Fremont Street executive leaving for Henderson job

Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2003 | 11:06 a.m.

Mark Paris, the longtime chief executive of downtown Las Vegas' Fremont Street Experience, is resigning from that position to return to Henderson land management and development company Basic Management Inc. (BMI), its subsidiaries and The Landwell Company.

At BMI/Landwell, Paris replaces Dan Stewart. BMI/Landwell said Tuesday that Stewart resigned to pursue other opportunities. He could not be reached for comment today.

Paris was chief executive at BMI from 1992 to 1994, when he left to work for the Walt Disney Co. He later joined the Fremont Street Experience, where he has been CEO for more than seven years.

"We are thrilled to have Mark back," said Richard Kellogg Jr., BMI chairman of the board. "Mark is responsible for BMI's entrance into the real estate development world in the early 1990s."

Boyd Gaming Corp. executive Don Snyder, who has served as chairman of the board of the Fremont Street Experience casino and tourism attraction since its inception, said he would continue in that capacity with a more active involvement during Fremont Street Experience's management transition.

Snyder said today that Paris would be missed and he hopes to name a replacement for him in a few weeks.

"We'll be starting the search process for a replacement right away," Snyder said. "I think the most important thing is to find the right person, so that gives us a little leeway on the time, but we obviously want to get it done as quickly as possible."

Snyder said the management team assembled by Paris has been in place for several years and he is confident the transition to new leadership at Fremont Street Experience would be smooth.

"This gives me more opportunity to play a more active role, but I have my own day job," Snyder said. "As far as how long it takes to make a change, I'm hoping it's in terms of weeks and not months. "

Snyder said Paris would be missed because "he knows the issues and the people and he has the respect of the property owners, the casinos and the city."