Ralph Louis Engelstad (January 28, 1930 – November 26, 2002) 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 104millionRalphEngelstadArenaforhisalmamater,theUniversityofNorthDakotainGrandForks,NorthDakota,andanotherarenabearinghisnameinThiefRiverFalls,Minnesota.Engelstadwasalsoaco−developeroftheLasVegasMotorSpeedway.Engelstadwasoneoftheveryfewindependentcasino−hotelownersinLasVegas.EngelstadwasbornonJanuary28,1930,inThiefRiverFalls,Minnesota.HewasoneoffivechildrenborntoChristianandMadeline(Thill)Engelstad.Hisgrandfather,PederwasaNorwegianimmigrantfromVang,Hedmark.Duringhighschool,EngelstadworkedasummerjobatAGSCOfarmsupplycompany,wherehisfatherwasasalesman.Itwasusuallylongandhardwork,takingplaceonfarmsandrequiringtheworkerstoassemblesteelbuildingsfrommorningtonight.In1954,hegraduatedfromtheUniversityofNorthDakota(UND)withadegreeinBusiness.WhileatUND,EngelstadalsoplayedgoaliefortheschoolhockeyteamandevenreceivedatryoutwiththeChicagoBlackhawks.Aftergraduation,hewentontomarryBettyStockerofEastGrandForks.Thetwowentontohaveadaughter,Kris.Inthe1950s,Engelstadfoundedhisownconstructioncompany:EngelstadConstruction.Engelstadbecameamillionaireattheageoftwenty−nine,fulfillinghishopetobecomeamillionairebytheageofthirty.In1959,hemovedtoLasVegas,Nevada,wherehisconstructioncompanyhadsecuredgovernmentcontractstobuildFHAhomes.In1965,hepurchasedtheThunderbirdFieldairportandlateracquiredvacantlandnearby.In1967,hesold145acres,includingtheairport,tobillionaireHowardHughesfor2 million. Engelstad used the money to purchase the Kona Kai motel on the Las Vegas Strip.
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