Departing gambling commission leader praised

The executive director of the National Gambling Impact Study Commission has resigned midway through the panel's two-year mission.

Nancy Mohr Kennedy, who had been running the daily affairs of the nine-member commission since November, stepped down abruptly late last week for "personal reasons," Chairwoman Kay James said.

"Nancy has worked diligently to realize the goals of the commission, and she displayed her full range of talent and expertise throughout our work efforts," James said in a statement.

The chairwoman added that Kennedy was "fully committed to the ideal of public service" and had made a "significant contribution to the public policy process during her tenure."

Kennedy, a former chief of staff for the Peace Corps and an ex-White House aide to President Reagan, was respected by both pro and anti-gaming members of the commission.

"This puts the commission in a difficult position because we're halfway through our two-year study period," Commissioner Bill Bible said. "But I think we'll be able to pick up the slack and keep the momentum going."

Bible, who chairs Nevada's Gaming Control Board, described Kennedy as "conciliatory" and a "consensus builder.

"Hopefully, her replacement will have those same skills," he said.

Commissioner Terry Lanni, chairman of MGM Grand Inc., said through a spokeswoman he was "very impressed" with Kennedy during her eight months on the job.

Lanni indicated he had hoped Kennedy would have stayed with the panel until it delivers its report to Congress next June.

James said she appointed Timothy Kelly, the panel's research director, to serve as acting executive director. Kelly was in Las Vegas last week doing advance work for the commission's November trip here.

A new permanent executive director will have to be approved by the full commission.

The Washington-based commission has held meetings on the road this year in Atlantic City, Boston and Chicago.

It has scheduled meetings in San Diego, New Orleans and Las Vegas later this year.

The panel has been given $5 million and a mandate from Congress to study the social and economic impact of gambling across the country.

Divergent opinions among commissioners about the merits of gambling had slowed the panel's early work.

But under Kennedy's guidance, the commission had begun to develop cohesiveness.

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