Jan Jones Blackhurst

Jan Jones Blackhurst
Born	Janis Lyle Laverty (1949-03-16) March 16, 1949 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, politician
Years active	1980s–present
Known for	20th mayor of Las Vegas (1991–1999)

Jan Jones Blackhurst (born Janis Lyle Laverty on March 16, 1949) is an American entrepreneur and political figure who held the office of the 20th mayor of Las Vegas, Nevada from 1991 until 1999. She was the inaugural female to occupy this role and is affiliated with the Democratic Party.

Early life

Born in Los Angeles, California, Janis Lyle Laverty was raised in Santa Monica. She completed her undergraduate studies at Stanford University in 1971, earning a bachelor's degree in English. Throughout the 1980s, she became a familiar face in Las Vegas as the spokesperson for her family’s supermarket enterprise, Thriftimart, and subsequently represented a car dealership owned by her then-spouse, Fletcher Jones Jr.

Mayor of Las Vegas

Jones Blackhurst won election as mayor of Las Vegas in 1991 and secured a second term in 1995, serving two consecutive four-year periods. Her administration coincided with rapid demographic expansion, and she was recognized for improving the city’s quality of life while addressing key social concerns including homelessness and LGBT rights.

She spearheaded the revitalization of the Fremont Street district, which culminated in the inauguration of the Fremont Street Experience in 1995.

During her time as mayor, Jones Blackhurst sought the governorship of Nevada twice. She was defeated in the 1994 Democratic primary by incumbent Bob Miller and lost the 1998 general election to Republican Kenny Guinn. In 1999, she chose not to pursue a third mayoral term.

Post-mayoral career

Following her mayoral service, Jones Blackhurst joined Caesars Entertainment, eventually rising to the position of executive vice president. In 2007, she attracted media attention with a subsequently retracted comment regarding Celine Dion’s husband and manager, Rene Angelil, allegedly gambling large amounts on a weekly basis.

She holds board memberships with Caesars, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, and the Las Vegas Stadium Authority, which owns Allegiant Stadium. Presently, she serves as executive director of the Black Fire Leadership Initiative at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, dedicated to promoting leadership opportunities for women.

Personal life

In 2003, Jones Blackhurst married Dana Blackhurst and adopted his last name. She is a mother to six children. Dana Blackhurst is an advocate for education with a focus on learning disabilities and has led multiple educational institutions, including founding The Chandler School.

The couple resides in Summerlin, a planned community within Las Vegas.

Honors

In recognition of her contributions, the Clark County School District named a newly constructed elementary school near Mountain's Edge in Enterprise, Nevada as Jones Blackhurst Elementary School in 2017.