Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Bob Stupak’s former home lists for nearly $2M
Historical estate in Rancho Circle
He is considered a Las Vegas icon. The late Bob Stupak, or the “Polish Maverick” as he called himself, is known as one of the first 100 risk-takers who moved to the area and built Vegas into what it is today.
Stupak’s legacy involved owning and operating several casinos, including Vegas World, the casino that ultimately laid the foundation for The Stratosphere.
“The Stratosphere was my father’s vision,” Stupak’s son, Nevada Stupak, said. “There were certainly some bumps and bruises along the way but, fortunately, he was able to fulfill his dream.”
Renamed The Strat, its fame includes the tallest freestanding observation tower in the United States at 1,149 feet.
In addition to being a casino owner, Stupak was a successful poker player and sports bettor. He won titles at the World Series of Poker and the Super Bowl of Poker.
“His niche game was low ball deuce-to-seven,” Nevada Stupak said. “My dad loved action, and gambling is certainly an opportunity to be in the action.”
As a sports bettor, he was the first person on record to make a seven-figure wager on Superbowl XXII. Famously known as one of the largest NFL bets, it led to his winning $1 million.
At the height of Stupak’s success, he acquired 910 Rancho Circle to be near Phyllis McGuire, whom he was dating at the time. McGuire was a member of The McGuire Sisters, a famous 1950s vocal harmony trio.
“He felt he was on his way to arriving at a status in which he could finally say ‘I made it,’ ” Nevada Stupak said. “At the time, Rancho Circle was one of the most prestigious and exclusive communities in Vegas.
“Phyllis had a mansion in here,” he added. “I spent a lot of time with her and went to all her parties. They were filled with the who’s who of Vegas. It was incredible.”
Today, Stupak’s historic rancher is on the market for $1,999,989 through Janie Schurr of South Bay Realty. The fully renovated property features four en suite bedrooms, 5½ baths, sunken formal living, formal dining, attached two-bedroom guest home and a lush exterior with pool. The property doesn’t have a homeowners association fee.
“The home is special for a variety of reasons,” Nevada Stupak said. “It is a gated community in the center of town that’s close to the Strip with
large private lots.”
Nevada, principal and professional planner at Stupak Las Vegas-Corporate Travel and Event Planning, inherited the 5,126-square-foot single-story property in 2011, following his father’s death. The home had been unoccupied for several years following a fire.
“Structurally, the home remained intact, but extensive smoke left it unlivable,” Nevada Stupak said. “He (Bob Stupak) remediated the house but never built it back out.”
Five years after inheriting the home, Nevada Stupak began a yearlong top-to-bottom renovation to transform the 47-year-old property into a contemporary haven.
“I hired different architects to figure out if there were modifications we could make to the house,” Nevada Stupak said. “But I found out the home is already structured for the maximum amount of living space.”
The extensive renovation removed non-load bearing walls, installed new flooring and light fixtures and reconfigured and updated all the baths. The luxurious, contemporary baths feature imported custom tile shower surrounds, new vanities with quartz counters, flooring and fixtures.
The design applied a timeless, neutral gray and white color palette that easily incorporates luxe touches such as crystal light fixtures, polished porcelain tile flooring and comfortable furnishings.
“Essentially, the entire interior was enhanced from floor to the ceiling,” Nevada Stupak said. “We updated everything.”
The laundry room was relocated to the main home from the guest quarters. When Bob Stupak purchased the home, it came with full-time caretakers, who lived in the guest home.
“It (the guest home) was set up as a caretaker home,” Nevada Stupak said. “They handled the housekeeping, cooking and all the landscaping. That isn’t as common, today, so we wanted to move it closer to the master bedroom closet.”
A concealed, lush tree-lined driveway accesses the 0.64-acre estate. It opens to an expansive parking area in front of the home.
“This home is in a cul-de-sac, which it shares with only one other resident,” Nevada Stupak said. “So, when it comes to privacy, this is one of the premier locations in the community.”
The estate’s double-door column entry opens into a polished porcelain tile foyer. The elegant vestibule leads directly into a sunken formal living room. The spacious area showcases 20-foot ceilings and warm ceramic wood tile flooring. Abundant natural light flows through expansive windows on both sides of the room.
Formal dining overlooks the space, showcasing a striking crystal chandelier and stylish dining set. The fully renovated kitchen features custom white cabinetry, an expansive center island with quartz countertops and additional bar seating, stainless steel appliances and a designer glass backsplash.
“The kitchen used to be closed,” Nevada said. “The cabinets hung from the ceiling so you couldn’t even see outside. We completely reimagined the space and modernized it.”
The space flows seamlessly into the casual dining, inviting great room and lush exterior. A sunken room right off the space provides flexibility.
On the opposite side of the home, a private primary suite features access to the lush exterior and hisand-her baths. Nevada Stupak reconfigured one of the baths to open out to the pool deck.
He further replastered the pool deck, enhanced the landscaping, added exterior lighting, renovated the guest home and transformed the existing carport into a three-car garage with additional storage.
Rancho Circle, known as the “Beverly Hills of Las Vegas,” is a 34-home gated enclave rich in the city’s history. Located north of Alta Drive and west of Rancho Drive, the community is close to the Las Vegas Strip and downtown.
“It was called a ‘circle’ because the homeowners had horses,” Nevada Stupak said. “There was a circled track which they were able to exercise their horses.”
Established in the 1940s, the lush community lured celebrities, casino executives, musicians and other famous individuals to purchase property behind its secure gated walls.