James John Reid

James J. Reid, age 78, passed unexpectedly on July 12, 2018 at his home in Las Vegas. He was born in Queens, NY, on June 9, 1940, one of five children. He was known for his sharp mind and wit; as an early example, he skipped two grades in elementary school. He continued his education at Brooklyn Technical High School and The City College of New York. At the young age of 19, he began his career in NYC as an assistant project manager at George A. Fuller Co. He was in charge of the construction of the Kodak building at the 1964 World's Fair. In 1965, he became the Chief Estimator/General Superintendent at Port Morris Tile & Terrazzo. Through the 1970's, his career continued in Maine. He moved to Verona Island with his wife Cele and two young daughters, Amy and Beth. Maine held a special place in his heart as he loved the strong sense of community, exploring the woods, and spending summers at their camp on Toddy Pond. From 1978-1984, Jim served as the VP of construction of CHL Arnwood Partners in Key West, FL. His projects included the Casa Marina Resort and the Key West Resort. While in Key West, he enjoyed great times with friends, sport fishing on most weekends and the unique culture found in the Keys. His favorite places included the Pier House, Bagatelle's and Martha's. Key West was especially important as it is where he met his wife Rebecca. While neither one thought they were interested in getting remarried, he romantically asked Becky one day, “Do you want to get married or what?” From that time on, Jim and Becky worked together on many projects, including the development of Wachesaw Plantation in Murrells Inlet, SC and Bald Head Island in North Carolina. They formed their own company, Reid & Company, and worked as real estate consultants for developments throughout the Southeastern U.S. and Caribbean. In 1995, Jim's career became focused on casino and hotel development. He was the Senior Project Manager for Sheraton and was in charge of construction for Caesar's in Atlantic City, the Desert Inn in Las Vegas, the Sheraton in Bal Harbour, FL and the Sheraton Casino in Nova Scotia. From 1991-2001, he was the Senior Project Manager for Aladdin Gaming and managed a construction budget of 1.3 billion while coordinating all aspects of the construction of the casino, public spaces and theming for Aladdin. This project was followed by the construction of a 1,000 room tower and convention facility expansion at the Venetian Hotel and Casino. Jim's extensive 48 year career culminated with his final project, The World Market Center in Las Vegas. From 2003-2007, he was the Director of Construction for the Related Companies, in charge of all aspects of the WMC. As an example of this massive project, the square footage of one building alone is greater than that of the Empire State building in NYC. The World Market Center is now considered a landmark in Las Vegas. Throughout Jim's career, he left an impression not only on the areas he developed but the people he worked with. He retired in 2007 and was able to spend his days enjoying his time with Becky, their cat Jake, reading and visiting casinos every now and then. Jim is survived by his wife Becky, his siblings; Regina and her husband Carl and their children Tyrone and Mariel, Robby and his wife Dahlia, Kathy and her husband John. His daughter Amy, her husband Frank and their children Jenna and Chris. His daughter Beth, her husband Brian and their children Emily, Anna and Tommy. His daughter Mindy, her husband Stephen and her children: Sal, his wife Sloan and children Vanessa and Sal Jr., Sicilia and her wife Erika, Guy and his wife Julie and their children GT and Maylee, and her son Marco. His daughter Michelle, her husband Pete and her son Kevin. He was preceded in death by his parents and his older brother Wally. Private family services will be held at Palm Eastern in Las Vegas. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Jim's name to the SPCA or St. Jude Children's Hospital.