LAS VEGAS—Sheldon G. Adelson, founder of Las Vegas Sands and its chairman and CEO, passed away yesterday due to complications related to treatment for non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He was 87.
Born to immigrant parents and raised in a poor section of Boston, Adelson went from a teenager selling newspapers on a street corner to becoming one of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs.
His achievements in the integrated resort and hospitality industry are well-documented. In Las Vegas, Macao and Singapore, his vision for integrated resorts transformed the industry, changed the trajectory of the company he founded, and reimagined tourism in each of those markets.
“When the pandemic disrupted daily routines and dramatically impacted his business, Adelson was adamant that our team members across the globe continue to receive full pay and health care benefits even while the buildings in which they worked were closed,” the company said in a statement. “There are countless additional untold stories of his warmth and generosity—efforts for which he never sought recognition or publicity and would only reply with a smile if asked about them.”
In a statement, his wife, Dr. Miriam Adelson, said, “It is with unbearable pain that I announce the death of my husband, Sheldon G. Adelson, of complications from a long illness…Much has been written and said about how Sheldon, the son of poor immigrants, rose to the pinnacle of business success on the strength of grit and genius, inspiration and integrity. His was an all-American story of entrepreneurship. When Sheldon launched a new venture, the world looked on with anticipation.”
She added, “Visit any of our hotels and you will immediately notice the extraordinarily high ceilings, exquisitely designed by Sheldon at a sacrifice of lucrative space. He wanted all of our guests—no matter their means—to feel like kings, to breathe free in gorgeous tranquility. When the COVID-19 crisis hit and those hotels went dark, he insisted that our tens of thousands of team members continue getting their wages and medical insurance.”
