Nevada Ballet founder, casino family buys in Vegas

by Stella Dorff, published Wednesday, September 24 1:47 AM ·

Nancy Houssels

Kelly, J.K. and Nancy Houssels bought a three-bedroom, 2.5-bath house at 9168 Whitekirk Place in Las Vegas from US Bank for $315,000 on Sept. 5.

The bank foreclosed on the property in May.

The 2,679-square-foot house was built in 2005.

Nancy Houssels is co-founder and former dancer of the Nevada Ballet Theatre and currently serves as co-chair of the ballet's board of directors. She is on the 2008-09 UNLV board of trustees and was a recipient of a Nevada Governor's Arts Award in 1988 for Distinguished Service to the Arts.

She received a theater arts degree from UCLA. After college she moved to New York City and traveled the globe as part of dance group Szony & Claire. She met husband J. Kell Houssels while performing at the Tropicana, when he was serving as president of the casino. They married in 1969.

J.Kell Houssels Jr. is the son of J. Kell Houssels, one of the most successful casino operators in Nevada. J.K. Jr. previously served as president and CEO of the Showtime Casino after his father's passing in 1979.

Home sales in Las Vegas are up 33.8 percent this year versus 2007. The median sales price, however, dropped from $275,000 to $220,000.

Address: 9168 Whitekirk Place
Buyer(s): Kelly C Houssels, J K Houssels, and Nancy C Houssels
Seller(s): Us Bank National Association (Trustee) and Csfb Armt 2006-1
Sale date: 2008-09-05