The Stan Fulton Building, the newest addition to the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ campus, officially opened its doors Tuesday, Oct. 17. Located at the southeast corner of Flamingo Road and Swenson Street, the facility is the new home of the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ International Gaming Institute.
The 35,000-square-foot building features a state-of-the-art casino laboratory that includes the Southwest Systems Surveillance Room and the IGT Gaming Resource Center and Library highlighted by the Gary Royer Gaming Collection. The building also includes a spacious conference center; the Gaming Today Executive Conference Room; the Wells Fargo Conference Room; the Southern Wine & Spirits Lounge; a computer lab and classrooms; the Harvey's Casino Gaming Collection; faculty and staff offices; and the latest in distance education technology.
"This is a tremendously exciting day for the university, the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ International Gaming Institute, and our community," said 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ President Carol C. Harter. "We are extremely grateful to Stan Fulton for the extraordinary gift that makes it possible for us to offer our students and faculty a top-notch facility in which to study."
Stan Fulton donated more than $6.2 million toward the construction of the building. A local entrepreneur, current consultant, and former chairman of Anchor Gaming, Mr. Fulton is a long time supporter of 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ.
"This is my way of saying thank you to the gaming industry and the state of Nevada," Fulton said.
Guests gathering for the opening celebration of the building included attendees of the International Gaming and Wagering Business' World Gaming Congress, members of the UCCSN Board of Regents, faculty and students of 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration, university supporters, and executives from the local gaming industry.
Gaming education has been an integral part of the hospitality curriculum at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ since the creation of the college in 1967. The institute was created in 1993 in response to the need for increased educational programs and research initiated by the incredible growth of the gaming industry.
"The institute provides a focal point for the study of gaming and industry research and the success of the college has been dramatically enhanced by the success of the institute's programs," said Stuart Mann, dean of the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. "The Stan Fulton Building is unique in gaming education and provides laboratory space that allows students, faculty, and regulators to work with state-of-the-art simulation of an operating casino in an educational setting."
The building was designed by JMA Architecture; Korte-Bellow & Associates served as the general contractor. The building's location on Flamingo Road provides the institute with excellent exposure to the Las Vegas Strip and makes it an attractive and convenient setting for off-site training, seminars, conferences, and receptions.
For more information about the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ International Gaming Institute, please call (702) 895-3903.
