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Barden Speaks of New Las Vegas Holding

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Dec. 9, 2001 -- Don Barden may live in Detroit, but the new owner of Fitzgeralds in downtown Las Vegas says he's found a new home in Sin City.

Barden's $149 million deal to buy Fitzgeralds properties in Las Vegas, Mississippi and Colorado took effect early Friday morning, and the 57-year old kicked off the change of ownership in Las Vegas, the first stop on his three-day tour of his new properties.

Barden made his money in real estate and construction and held Detroit's first cable TV contract. He owns the Majestic Star Casino in Gary, Ind., and his purchase of Fitzgeralds makes him the first black person to wholly own a Nevada casino.

"We hope to be a welcome and colorful addition to the Las Vegas landscape," Barden told a group of Fitzgeralds executives and Fremont Street passers-by gathered outside the casino for a Friday afternoon press conference.

Barden expects to spend at least a few days each month in Las Vegas, and plans to move his company's headquarters to the downtown Las Vegas Fitzgeralds.

The Fitzgeralds name itself will stay for now, Barden said, but he beamed as he pointed out the name of his original casino, the Majestic Star, as it scrolled on a Fitzgeralds sign.

"That Majestic name looks pretty good up there," he said.

Fitzgeralds employs about 900 workers, and Barden met with many of them early Friday morning, hours after he took control of the property.

"The meeting was energetic, and I sensed tremendous morale among the employees," Barden said. "I'm excited and proud, because we're not only the first African-American owned casino in Nevada, but also the first in Colorado, Mississippi and Indiana."

Barden noted that the Las Vegas Fitzgeralds is already profitable, and said that he plans to cross-market his four properties, funneling customers from the other casinos to Las Vegas.

"If you treat people right and charge a fair price, they'll come back," Barden said, promising boxing matches and concerts by Motown recording artists. "We will bring excitement and enthusiasm to downtown Las Vegas."

Barden said he plans to keep his eyes open for additional Southern Nevada casino-owning opportunities.

"We look forward to other opportunities in Las Vegas, whether on Fremont Street, Main Street or on the Strip," he said.

Barden purchased Fitzgeralds properties in downtown Las Vegas; Tunica, Miss.; and Black Hawk, Colo., but did not buy the Fitzgeralds Reno.

The Las Vegas property opened in 1988, the most recent opening for a Fremont Street hotel-casino and downtown's second-newest hotel-casino, after Main Street Station.

Barden plans to visit Fitzgeralds Black Hawk today and Fitzgeralds Tunica on Sunday.

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