Nevada Resort Association (NRA) Chairman Corey Sanders, Chief Operations Officer of MGM Resorts International, announced last week that the NRA’s board of directors elected Jan Jones Blackhurst, executive vice president of government relations and corporate responsibility for Caesars Entertainment, as incoming board chairwoman at its annual meeting.
Outgoing Vice Chairman Bill Noonan, executive vice president of government affairs for Boyd Gaming, thanked Sanders for his leadership and four years of service as board chair, noting that “Corey was instrumental in bringing the industry together on a multitude of issues during his tenure.”
“I feel truly honored to be selected by the Nevada Resort Association to serve as the next board chair and expand upon the great work Corey has done guiding our industry,” said Blackhurst. “The NRA serves as the resort industry’s voice in our community, to government bodies and to our tourism partners. I look forward to increasing our visibility and involvement with our local communities and the entire tourism industry. Nevada has both great challenges and opportunities ahead. As our state’s largest employer, taxpayer and investor, the resort industry will continue to play a very active role in support of issues and initiatives which we believe will improve the quality of life for all Nevadans.”
The Board also elected Scott Nielson, chief development officer for Station Casinos as vice-chairman of the board. The newly elected officers will serve two-year terms beginning in January 2017.
The NRA is the primary advocate for Nevada’s gaming and tourism industry. Established in 1965, the NRA represents the state’s largest industry and provides information, perspective and industry insight for decision makers throughout the state. The tourism and gaming industry contributes 47 percent of the state’s general fund revenue and accounts for 28 percent of Nevada’s jobs.
