Nov 9, 2008 8:00 pm US/Pacific
Billionaire Hotelier Honors U.S. Vets In Vegas
LAS VEGAS (CBS) ―
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Chairman and CEO Las Vegas Sands Corps Sheldon Adelson (left) and his wife Miriam Adelson wave at the opening of The Four Seasons Hotel in Macau on Aug. 28, 2008.
Mike Clarke/Getty Images
Sheldon Adelson, CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, is thanking the troops in an innovative way: He's invited them to an all-expenses paid vacation.
Adelson started bringing wounded veterans to Las Vegas for a 5 day, 4-star, vacation at one of the hotels he owns, which just happens to be the Venetian, the largest hotel in the world.
"Well, even though I'm a small guy, I never approach anything on a small scale," Adelson said. "They (the troops) are forgotten. They're not being thanked at all."
So early one morning a few weeks back, a group of 50 wounded veterans, their spouses and companions left the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland and climbed aboard Adelson's private 747.
"Welcome aboard, nice to see you," the captain greeted them. "Come on in, make yourself at home."
It didn't take long for them to realize they were in for a treat.
"You're on one of his private jets - he has 14 of them," Patricia Driscoll, president of the Armed Forces Foundation (a non-profit veterans support group which organized the trip), told the guests. "We have the great Venetian staff here to serve you. We'll have a buffet when we set down."
Lance Armstrong was on hand to greet the troops when they arrived in Las Vegas.
The troops said Adelson's efforts made all the difference to them.
"It's just hugs, handshakes," said one veteran, Sam Ickiss. "I couldn't even imagine something like this. I mean, when we landed, if we turned around and flew back, that would have been great."
Adelson, CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, is worth an estimated $26 billion.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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