Thomas N. Wiesner[1] (February 28, 1939 – June 25, 2002), also known by his nickname "Big Dog",[2][3][4] was an American politician and businessman.
In 1996, Wiesner was also elected to the Nevada State Higher Education System Board of Regents.
Wiesner also founded Big Dog's Hospitality Group, a local chain of restaurant-bar-casino properties.
[6][7] Wiesner was later traded to the Los Angeles Rams and played pre-season games before being cut from the team.
Wiesner then tried out for a position with the San Diego Chargers and the Montreal Alouettes, although he never played in a pro game for either team.
[9][10] In 1970, Wiesner was elected to the Clark County Commission, defeating two-term Democrat Darwin Lamb.
[5] In 1973, Southwest Securities Development was planning the Airport Marina Hotel, to be built on the Las Vegas Strip.
"[2] In June 1988, Wiesner and his brother George opened the Draft House restaurant in North Las Vegas.
[14] In 1990, Wiesner founded Big Dog's Hospitality Group, a local chain of Wisconsin-themed bar-restaurant-casino properties that included the Draft House,[7][2] and would later include the Holy Cow Casino and Brewery, Las Vegas' first brewery.
"[17] In 1996, Wiesner ran unopposed and was elected to the Nevada State Higher Education System Board of Regents.
[16] Wiesner married Lynn Geary, a schoolteacher,[5] on August 14, 1965, at St. Anne Catholic Church in Barrington, Illinois.
[7] At the end of January 2002, Wiesner underwent a bone marrow transplant at a hospital in Seattle, Washington, to fight the disease.
On February 1, 2002, Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn announced Laura Lopez Hobbs – human resources manager for Southwest Gas – as Wiesner's replacement to finish the last year of his term.
As a result, Wiesner had also become well known among Republican senators and governors in the United States, and was friends with President Ronald Reagan.
[7] Governor Guinn, who wrote a condolence letter to Wiesner's wife, said, "Tom helped in many ways, from raising money for scholarships to helping fund buildings on campus in those early years, to working to start a football program at UNLV, Tom has been a part of it all.