University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) President <a href="http://publicaffairs.unlv.edu/PDF/newReleaseRelated/ashley-bio.pdf">David B. Ashley</a> (PDF), Harrah's Entertainment Inc.'s Chairman, President and CEO <a href="http://publicaffairs.unlv.edu/PDF/newReleaseRelated/loveman-bio.pdf">Gary Loveman</a> (PDF) and William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration Dean <a href="http://publicaffairs.unlv.edu/PDF/newReleaseRelated/mann-bio.pdf">Stuart Mann</a> (PDF) announced today a $30 million donation, the largest corporate gift in the university's history.
The $30 million gift, provided by the Harrah's Foundation, designates $25 million toward construction costs of the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration academic building and $5 million for related research, recruitment, training and education initiatives at INNovation Village, a series of hospitality education and research facilities to be constructed at UNLV.
"We are extremely grateful for the generosity, support and trust of the Harrah's Foundation in making this gift to UNLV," said UNLV President David Ashley. "In focusing on both facilities and programmatic support, Harrah's has made an investment in the future that will ultimately give UNLV hotel college graduates a tremendous competitive advantage."
"The men and women who manage large hospitality operations need considerable analytical and technological expertise in addition to outstanding interpersonal skills," said Gary Loveman, chairman, president and CEO of Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.
"INNovation Village at UNLV will ensure that generations of hotel, food service and casino-resort professionals graduate with broad-based academic backgrounds and practical, on-the-job training that will make them indispensable to major hospitality employers."
"The generosity of the Harrah's Foundation will help launch UNLV into a building project that will put it at the forefront of hospitality and recreation management education programs worldwide," said Stuart Mann, dean of the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. "Having the state-of-the-art hospitality venues of Las Vegas in proximity to the latest in hospitality-focused academic research facilities at UNLV will provide a collaborative environment not available anywhere else in the world."
INNovation Village will be constructed on 6.8 acres of land located on the UNLV Maryland Parkway campus at the southeast corner of Flamingo Road and Swenson Street. Among the many buildings envisioned for the completed project are a fully operational hotel, restaurants, a conference center and a 100,000 square-foot academic building serving more than 4,000 students and 100 faculty members. For additional information on INNovation Village, please visit <a href="http://www.unlv.edu">http://www.unlv.edu</a>.
<em>The Harrah's Foundation is a private, 501(c)(3) foundation established to provide financial support to qualified organizations in communities where employees of the operating subsidiaries live and work. Established in 2002, the Harrah's Foundation is funded by Harrah's Entertainment properties and supports social reinvestment programs by funding eligible 501(c)(3) organizations dedicated to seniors, education and civic programs. Since its formation, the Harrah's Foundation has committed nearly $25 million to nonprofit organizations throughout the United States. In 2006, Harrah's Entertainment and the Harrah's Foundation distributed, on average, nearly $1.5 million per week to philanthropic organizations.</em>
