Obituary of Neil Philip Narter
Neil Philip Narter, 81, of Las Vegas, Nevada, died peacefully at home on October 22, 2020.
At his request, no services will be held. He did not wish to create an undue burden on anyone.
Neil was born on May 2, 1939, in Denver, Colorado to his parents Sam and Frieda (Radomsky) Narter.
He attended Nicholas Senn High School, class of 1957 and graduated from Purdue University, class of 1961, where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Management. Neil went on to the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business where he earned an MBA in Marketing and graduated in 1963.
Neil’s early career was spent at Maritz, specializing in market research. In 1974 he began a long and distinguished gaming career at Harrah’s Casino and Hotel in Reno, Nevada, where he started as a marketing manager. Over the years, he was promoted and held executive positions overseeing the marketing programs at gaming corporations, including the Tropicana, Four Queens, and Fitzgeralds, where he was the mastermind behind the Lucky Forest, an historical exhibit which included rare artifacts that were deemed lucky. Neil had successfully negotiated genuine Blarney Stone from Blaney Castle in Ireland to be incorporated into the exhibit, the only time such an honor was permitted.
After reaching many successes in the marketing area of the gaming industry, Neil transitioned to a career in general management. His first position was as General Manager at the Copa Casino in Gulfport, Mississippi in 1993. He subsequently held general manager positions at various casinos from Louisiana and Mississippi to California, Colorado and Nevada, including Boomtown Casino Biloxi, Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino, Ute Mountain Casino, Amelia Belle Casino, and Tachi Palace Casino and Resort, where he held his final position prior to retirement.
He is survived by his spouse of 58 years, Rita Narter; his son, Scott Narter; his daughter, Lisa Narter; and his brother, Kenneth Narter, all of Las Vegas.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Sam and Frieda Narter