Hughes stands beside a racer plane, the Northrop Gamma, on the evening of January 1, 1936. Photograph courtesy of UNLV Special Collections.

Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was the reclusive billionaire, airline owner, aviator, government contractor, and film producer who would have a major impact on the future of Las Vegas after moving there in 1966. By the late 1960s, he owned six casinos on the Las Vegas Strip as well as other hotel-casinos and businesses around the state. Hughes was determined to rid Las Vegas of its ties to organized crime. His presence brought credibility to casino gambling as a business, and contributed to ushering in the era of corporate ownership of casinos. He also had a long-term influence on other aspects of Las Vegas' growth and development.

Exhibit gallery text by Jeff Burbank.

All photographs courtesy of UNLV Special Collections.

For further information see Jeff Burbank's article on Howard Hughes.

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