Jan Jones Blackhurst facts for kids

Jan Jones Blackhurst was born Janis Lyle Laverty on March 16, 1949. She is an American businesswoman and politician. She made history as the 20th mayor of Las Vegas, Nevada. She served from 1991 to 1999. Jan Jones Blackhurst was the first woman to be mayor of Las Vegas. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

About Jan Jones Blackhurst

Early Life and Education

Janis Lyle Laverty was born in Los Angeles, California. She grew up in Santa Monica. In 1971, she graduated from Stanford University. She earned a bachelor's degree in English.

In the 1980s, Jan became well-known in Las Vegas. She appeared in TV commercials for her family's supermarket chain, Thriftimart. Later, she was a spokesperson for a car dealership.

Serving as Mayor of Las Vegas

In 1990, Jan Jones Blackhurst, then known as Jan Jones, decided to run for mayor of Las Vegas. She won the election in 1991. She was re-elected in 1995. She served two terms, each lasting four years.

During her time as mayor, Las Vegas grew a lot. Jan Jones Blackhurst helped make the city a better place to live. She also focused on important social issues. These included helping people without homes and supporting fairness for all people.

She also led a big project to improve the Fremont Street area. This area became the Fremont Street Experience in 1995. It is a popular attraction today.

While she was mayor, Jan Jones Blackhurst also ran for governor of Nevada twice. She did not win these elections. In 1999, she decided not to run for a third term as mayor.

After Being Mayor

After her time as mayor, Jan Jones Blackhurst joined Caesars Entertainment. This is a large entertainment company. She became an executive vice president there.

She is part of the board of directors for several groups. These include Caesars and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. She also serves on the Las Vegas Stadium Authority. This group owns Allegiant Stadium.

Currently, she is the executive director of the Black Fire Leadership Initiative. This program is at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Personal Life

Jan Jones Blackhurst is married to Dana Blackhurst. They got married in 2003. She added Blackhurst to her last name then. Jan Jones Blackhurst has six children.

Dana Blackhurst works to help children with learning disabilities. He has led several schools over the years. These include The Chandler School, which he started. He also worked at Camperdown Academy in Greenville, South Carolina. Another school he led was Pine Ridge School in Williston, Vermont.

Jan and Dana Blackhurst live in Summerlin. This is a planned community in Las Vegas.

Honors and Recognition

In 2017, a new school was named after her. The Jones Blackhurst Elementary school was built by the Clark County School District. It is located near the Mountain's Edge area.