Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and raised in the United Kingdom, Jonathan Jossel has been fascinated by gaming since he wrote his senior thesis on the topic.
“I had the opportunity to visit Las Vegas and work for Tamares Real Estate, which owned several properties in downtown Las Vegas,” said Jossel, who holds a business commerce degree with a focus on the UK gaming industry from Birmingham University, and also worked for Tamares in London and New York before moving to Southern Nevada in 2007. “That opportunity developed into a permanent position at the Plaza overseeing its first major renovation project in 2011.”
Jossel, named CEO of the Plaza in 2014, takes a hands-on, high-visibility approach to management, regularly walking the property, greeting employees by name and meeting with guests, in addition to reviewing financials, discussing operations and developing new ideas.
“We recently opened the Core Arena, the first and only outdoor equestrian center in downtown Las Vegas,” Jossel said. “We will host the Las Vegas Days rodeo in conjunction with the Helldorado parade this May. As a multipurpose outdoor facility, it will host a variety of other events too, including the first demolition derby downtown, diversifying the downtown experience and attracting more business and people to downtown Las Vegas year-round.”
There are about 120 hotel rooms being remodeled and the property is adding entertainment options, slot machines, players club promotions and other upgrades, according to Jossel, who supports Keep Memory Alive and Young Jewish Professionals.