Bob Stupak

September 10, 2009 · 11:55 a.m.

Bob Stupak over the years.

Stupak launches Titanic public relations blitzkrieg: Friday, April 9, 1999; Gary Thompson and Jace Radke; Bob Stupak may find raising the real Titanic easier than raising the money for a faux ocean liner near downtown Las Vegas.

Columnist Jeff German: Chip Caper escalating into major battlefield: Sunday, November 22, 1998; By Jeff German; Unless cooler heads prevail, Horseshoe owner Becky Behnen and gambler Bob Stupak are headed for a fight to the finish.

Stupak challenges Horseshoe: Tuesday, November 17, 1998; Gary Thompson; It was vintage Bob Stupak. And it was a public relations nightmare for the gambling industry.

Stupak storms the tower: Friday, August 29, 1997; Gary Thompson; Yet some gaming executives wonder what Stupak hoped to gain from his bizarre threat to attack Stratosphere directors using air time he bought on a local television station Thursday.

Stupak in hot water over letter: Thursday, July 31, 1997; Gary Thompson; The former Stratosphere Corp. chairman and Vegas World owner often left state gaming regulators gasping as they attempted to keep up with and control what he called "creative" and they called "deceptive" marketing programs.

'Rise and Fall of Bob Stupak' a towering addition to limited Vegas bookshelf: Thursday, May 15, 1997; Geoff Schumacher; Local historian Mike Green, who hopes to write the definitive history of Las Vegas someday, cites just two texts as worthy of serious readers' attention: "Resort City in the Sunbelt," by UNLV history Professor Eugene Moehring, and "Las Vegas: A Desert Paradise," by the late UNLV history Professor Ralph Roske.

Down, but not out: Industry watching Stupak: Friday, October 25, 1996; Gary Thompson; The Stratosphere Corp. founder, who once held 18.3 million shares of the company's stock, today has sole control of less than 60,000 shares.

Jeff German: Stupak silences his critics with Stratosphere's opening: Tuesday, April 30, 1996; By Jeff German; Stupak built the 1,149-foot tower and resort complex, one of the world's tallest structures, and the invited VIPs came by the thousands Monday night to witness its splendor.

Jeff German: Audit of bungled books may never happen: Tuesday, February 27, 1996; "It's a function that's probably extraordinary for a political party to do, but we're prepared to take a look at it," Mason says.

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Bob Stupak

Occupation: Entrepreneur, gambler, casino owner and creator of the Stratosphere
Political: Ran for mayor of Las Vegas, 1987; ran in 2006 as a Democrat for Nevada lieutenant governor
Official Web page: Bob Stupak.com
Birthday: April 6, 1942, Pittsburgh, Penn.
Years in Las Vegas: 1971 to present.
Business ventures: Started a coupon book venture in Las Vegas. On March 31, 1974, opened Bob Stupak's World Famous Million-Dollar Historic Gambling Museum and Casino, which burned down May 21. In 1979, he opened Vegas World, a casino/hotel and thrived by promoting innovative ways to play traditional games. It closed Feb. 1, 1995, when he began developing its successor, the Stratosphere, on the same site at Main Street and Las Vegas Boulevard.
The Gambler: Known as "the Polish maverick," he won a highly publicized million-dollar bet in 1989 on Super Bowl XXII. He also won a bracelet in the World Series of Poker that same year and has had eight money finishes.
Stratosphere: His major contribution to Las Vegas has been to conceive and develop the Stratosphere, whose 1,149-foot tower changed the city's skyline when it opened in April 1996. The project ran into financial trouble and Stupak resigned as chairman three months after the opening. The Stratosphere went into bankruptcy and eventually came under the control of current owner, Carl Icahn.
Later idea: At one time he offered $65 million for the 26-acre parcel near Sahara Avenue on the Strip so he could build a replica of the Titanic, with a casino inside the iceberg and time-share condos inside fake smokestacks.
Movies and TV: Stupak talked his way into a walk-on part for the remake of "Oceans Eleven," which filmed in Las Vegas. He has also been featured on 60 Minutes, To Tell the Truth and Merv Griffin.