UNLV road to be named for former higher ed chancellor Jim Rogers
Even in death Jim Rogers is getting his own way.
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Clark County and the Rogers Foundation on Thursday will dedicate Jim Rogers Way, a half-mile slab of asphalt that dissects from north to south the university’s Harry Reid Research & Technology Park in the southwest valley.
A powerful and influential businessman, Rogers, who was the owner of KSNV-TV, Channel 3 for decades, served as the chancellor for the Nevada System of Higher Education for an annual salary of $1 from 2005 to 2009.
Ever philanthropic, Rogers used his fortune to champion education causes.
Known as a tenacious and vocal advocate for education issues, Rogers in 2013 donated $10 million to the Black Mountain Institute, UNLV’s graduate-level creative writing program.
After he died in June from cancer, much of his estate — about $100 million — was allocated to the Rogers Foundation that will be used to help Clark County schools and students. The nonprofit is named for Rogers and his wife Beverly Rogers.
The dedication service will include UNLV president Len Jessup, NSHE Regent and Chairman Kevin Page, former regent and County Commissioner Steve Sisolak and Rogers Foundation president Rory Reid.
“The road was named in recognition of Rogers’ service to higher education and his advocacy for the power of education,” a UNLV spokesman said in a statement.
A Las Vegas native, Rogers founded Valley Broadcasting Co. in 1971 and won FCC approval to operate an NBC affiliate, Channel 3, in 1979.
He parlayed that into Sunbelt Communications, which grew into 14 TV stations in five Mountain states, including three in Nevada. Others were in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Arizona. Sunbelt’s title was changed to Intermountain West Communications Co. about five years ago.
His philanthropic efforts included making the largest gift to a law school in history at the time to the University of Arizona, which named the school in his honor. He graduated from the law school in 1962.
The dedication ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Reid Research Park.
Contact Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or702-224-5512. Find him on Twitter: @fjmccabe.
