Ralph Engelstad
Encyclopedia
Ralph Engelstad was the multi-millionaire owner of the Imperial Palace casino-hotels in Las Vegas and in Biloxi, Mississippi
and the Klondike Hotel & Casino
. He was also the donor for the construction of the $110 million Ralph Engelstad Arena
for his alma mater, the University of North Dakota
in Grand Forks, North Dakota
, and another arena bearing his name
in Thief River Falls, Minnesota
. A self-made man, Engelstad was one of the very few independent casino-hotel owners in Las Vegas.
memorabilia stored in a private room within the casino-hotel, including a painting of himself dressed in a Nazi uniform (captioned "To Adolf from Ralphie"), a painting of Hitler with the reverse caption, and a collection of antique cars alleged to have once belonged to German Nazi leaders.
's birthday at his casino in Las Vegas which featured bartenders in T-shirts reading "Adolf Hitler — European tour 1939-45
". Because of this, in 1989, the Nevada Gaming Commission fined Engelstad $1.5 million "for actions that damaged the reputation and image of Nevada
's gaming industry." Engelstad apologized publicly for the parties, but the row was not to be his last controversial move.
Engelstad embroiled himself in the fight over the Fighting Sioux logo when he built a $100 million arena on the University of North Dakota
campus for the Fighting Sioux hockey program. Midway in its construction, Engelstad threatened to withdraw funding if the long standing nickname were to be changed. The logo was placed in thousands of instances in the arena, making the prospect of removal a costly measure. Later, Engelstad placed the stadium under private (rather than University) management and stipulated that the Fighting Sioux motif be kept indefinitely. An Engelstad family trust continues to own the arena and rents it to the University.
The North Dakota Board of Higher Education ruled on April 8, 2010, to retire the Fighting Sioux nickname.
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
and the Klondike Hotel & Casino
Klondike Hotel & Casino
The Klondike Hotel & Casino was a 153 room hotel and a casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, in the United States.The hotel sat between the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign and McCarran International Airport on Las Vegas Boulevard on of land...
. He was also the donor for the construction of the $110 million Ralph Engelstad Arena
Ralph Engelstad Arena
For the arena with the same name in Thief River Falls, Minnesota see Ralph Engelstad Arena .For the pre-2001 arena in Grand Forks, North Dakota see Ralph Engelstad Arena ....
for his alma mater, the University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
in Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
, and another arena bearing his name
Ralph Engelstad Arena (Minnesota)
Ralph Engelstad Arena is an indoor arena located in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. It is used primarily for ice sports, such as hockey, and was built by Ralph Engelstad....
in Thief River Falls, Minnesota
Thief River Falls, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,410 people, 3,619 households, and 2,091 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,760.0 people per square mile . There were 3,931 housing units at an average density of 822.7 per square mile...
. A self-made man, Engelstad was one of the very few independent casino-hotel owners in Las Vegas.
UNLV Foundation Donation
The Engelstad Foundation made a contribution of $12.6 million to the University of Nevada Las Vegas to fund 100 full-time scholarships for incoming Freshmen students with a minimum GPA of 3.25.Nazi Controversy
Engelstad was a controversial figure. He raised accusations of being sympathetic to Nazism owing to his collection of NaziNazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
memorabilia stored in a private room within the casino-hotel, including a painting of himself dressed in a Nazi uniform (captioned "To Adolf from Ralphie"), a painting of Hitler with the reverse caption, and a collection of antique cars alleged to have once belonged to German Nazi leaders.
Hitler Birthday Party
On April 20 in 1986 and 1988, he hosted parties to celebrate Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's birthday at his casino in Las Vegas which featured bartenders in T-shirts reading "Adolf Hitler — European tour 1939-45
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
". Because of this, in 1989, the Nevada Gaming Commission fined Engelstad $1.5 million "for actions that damaged the reputation and image of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
's gaming industry." Engelstad apologized publicly for the parties, but the row was not to be his last controversial move.
Fighting Sioux Controversy
"Tradition is the gentle fabric woven through time and experience which generates meaning, character, and identity to one and all. The Fighting Sioux logo, the Fighting Sioux uniforms, the aura of the Fighting Sioux tradition and the spirit of being a Fighting Sioux are of lasting value and immeasurable significance to our past, presence, and future." —Ralph EngelstadEngelstad embroiled himself in the fight over the Fighting Sioux logo when he built a $100 million arena on the University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
campus for the Fighting Sioux hockey program. Midway in its construction, Engelstad threatened to withdraw funding if the long standing nickname were to be changed. The logo was placed in thousands of instances in the arena, making the prospect of removal a costly measure. Later, Engelstad placed the stadium under private (rather than University) management and stipulated that the Fighting Sioux motif be kept indefinitely. An Engelstad family trust continues to own the arena and rents it to the University.
The North Dakota Board of Higher Education ruled on April 8, 2010, to retire the Fighting Sioux nickname.