Howard "Butch" Kerzner, CEO of Kerzner
International Holdings, was killed along with three others in a
helicopter crash in the Dominican Republic on Oct. 11.
Kerzner
International includes the flagship Atlantis resort on Paradise
Island, the Bahamas, the One&Only luxury hotel chain and a
number of casino and gaming operations.
Kerzner, 42, the
son of Sol Kerzner, chairman and founder of the company, was in the
Dominican Republic to survey potential development
sites.
The crash
occurred near the tourist resort area of Sosua on the island's
north coast.
Kerzner was on
board with one additional passenger and two pilots.
There were no
survivors.
Prior to his
appointment as CEO in January 2004, Kerzner served as president for
eight years. He joined Kerzner International (then called Sun
International) in 1992 as director of international corporate
development.
Kerzner
International, based in the Bahamas, will complete a $1 billion
expansion of Paradise Island next spring, an initiative directed by
Kerzner, who also spearheaded a joint venture in the United Arab
Emirates to develop Atlantis, the Palm, in Dubai, set to open in
2008.
He also expanded
the firm's luxury hotel portfolio, including its five hotels on
Mauritius that are part of the One&Only Resorts' global
brand.
Within Kerzner
International's casino operations, Kerzner developed Mohegan Sun, a
$330 million casino resort in Uncasville, Conn., which opened in
1996.
The casino's
recently completed $1 billion expansion took place on Kerzner's
watch, as well.
Paul O'Neil,
former CEO of the company's Paradise Island operation and a current
member of the company's board of directors, has been appointed
acting CEO, effective immediately.
Kerzner, who had
homes in New York and the Bahamas, is survived by his wife and two
young children.
To contact reporter Gay Nagle Myers, send e-mail to gmyers@travelweekly.com.