Sheldon Adelson

Sheldon Gary Adelson (August 4, 1933 – January 11, 2021) was an American businessman, investor, and political donor. He was the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Las Vegas Sands Corporation, a global casino and resort company that owns The Venetian Las Vegas, the Palazzo, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, and properties in Macau. Over his lifetime he created more than fifty companies and became one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, with a net worth estimated at $29.8 billion by Forbes in 2020.

Adelson began his career as a teenager selling newspapers and vending machines, later building a fortune through the COMDEX computer trade show, which he founded and operated from 1979 until its sale in 1995. In 1989 he bought the Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, laying the foundation for his gaming empire.

He was also a major Republican donor and philanthropist, supporting pro-Israel causes through the Adelson Foundation. His legacy continues through the Las Vegas Sands Corp. and its properties worldwide.