Peltyn, structural engineer on Strip megaresorts, dies at 60

Monday, June 7, 2004 | 9:25 a.m.

Roger Peltyn, the man who designed the superstructures supporting many of the most famous megaresorts on the Strip, died Thursday of heart failure. He was 60.

Born Jan. 14, 1944, in Brooklyn, N.Y., Peltyn was president of Martin & Peltyn and the structural engineer who designed the steel skeletons supporting Bellagio, The Mirage, The Venetian, Golden Nugget and other resorts.

His wife, Sandy, said her husband was proud of his work.

"If you look at the Las Vegas Strip, look left and right, and you'll see my husband," Sandy Peltyn said. "He was so unbelievably happy about each project. He had a very full life."

Steve Wynn said this morning that Peltyn left a significant footprint in Las Vegas.

"Roger and his company have done the engineering work on virtually every hotel, and Roger was the structural engineer on all of my hotels except Wynn Las Vegas," Wynn said.

But Wynn solicited Peltyn's help just three weeks ago.

"He was in the hospital, and I needed some help on an issue with our new tower," Wynn said. "I gave him the problem, and he said, 'I'll call you tomorrow at 4 p.m.' -- and he called me at 4 p.m. with the solution.

"What a sweet guy, a real good guy," Wynn said.

Sandy Peltyn said she and Roger came to Las Vegas because Steve Wynn asked him to do the engineering for an expansion of the Golden Nugget.

Peltyn and his partner, Jack Martin, started with a five-man firm and now employ more than 60 people, Sandy Peltyn said.

The Peltyns were involved in dozens of Las Vegas charitable and philanthropic projects. Sandy Peltyn estimated the couple has raised more than $4 million to aid a wide range of efforts.

"Roger believed in growth, in change, in Las Vegas," she said. "He believed so much in this town. When we came to the city, the city immediately embraced us."

Peltyn is survived by his wife of 33 years; son R.J. Peltyn, 25, and a son from a previous marriage Michael Peltyn, 35.

Visitation is at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave. Services follow at 11 a.m.