Benedict, Alvin

Alvin “Al” Benedict (October 15, 1923 – June 7, 2014) was a casino executive in Las Vegas, Nevada from the 1950s to the 1980s. Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Benedict arrived in Las Vegas in 1952 and became general manager of the Silver Slipper and the Las Frontier casinos. In the mid-1950s, he left the Last Frontier to help open the Stardust, which was the largest casino in Nevada at the time. During the 1960s Benedict served as director of resort operations for Nevada properties owned by Howard Hughes. After Hughes sold the Desert Inn and his other resorts, Benedict joined Kirk Kerkorian and his team to open the first incarnations of the MGM Grand in both Reno, Nevada and Las Vegas during the 1970s. Benedict served as president of both hotels and on the board of directors of MGM Studios. He retired from MGM in 1985, and briefly served as president of the Sands for seven months in 1990.

Benedict was a co-founder of Nathan Adelson Hospice, along with Merv Adelson and Irwin Molasky, and served as its chairman and as a board member emeritus. From 1969 to 1970 he served as president of the Combined Jewish Appeal, now known as the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas. Benedict was also a past president of the Nevada Resort Association and a past member of the Nevada Gaming Policy Commission. He was involved with numerous other charitable and community organizations, including the Variety Club International Tent No. 1039, the Boys Club of Clark County, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.