The City of Mesquite proclaimed Nov. 16 as “Ted and Doris Lee Day” honoring them for their contributions to the community. Seated are Doris and Ted with sons Ernie, left, and Greg standing. Photo by Kris Zurbas.

The City of Mesquite proclaimed Nov. 16 as “Ted and Doris Lee Day” honoring them for their contributions to the community. Seated are Doris and Ted with sons Ernie, left, and Greg standing. Photo by Kris Zurbas.

Surrounded by family, friends, employees and community partners, Ted and Doris Lee were honored at a luncheon given them to celebrate their contributions to the city of Mesquite. The luncheon, held on Wednesday, Nov. 16, also marked the grand opening of their latest business venture in Mesquite, the Rising Star Sports Ranch hotel.

Speaking for the Lees who also operate the Eureka Casino Resort Hotel, their son Greg said that while his parents have his brother Ernie and himself, “they actually have 550 employees who they have treated like family.”

The Lee family cut the ribbon on the renovated and newly-opened Rising Star Sports Ranch on Wednesday, Nov. 16 after being presented the keys to the city of Mesquite at a luncheon honoring their work in the community. From left, Ernie, mother Doris, father Ted and Greg Lee. Photo by Kris Zurbas

The Lee family cut the ribbon on the renovated and newly-opened Rising Star Sports Ranch on Wednesday, Nov. 16 after being presented the keys to the city of Mesquite at a luncheon honoring their work in the community. From left, Ernie, mother Doris, father Ted and Greg Lee. Photo by Kris Zurbas

To his parents, Lee said “Mom and Dad, you’ve shown such incredible care for the family. You’ve worked so hard and you’ve been so dedicated to your employees and to your community. You’ve created such an incredible atmosphere that allows fun and love. That carries on to where we work and where we try to replicate that at the Eureka. We believe in the future. That’s why we’ve done this project [Rising Star Sports Ranch] to bring in the love into the community. So, on behalf of Ernie and me and the other 550 employees who are also your children, congratulations. We love you.”

Mesquite Mayor Al Litman, City Councilman Rich Green and City Councilwoman Cindi Delaney presented the Lees with a symbolic key to the city and proclaimed it “Ted and Doris Lee Day” in the city.

Litman said, “These individuals have become a viable and positive force in our community and demonstrated a common conviction of charity and social responsibility which manifests all that is good in the individual and that the well-being of the community is largely dependent on helping others.”

Mayor Al Litman, second from right, presented a symbolic key to the city of Mesquite to the Lee Family represented by Ernie, left and Greg Lee, second from left at a luncheon on Nov. 16 which was declared “Ted and Doris Lee Day.” City Councilman Rich Green and City Councilwoman Cindi Delaney were also present. Photo by Kris Zurbas.

Mayor Al Litman, second from right, presented a symbolic key to the city of Mesquite to the Lee Family represented by Ernie, left and Greg Lee, second from left at a luncheon on Nov. 16 which was declared “Ted and Doris Lee Day.” City Councilman Rich Green and City Councilwoman Cindi Delaney were also present. Photo by Kris Zurbas.

Greg Lee later told the Mesquite Local News in a private interview that his parents “inspire us to look at things as they are and to imagine that they could be better and to imagine that they could include more people who could work with us to accomplish even more.”

In 2013 when a travel center and truck stop was proposed for the area in which the Rising Star Sports Ranch is located, Lee told his father that the city didn’t feel like it had a lot of choices but to accept the proposal. “The city feels like they just need more time,” he said, to develop better locations for that kind of business.

“If it’s just time, I can give Mesquite a chance to be what it wants to be,” Lee said his father told him. “But you kids [Greg and Andre Carrier, COO of Eureka Casino] have to figure out what that is. I can’t wait forever. If you can figure out how the old Mesquite Star fits, I can do it.”

After the travel plaza deal fell through, the Lees purchased the closed hotel and began planning for its new use.

Renovations began in August 2015 and the new hotel geared towards sports teams opened in October.