Developer Irwin Molasky, who started building in Las Vegas in the 1950s, died over the weekend at age 93.
His career was filled with firsts, including building the first indoor mall in Nevada, the Boulevard mall; Sunrise Hospital, the first private hospital in Las Vegas; and the Bank of America Plaza, the first high-rise office building in downtown Las Vegas.
He was also active in philanthropy, donating the land where UNLV sits and founding both the Nathan Adelson Hospice and Project REAL, an organization that teaches young people about the law.
Gov. Steve Sisolak said in a statement that Molasky “was a great friend and an extremely influential figure in the Las Vegas community.”
Molasky also headed a Hollywood production company responsible for hit TV shows such as “Dallas” and “Knots Landing.”
He was also a fixture in “Gucci Gulch,” the courtside seats where prominent Las Vegans cheered on the UNLV Rebels 30 years ago when the team was among the best in the country.
In his later years, Molasky steered his company away from commercial projects to building federal facilities across the country, including FBI, IRS, and Social Security offices.
Richard Bryan, former senator and governor; Michael Green, professor, UNLV
