Stephen J. Cloobeck

Last updated

Stephen J. Cloobeck
Born (1961-10-26) October 26, 1961 (age 63)
Alma mater Brandeis University
OccupationBusinessman

Stephen J. Cloobeck (born October 26, 1961) is an American businessman and the founder, former chairman and chief executive officer of the timeshare company Diamond Resorts.

Contents

Early life

In 1983, Cloobeck graduated from Brandeis University with a degree in Psychobiology. [1]

Business activity

In April 2007, Cloobeck acquired the publicly traded company Sunterra Corporation and converted it into Diamond Resorts International. [2] [3] He is also the chairman of the board of the US Corporation for Travel Promotion. [4] Cloobeck stepped down as chairman and chief executive officer of Diamond Resorts International when the company was purchased by Apollo Global Management, LLC in June 2016. [5]

Charitable and political activity

Cloobeck supports many charities and civic organizations, including but not limited to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, [6] FasterCures, [7] the Barack Obama Foundation, [8] the Brent Shapiro Foundation for Drug Prevention, [9] the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, [10] the Los Angeles Dream Center, [11] and various educational initiatives. In personal efforts to assist Diamond Resorts team members dealing with unexpected life events, Cloobeck founded the Diamond Resorts International Team Member Crisis Fund (now the Diamond Resorts International Foundation) in 2012, [12] an unprecedented initiative that continues to offer aid to Diamond team members worldwide struggling with personal challenges.

Cloobeck was chairman of the board of the Nevada Cancer Institute. [13] [14] Cloobeck founded the Diamond Resorts International Team Member Crisis Fund (now the Diamond Resorts International Foundation) in 2012, an initiative that offers aid to Diamond team members.[ citation needed ] In 2012, he endowed the "Stephen J. Cloobeck '83 Endowed Fellowship" at the Brandeis University International Business School. [2] He was a founder of the Brent Shapiro Foundation for Drug Awareness.[ citation needed ]

In 2007, Cloobeck publicly considered running for governor of Nevada, but instead purchased Sunterra. [15]

In June 2011, donated $100,000 to Majority PAC, a PAC oriented to promoting Democratic candidates to the U.S. Senate. The donation was sent as a check from "JHJM Nevada I, LLC," which made the source not readily evident. [16]

On June 3, 2016, Cloobeck donated $1,000,000 to Priorities USA Action, a pro-Hillary Clinton PAC.[ citation needed ]

On October 2, 2017, it was reported that Cloobeck donated $400,000 to the Las Vegas shooting GoFundMe campaign setup by law enforcement for benefit of victims. [17] [18] [19]

In December 2022, Cloobeck announced he had handed in his resignation to the Nevada athletic commission. He stated his reason for leaving the commission was due to not being able to work with Gov.-elect Joe Lombardo. [20]

On Election Day, November 5, 2024, Cloobeck announced a run for governor of California. [21]

Media

Cloobeck has appeared on the US edition of Undercover Boss numerous times. Cloobeck first appeared in Season 3, Episode 1 (initially aired January 15, 2012), as well as Season 3 Episode 2 (aired January 22, 2012). Furthermore, Cloobeck was featured in Season 4, Episodes 16 and 17, which initially aired May 10, 2013 and May 17, 2013, respectively . [22] [23]

On November 7, 2017, Cloobeck appeared on MSNBC and said he told Democratic leaders he would "cut your money off" if they criticize the wealthy, saying: "I've talked to [Senator Chuck] Schumer, I've talked to [Senator Ron] Wyden, I've talked to [Representative Nancy] Pelosi and I've said if you use the term billionaire again, I'm done." [24]

In February 2021, Cloobeck appeared on KTNV to discuss Harry Reid International Airport, explaining "he wants to set up a nonprofit to help fund the rebranding effort to change the airport's name to Harry Reid International Airport, and he says he is pledging the first $1 million out of his foundation to get the ball rolling." [25]

Related Research Articles

Ralph Louis Engelstad was an American businessman who owned the Imperial Palace casino-hotels in Las Vegas and in Biloxi, Mississippi. He also owned the Kona Kai motel in Las Vegas, which later became the Klondike Hotel and Casino. He was also the donor for the construction of the $104 million Ralph Engelstad Arena for his alma mater, the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and another arena bearing his name in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. Engelstad was also a co-developer of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Engelstad was one of the very few independent casino-hotel owners in Las Vegas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Las Vegas Strip</span> Stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard with many resorts, shows, and casinos

The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about 4.2 mi (6.8 km) long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas city limits in the unincorporated towns of Paradise and Winchester, but is often referred to simply as "Las Vegas".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Wynn</span> American real estate magnate and art collector (born 1942)

Stephen Alan Wynn is an American real estate developer and art collector. He was known for his involvement in the luxury casino and hotel industry, prior to being forced to step down. Early in his career he oversaw the construction and operation of several notable Las Vegas and Atlantic City hotels, including the Golden Nugget, the Golden Nugget Atlantic City, The Mirage, Treasure Island, the Bellagio, and Beau Rivage in Mississippi, and he played a pivotal role in the resurgence and expansion of the Las Vegas Strip in the 1990s. In 2000, Wynn sold his company, Mirage Resorts, to MGM Grand Inc., resulting in the formation of MGM Mirage. Wynn later took his company Wynn Resorts public in an initial public offering and was Wynn Resorts' CEO and Chairman of the Board until February 6, 2018, when he announced his resignation. He is a prominent donor to the Republican Party and was the finance chair of the Republican National Committee from January 2017 to January 2018, when he resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheldon Adelson</span> American businessman (1933–2021)

Sheldon Gary Adelson was an American businessman, investor, political donor, and philanthropist. He was the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which owns the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, and the parent company of Venetian Macao Limited, which operated The Venetian Las Vegas and the Sands Expo and Convention Center before selling the properties in early 2022. He owned the Israeli daily newspaper Israel Hayom, the Israeli weekly newspaper Makor Rishon, and the American daily newspaper the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Las Vegas</span> Man-made lake in Nevada, United States

Lake Las Vegas is a 320-acre (130 ha) reservoir in Henderson, Nevada with a 3,592-acre (1,454 ha) developed area around it. The area is sometimes referred to as the Lake Las Vegas Resort. It is being developed by 5 companies including Lake at Las Vegas Joint Venture LLC.

James Joseph Murren is an American businessman. He was the chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International. He is a member of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council.

Silverton is a 300-room hotel and casino in Enterprise, Nevada, near the southern end of the Las Vegas Valley. It features a rustic lodge theme and a 65,556 sq ft (6,090.4 m2) casino. It is owned and operated by Ed Roski Jr., and is located three miles south of the Las Vegas Strip. Roski purchased an 80-acre parcel in 1989, and originally planned to build an industrial warehouse on the site, before deciding on a casino instead. In 1993, he partnered with Boomtown, Inc. to build a hotel and casino on 56 acres of the property. Roski built the project through a company of his, with financing from Boomtown, Inc.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within the state of Nevada, including licensure and supervision of promoters, boxers, kickboxers, mixed martial arts fighters, seconds, ring officials, managers, and matchmakers. The commission is the final authority on licensing matters, having the ability to approve, deny, revoke, or suspend all licenses for unarmed combat.

Nick "Bomber" Benson was the CEO of the Sunterra Corporation, headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marriott's Grand Chateau</span>

Marriott’s Grand Chateau is a timeshare resort near the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, managed by Marriott Vacation Club. It is a 38-story tower with three wings; a fourth wing is planned. It has 643 suites, and amenities including a gym, three bars, and two swimming pools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CasaBlanca Resort</span> Hotel and casino in Nevada, United States

CasaBlanca is a hotel, casino, and RV park located in Mesquite, Nevada. The resort, originally known as Players Island, was opened by Players International on June 29, 1995. After struggling financially, the resort was sold to Randy Black Sr., who renamed it as the CasaBlanca in July 1997. The resort, located on 42 acres (17 ha), includes 472 rooms, 24 timeshare units and a 45-space RV park.

Diamond Resorts is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hilton Grand Vacations. Diamond Resorts was an independent timeshare and vacation ownership company until it was purchased by HGV in 2021. Following the purchase, Diamond's resorts became part of HGV's resort portfolio, and Diamond itself became a brand and subsidiary of HGV. The majority of Diamond Resorts have been or will be rebranded as Hilton vacation Club properties, however the original brand will continue to exist as some resorts are slated to retain the Diamond Resorts name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United States Senate election in Nevada</span>

The 2016 United States Senate election in Nevada was held November 8, 2016 to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Nevada, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The state primary election was held June 14, 2016.

William J. Hornbuckle IV is an American businessman who is the chief executive officer and president of MGM Resorts International.

Lee M. Amaitis is an American businessman and philanthropist. He is the former chairman and chief executive officer of BGC Partners in London. He also served as the founder, president and chief executive officer of Cantor Gaming, a former gambling subsidiary based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 United States Senate election in Nevada</span>

The 2018 United States Senate election in Nevada took place November 6, 2018, to elect one of two U.S. senators from Nevada. Incumbent Republican senator Dean Heller lost re-election to a second full term, being defeated by Democratic nominee Jacky Rosen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Grandview at Las Vegas</span> Timeshares in Nevada, United States

The Grandview at Las Vegas is a timeshare property resort located on 26.49 acres (10.72 ha) of land at 9940 South Las Vegas Boulevard, south of the Las Vegas Strip, in Enterprise, Nevada. The property is owned by Eldorado Resorts Corporation, and consists of eight buildings, ranging between 12 and 20 floors, with a total of 2,256 units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hilton Grand Vacations Club</span> Timeshares in Nevada, United States

Hilton Grand Vacations Club is a timeshare property located on the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. The property was previously occupied by the El Rancho Vegas hotel and casino from 1941 until 1960, when it burned down. The land remained vacant until 2001, when Hilton Grand Vacations purchased a portion of the property and began construction of a 28-story timeshare tower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Las Vegas shooting</span> Deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history

On October 1, 2017, a mass shooting occurred when 64-year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire on the crowd attending the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada from his 32nd-floor suites in the Mandalay Bay hotel. He fired more than 1,000 rounds, killing 60 people and wounding at least 413. The ensuing panic brought the total number of injured to approximately 867. About an hour later, he was found dead in his room from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The motive for the shooting is officially undetermined.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elara (timeshare)</span> Timeshare in Nevada, United States

Elara is a 50-story timeshare building and non-casino hotel at 80 East Harmon Avenue in Paradise, Nevada, located behind the Planet Hollywood resort that operates on the Las Vegas Strip.

References

  1. "Executive Profile Stephen J. Cloobeck Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Diamond Resorts Holdings, LLC" . Retrieved October 4, 2012.[ dead link ]
  2. 1 2 "Executive Leadership & Staff". The Brand USA.
  3. "Undercover Boss Features Cloobeck of Diamond Resorts International and Brand USA". Discoveramerica.com. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  4. "Chairman of the Corporation for Travel Promotion Introduced President Barack Obama at Bellagio Fundraiser" . Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  5. "Apollo Global to Buy Diamond Resorts for $2.2 Billion". Wall Street Journal. June 29, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  6. Executive Profile Stephen J. Cloobeck [ dead link ]
  7. Stephen J. Cloobeck Archived July 16, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Nevada Cancer Institute
  8. Stephen J. Cloobeck – Golden Nuggets For Diamond Resorts International, by Sharon B. Drechsler-Scott, RRP
  9. Readers: Help Us Discover a Secret Donor, by Michael Luo, New York Times, February 4, 2012
  10. WTHR Staff (October 2, 2017). "GoFundMe for Las Vegas victims surpasses $2.2M mark in donations". 13 WTHR Indianapolis. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  11. Levenson, Eric (October 3, 2017). "GoFundMe for Las Vegas victims passes $3 million". CNN . Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  12. Martin, Ken (October 3, 2017). "Las Vegas businessman gives $400,000 to aid massacre victims". Fox Business. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  13. "Stephen Cloobeck quits athletic commission, slams Lombardo". December 13, 2022.
  14. https://www.ocregister.com/2024/11/05/hospitality-businessman-stephen-cloobeck-launches-california-governor-bid/
  15. List of Undercover Boss (U.S. TV series) episodes
  16. "Undercover Boss - CBS.com". CBS .
  17. Levine, Jon (November 7, 2017). "Wealthy Dem Stephen Cloobeck Blasts Party for Attack on Rich: 'Effing Wrong' (Video)". Yahoo! . Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  18. Bartels, Joe \date=16 February 2021. "Diamond Resorts Intl. founder pledges $1M from foundation to help Las Vegas airport rebranding". ktnv Las Vegas .{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)