Lorenzo Creighton

Gaming executive Lorenzo David Creighton was born on January 5, 1953 to David and Lucille Fox Creighton in Waterloo, Iowa. In 1975, Creighton received his B.A. degree in political science from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Creighton’s first job was as an interviewer with the Pre-Trial Release Project for the Iowa Department of Corrections. He worked in community affairs and served as marketing director for the National Bank of Waterloo from 1978 to 1985.

At the age of thirty-one, Creighton decided to attend Drake Law School in Des Moines and obtained his J.D. degree in 1988. He then worked as a labor contract negotiator and consultant for the Iowa Department of Personnel. In 1989, Creighton became the deputy director of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. After six months, Iowa legislature passed the Riverboat Gambling Bill and gave the regulatory authority to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. Creighton was responsible for writing the regulations for the riverboat gaming industry. The first casino opened in 1991, and Creighton became interested in pursuing a career in the gaming industry.

Creighton has held several positions within the gaming industry including Executive Director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission; an executive position with the Lady Luck in Natchez, Mississippi; general manager of the President Casinos in St. Louis, Missouri and vice president of operations for Bally’s Casino in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2002, Creighton became President of the Flamingo Hilton in Las Vegas. The MGM Mirage named Creighton President and COO of the New York New York Hotel and Casino in 2005, making Creighton the first African American property President on the Las Vegas strip. Creighton and his wife, Lisa, have five children.

Lorenzo Creighton was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on April 4, 2007.