as the Vice President of Development for the Venetian Hotel Casino.
The materials include audio and video clips of oral history interviews conducted with Charter (members since 1965), Golden (50+ years), and Silver (25+ years) members of Theta Theta Omega between 2019 to 2020. Audio and video clips include raw footage as well as edited audio interviews with each member. This series also includes reference material such as a copy of the interview questions, list of golden and silver sorors, and an October 2019 copy of Pink Pages, AKA TTO's member directory.
Archival Collection
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Theta Theta Omega Chapter Records
On March 1, 1979, Lance Cooper interviewed Suzette Cox (b. 1945 in San Diego, California) about her experiences living in Las Vegas, Nevada. Cox talks briefly about her career history in working at the Las Vegas Sun, as a deputy sheriff, and eventually as a secretary at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She also talks about the various parts of Las Vegas in which she has lived since moving to the city in 1953. The two also discuss the Las Vegas Strip, gambling, recreational activities, atomic testing, the Mormon Fort, and how Las Vegas has changed over the years.