Boyd, Sam A., 1910-1993

Sam Boyd and his family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1941 and he began working as a card dealer. He moved up to a pit boss and then to a shift boss and saved enough money to buy a small interest in the Sahara Hotel and Casino. He became general manager and partner at the Mint Hotel and Casino where he developed a number of marketing, gaming, and entertainment innovations.

After the Mint was sold in 1968, Boyd managed the Eldorado Casino in Henderson, Nevada. He and his son son, Bill Boyd, had purchased the property in 1962. Sam and Bill Boyd founded the Boyd Gaming Corporation on January 1, 1975 in order to build and operate the California Hotel and Casino located on the corner of First St. and Fremont St. in downtown Las Vegas. Looking for a niche for their new property, the Boyds decided to market to the under-served tourists of Hawaii, which was very successful.

Sam Boyd, known as a leading businessman and innovator, is also remembered for giving back to his community. He helped introduce the United Way and the Boys and Girls Clubs to Las Vegas in the 1960s and led the way in hiring women and African Americans as dealers.

Sam Boyd passed away in 1993.

Source:

"Company History," Boyd Gaming Corporation, last modified June 18, 2018, https://www.boydgaming.com/about-boyd-gaming/company-history