Cohen, Gil

Gil Cohen was born August 26, 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1957, his family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. His father, Yale, had been recruited to work at the Stardust Hotel and Casino, which opened its doors in 1958. His mother, Toby, stayed at home to raise him and his sister, Debbie. After graduating from Las Vegas High School, Cohen turned down several golf scholarships to attend the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR).

After graduating from UNR, Cohen returned to Las Vegas and started working at the Stardust, participating in a management-training program. After exploring several jobs within different departments, Cohen discovered that he most enjoyed working with people. In 1975, he became hotel manager, his first of many leadership positions in Las Vegas Strip hotels and casinos, which have included the Dunes, Aladdin, Hacienda and Monte Carlo. Cohen's community service commitments included serving as the president of Variety Club and work with the United Way.