Shoofey, Alex, 1916-2007

Alexander James Shoofey was born in 1916 in Montreal, Quebec (Canada) and was raised in the St. Vincent Home for Boys in Brooklyn, New York. He completed his post-secondary education at St. John's University in New York City and became a U.S. citizen in 1942, the same year he joined the U.S. Army and went to France, the Philippines, and Japan during World War II. In 1947, Shoofey drove to Southern California for a job and ended up settling in Las Vegas, Nevada after his car broke down on Main Street. Shoofey was hired by Club Bingo as an accountant. The casino evolved into the Sahara, and Shoofey eventually became the president of the casino.

In 1967 he left the Sahara to work for Kirk Kerkorian, who had purchased the Flamingo Hotel and was building the International Hotel (Las Vegas Hilton). Shoofey resigned from the International Hotel in 1972 and worked as a freelance casino consultant before retiring in 1980. Shoofey was an avid philanthropist and worked with the Boys Club of America, National Jewish Hospital in Denver, Colorado, and the Nevada Safety Council. He passed away in 2007 at the age of 91.

Sources:

"Longtime casino exec Shoofey dies at age 91." Las Vegas Review-Journal. March 01, 2017. Accessed December 15, 2017. https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/longtime-casino-exec-shoofey-dies-at-age-91/.

"Alex Shoofey: 1916-2007." LasVegasSun.com. August 31, 2007. Accessed December 15, 2017. https://lasvegassun.com/news/2007/aug/31/alex-shoofey-1916-2007/.