Columnist Jerry Fink: Hurricane swirls around a true visionary

Friday, Nov. 19, 2004 | 8:29 a.m.

Bill Gerski made a fortune in satellite television.

But he loves his bar.

"I've owned bars all my life," said the affable 52-year-old native of Akron, Ohio.

Today, Gerski owns the Hurricane Bar & Grill, 10420 S. Bermuda Road. He bought it after selling his interest in a rural satellite TV company and retiring (sort of) to Vegas about four years ago.

Gerski is a natural-born salesman, which he discovered when he had a paper route as a teenager.

From newspapers, he graduated to selling cable television subscriptions door to door back in 1970, when cable was in its infancy.

"I was in cable TV for over 30 years," he said.

Gerski served in management positions with Warner-Amex, Adelphia, Viacom, TCI Cable and Times-Mirror.

"We (Times-Mirror) built the cable TV system here (in Vegas)," Gerski said. "We owned 50 percent, Hank Greenspun (the late Las Vegas Sun founder) owned the other 50 percent."

All the while Gerski kept his eye on the satellite TV industry.

"I knew in rural America, cable wasn't going to upgrade," he said. "I knew they wouldn't go digital, there would be no fiber optics because it was too expensive.

"I knew when DirecTV came in, they were going to beat up the cable operators in the rural parts of the country."

When he learned about 10 years ago that DirecTV was selling its rights in the rural areas to co-ops, he said he and a friend went to Wall Street.

They raised about $500 million and created Golden Sky Systems, a Kansas City-based provider of satellite TV services and an exclusive provider of DirecTV in rural areas. Gerski was head of sales and marketing.

"We started buying up all these rights," Gerski said. "We opened 82 offices around the country in three years. Four years ago we had 1,000 employees and were within a week from going public when Pegasus Communications and Hughes Network Systems got into a bidding battle for us."

Pegasus won.

"We sold the company for $1.1 billion."

And he moved to Las Vegas.

"Everybody that invested in us did very well," Gerski said.

He came to Vegas for a couple of reasons: a favorable tax structure and the excitement.

"It's fun," Gerski said. "Something is going on 24 hours a day."

When he arrived he and his wife, Denise, had no other business interests.

But Gerski is young and energetic. He wasn't idle long.

"My intent was to retire," he said. "I wanted to play golf, own a bar and take it easy. But I got bored."

With two partners he started Atlas Business Development, a consulting firm that works with Sirius Satellite Radio, DirecTV and their rural co-ops. He also is on the board of directors of First Down for Down Syndrome, a charitable organization of the Kansas City Chiefs.

He says satellite radio is the future.

Gerski saw the future three years ago when the federal government granted two licenses, one to XM (which now has about 3.5 million subscribers) and one to Sirius (which has about 1 million).

"Once I saw satellite radio coming, I jumped on that bandwagon," he said.

Sirius gained national attention recently when shock jock Howard Stern announced that in 2006 his program will move to satellite.

"They're going to pay him $100 million a year," Gerski said.

Satellite radio is now everywhere.

"I have it in my house, at the pool, in the car. It's 24 hours a day, with no commercials," Gerski said. "I even have it at the bar -- when the band isn't playing we can switch to seven different jazz channels."

Although his hectic life is pointed in many different directions, the bar is where he likes to spend most of his time.

Weekdays he travels the country working, but weekends (sometimes more often) he can usually be found attending to every tiny detail at the Hurricane, making sure his customers are satisfied.

"I believe in cold beer, good drinks, clean bathrooms -- I can't stand dirty bathrooms -- and good music," Gerski said.

And football. The Hurricane is a Kansas City Chiefs bar, filled with fans on Sundays and Monday nights.

On Sunday nights Tommy Alvarado hosts a popular jazz jam session.

Saturday nights are for rock 'n' roll -- usually a different group each week. At least twice a month it's Big Bad Zero (a band Gerski helps manage).

Every night it's pizza.

"We make our own, from scratch," Gerski said. "Everything is fresh."

The fans, most of them locals, love the place. It isn't unusual for him to take a bunch home with him for a pool party.

"It's my way of saying thanks," he said.

The 35 employees are happy.

"We have the same bartenders and cocktail waitresses we had when we started," Gerski said.

In addition to the friendly atmosphere -- a reflection of the personalities of Gerski and his wife, who is involved in all of his businesses -- the Hurricane has designated drivers for customers who need help getting home.

Gerski is planning a contest in the near future -- a "juke off."

His jukebox can play every song ever recorded.

"Two contestants will play against each other -- each will pick the best five songs they have ever heard in their life and the bar customers will vote on the winner," Gerski said.

Gerski says his personal favorite is Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar."

Lounging around

The Brothers Ali jazz trio will perform at "Sunset & Vines" at Lake Las Vegas from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. Saturday. For information call 382-7900.

Gary Anthony performs his tribute to Frank Sinatra from 9:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Casa Di Amore, 2850 E. Tropicana Ave. The popular entertainer is backed by keyboardist Dennis Mellen and trumpeter Rick Jones.

The Jazzed Cafe and Vinoteca, 8615 W. Sahara Ave., features live jazz from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. For more information call 233-2859.

Laurence T. & The Huck Daniels Band perform from noon to 4 p.m. Sundays at the Neonopolis Center.

Vocalist Darcus performs in the Bellagio's Fontana room from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays.