Mack resigns top post

Monday, Oct. 27, 2003 | 11:21 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Luther Mack, chairman and senior member of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, said today he has resigned from the board that regulates professional boxing in Nevada to take a job with Boyd Gaming Group.

He has been appointed to Boyd Gaming's board of directors, Mack said.

Boyd Gaming is 50 percent partners with the MGM in an Atlantic City Casino, which has a license to promote fights in Nevada. In addition, fights are staged at the Stardust and Sam's Town, both owned by the Boyd group.

Gov. Kenny Guinn has not formally named a replacement but was expected to do so today. A position on the NSAC is one of the most sought after in state government.

Mack's three-year term was to have expired in October 2004. He was first appointed and then reappointed by Gov. Bob Miller and, later, by Guinn.

NSAC vice-chairman John Bailey will assume the position of chairman through the end of this year, when a new chairman will be formally elected by the board.

Mack said his most memorable times came during the hearings involving Mike Tyson. Mack was among the commissioners who voted in 1997 to revoke the license of Mike Tyson and fine him $3 million for biting Evander Holyfield's ear during a fight.

The following year Mack joined the majority in voting to return the license to Tyson. He was then the only commissioner last year to vote to allow Tyson to fight Lennox Lewis in Las Vegas; when the commission refused a license for that championship bout, it was moved to Memphis.

"Those were exciting hearings," he said.

Mack, 64, operates 10 McDonald's restaurants in the Reno area has won a series of awards for his civic activities.

He received the Raymond I. Smith award in 1990 as civic leader of the year; named a distinguished Nevadans by the University of Nevada, Reno in 1988 and received the Government Relations Leadership Award in 1999.

Mack's surprise resignation announcement coincided with a telephone NSAC meeting today in which officials were also named for the Nov. 8 light heavyweight title fight between Roy Jones Jr. and Antonio Tarver at Mandalay Bay.

Kenny Bayless of Las Vegas was selected to referee that fight, with Glen Hamada (of Washington), David Harris (of Texas) and Jerry Roth (of Las Vegas) appointed as judges.