Jackie Robinson (basketball, born 1955)

Retirement

Afterward, Robinson played five years in Europe, and upon retirement held executive positions in several Las Vegas companies that worked in retail, real estate, construction, credit, and the food and beverage industries. He was a one-time owner of the Las Vegas Silver Bandits of the defunct International Basketball League,^[1] and the Las Vegas Slam of the American Basketball Association.^[2][3]

By 2008, Robinson and real estate veteran Michael Bellon had teamed up to develop a multibillion-dollar project on Bulloch and Gaffin's property called Elysium. It called for condos and hotel rooms, a dome-covered ocean-beach swimming complex, and more. It was to be located on the southeast of the Las Vegas Strip.^[4][5][6]

Robinson is currently working to build in Las Vegas the All Net Resort and Arena, a $4 billion hotel, shopping, and arena complex that could attract an NBA expansion team to Nevada.^[7] The project was approved August of 2014, though it wouldn't be until March of 2017 that excavation of the site would begin. In 2017, the construction of an additional 63-story tower had been approved for the site. At which time Robinson said that his financing was “signed, done, sealed, delivered.” He also indicated construction would go vertical around late spring 2018. In July 2017, lawyers for Robinson’s group contradicted Robinson's statement that funding was secure, saying in court papers that “difficulties in funding” the project had sparked construction delays and shortly thereafter construction came to a complete halt. Since construction stopped some contractors have claimed in court filings that they are owed money. In late 2018 Robinson said a loan agreement had been made with The Bank of Qatar after the expansion plan was approved but this source of funding could not be confirmed at the time by journalists. The Las Vegas Review Journal said at the time, "Robinson, who initially planned to open his project in 2016, now expects to finish in 2021." with a quote from Robinson saying, "The project will get completed — 100 percent”. As of 2023 construction remains stalled. ^[8][9][10]