Michael Gaughan sits in his office at the South Point, his desk stacked with papers, the walls a testament to his passions.
One wall is covered entirely with a collection of framed belt buckles — rodeo’s ultimate trophies — from competitions spanning decades. His cowboy hat rests within arm’s reach, and he grabs it eagerly when a photographer asks.
Gaughan is best known for the iconic casinos he has built and the generous way he treats his employees. But in rodeo circles, he’s something more. “He’s the godfather of NFR,” says Tim Keener, president of Las Vegas Events.
Gaughan arrived in Las Vegas as a child in 1952 and grew into one of the city’s most influential leaders.
