David Nolan, assistant general manager of the Suncoast Hotel and Casino in the Summerlin neighborhood of Las Vegas, is a very lucky man. He is a new father, married to his college sweetheart and is an example that hard work, dedication and ambition will pay off in the form of a dream career.
Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nolan began working in hotels in his teens as a part-time housekeeper in the hopes of saving money for a car. Twenty-one years later he is still working in hotels.
“Growing up, I was intrigued with gaming, people and tourism,” said Nolan of his youth in Las Vegas.
Nolan started college in pursuit of a finance degree but changed his mind when he realized that hospitality gave him the best of all worlds and graduated with a degree in hospitality from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He smiled when he said that hospitality gave him finance, gaming, human resources, food and beverage and marketing all wrapped in to one career.
“Every day is different,” he said. “I am always on the go and no day is the same.”
Though he has spent most of his life in hotels, he once dreamed of a career as a professional sports book better. He laughed when he mentioned the diversity of the many teams he follows each season. A huge fan of sporting events, Nolan’s roots for the Oakland Raiders, college football teams such as Notre Dame and the Utah Utes, UNLV Runnin’ Rebel basketball, USA Soccer, the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Celtics.
His sporting interests are as diverse as the roles he fills at the Suncoast. As assistant general manager, he is responsible for the property’s day-to-day operations and assisting the chief operating officer. He is charged with supervising and managing departments and tasks such as hotel, casino, security, engineering, construction, food and beverage and the race and sports book.
Though his days at the Suncoast are always eventful and fast-paced, Nolan said his favorite part of the job is being able to meet such a diverse group of people. In fact, what makes him most proud of the property are the people that make up the Suncoast team.
“We are so lucky to have a team with such exceptional customer service and relationships with our guests,” he said of the property’s team members. “Customers come to the Suncoast, not only because of the hotel and casino, but just to visit with the team members working there.”
Nolan has a lot to be proud of in terms of the property’s staff, location and amenities. The Suncoast Hotel and Casino is located approximately 14 miles from the Las Vegas Strip in the foothills of Summerlin, near the Spring Mountain Range and Red Rock National Recreation Area. With a Mediterranean theme, the Suncoast blends seamlessly into an area of dramatic natural beauty.
With an 80,000-square-foot casino, 64-lane bowling center, theater complex, more than 400 rooms and suites and numerous restaurants and dining outlets, the Suncoast offers a wide array of amenities for its guests. Suncoast also boasts a 500-seat showroom that is a throwback to the splendor that made Las Vegas famous. The showroom is themed “Las Vegas as it used to be” and features a variety of acts, including top-name stars. In addition to the many amenities offered by the Suncoast, the property is also located surrounding 81 holes of championship golf, making it a good fit for golf enthusiasts.
An intimate convention, banquet and meeting complex holds 25,000 square feet of space. The Suncoast staff is equipped to host meetings large and small with the personalized service for which their team is renowned in the meeting rooms and ballrooms.
Nolan’s excitement is evident when talking about the Suncoast, but there is another topic sure to make him smile. In addition to his role as assistant general manager, he has just taken on the role of father. His daughter Mckenna was born shortly after Thanksgiving 2009 and David beamed when mentioning his new daughter’s entry into the family. His wife is also a UNLV graduate with a hospitality degree, though she took another path and is an attorney in Las Vegas. In addition to their baby daughter, both are also parents to a golden retriever and Rhodesian ridgeback.
With two successful decades in the hospitality business and a beautiful family, Nolan is indeed a very lucky man. When asked what advice he has for people just joining the industry, David mentioned the value of learning all facets of the business.
“It is important to experience all of the different aspects of the industry and know as much as possible about each different department,” he added.
From houseman to assistant general manager and numerous roles in between, he is animated about his role at the Suncoast and his role as a family man.
Julie Holzer Pazina is a National Sales Manager for Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services, the nation’s leading independent temporary utility contractor for the tradeshow, convention and special event industry.
Based in Las Vegas, Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services (www.edlen.com) is the leading independent temporary utility contractor for the tradeshow, convention and special event industry. National Sales Manager Julie Pazina can be reached at julie@edlen.com.
