Jack E. Pratt, Sr., told me once that he's a Southern Baptist. He lives in Dallas and has made a bunch of money as the owner of some Holiday Inns, Dairy Queens, and, incongruously, a corporation that owns casinos.
He's probably in his mid-80s by now, but for years he's been one of the major forces behind legalizing casino gambling in Texas. He still hasn't given up.
Pratt is a bald headed man who, when I first met him, closely resembled Galveston's living patron saint, George Mitchell. They're both slim, about the same height and, in addition to both being bald, have the same shaped head and complexion.
Those who may have seen him on the streets of Galveston at one time or another probably greeted him with, "Hi, George!" or "Hey, there, Mr. Mitchell."
Although it's now been a somewhat longtime ago, the San Luis Hotel was the dream child of George Mitchell, not Tilman Fertitta. And it was Mitchell who built it, operated it, and later sold it to Fertitta.
Just after the San Luis was built, Pratt couldn't for the life of him believe that Mitchell hadn't built the hotel to be the home of a future casino. No matter how many times Mitchell told Pratt that it wasn't the case - that in fact, he was against casinos in Galveston - Pratt thought Mitchell was telling him a white lie.
He figured Mitchell had hired expensive lobbyist to encourage the Texas legislature to support a bill that would legalize casinos. If that were the case, Pratt figured he could ride Mitchell's coat tails.
Finally, Pratt decided he'd rent a meeting room at the San Luis and give a speech to any and everyone who was interested in his idea. So he did. And I was there.
Even after much publicity in the newspaper and on KGBC-AM, no more than 50 or 60 people showed up.
And what was interesting was the percentage of the audience who had their silk Hawaiian shirts unbuttoned half-way down to their navels, had gold chains with crucifixes hanging from their necks, and Sansabelt slacks above fake alligator shoes dyed white.
And they had those gravely voices that pronounced "these" as "dees," etc. You know the type; the result of too many cigarettes and no speech therapy when they were in school.
Well, if that meeting had ever had a chance to go anywhere...for Pratt to convince even a small core of Galvestonians that casinos would be good for Texas and good for Galveston -- it evaporated at that meeting.
Copyright 2011 - William S. Cherry
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BILL CHERRY, REALTORS
DALLAS - PARK CITIES
Since 1964
214 503-8563
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