A native of suburban Minneapolis, Patrick Nichols said Las Vegas wasn’t even on his radar until he started seeking gainful employment during his senior year at Cornell University, where he earned a degree in hospitality management.
“I stumbled on a job posting for a financial analyst position at the Venetian, so I applied, had a few interviews with a couple of great young executives who were also Cornell alums, and they sold me on the gaming industry, Las Vegas and the Venetian,” said Nichols, who relocated to Southern Nevada in 2008.
His duties would send him to Singapore to assist with the opening of Marina Bay Sands before joining the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in October 2010 as director of strategic planning, a few months before the property opened.
“At the time, I knew what an opportunity it would be to open an integrated resort on the Strip, much less a luxury brand with indy spirit like the Cosmopolitan,” said Nichols, who assumed the position of chief strategy officer in April 2018. Today, he is responsible for strategy development and execution, business development, design and construction, retail, entertainment and aviation operations, and financial planning and analysis.
“We’re wrapping up the major redevelopment phase at the Cosmopolitan, so 2019 will be focused on operational improvements and offering more value for our guests,” said Nichols, who supports Junior Achievement.