Coming Soon to Summerlin!
Professional poker player, nightlife promoter, reality TV star (Survivor) and man-about town, Jean-Robert Bellande, aka JRB, has a relatively new persona to add to his eclectic, exciting and high-profile life: Dad and Family Man.
In 2007, JRB met Veronica Llamas, his dream girl and a runner-up Miss Mexico, during a boys’ night out at Tao nightclub. He lost touch with her for several years, then ran into her six years ago at her bachelorette party. At the time, Veronica was engaged to be married to another man. So, upon that fateful sighting, JRB went to work and knew what he had to do to win her back. With the help of her family, he was successful in convincing her to call off her wedding. She then spent several weeks in Europe with JRB during what would have been her honeymoon. The rest, as they say, is history.
Today, after a magical beach resort wedding in Mexico, JRB and Veronica are parents to one-year-old twins, Axel Cash and Isabella. While JRB has primarily lived in The Residences at Waldorf Astoria on the Strip, he and Veronica are nearing completion on their new home in Summerlin at Mesa Ridge.
Moving to the “burbs” is a big step for JRB. He and Veronica are now looking forward to having a yard, being close to the best private schools in Las Vegas, and taking part in all the family activities at Downtown Summerlin.
“We’ve already started doing ‘dinner and a movie’ at Downtown Summerlin and love the vibe there,” said JRB. “Summerlin feels right for us now. It’s close enough to the Strip for me, but far enough away for my family. Veronica is a LifeTime Fitness fan, and she loves all the conveniences and fun Downtown Summerlin offers.”
For JRB, who plays super high stakes, Las Vegas has been his home for 15 years. “I wish I had moved here sooner, he said. This city is so exciting and is really a place where anything is possible. My life is proof of that.”
While not a sports better in the formal sense of the word, JRB says watching any game – be it football, hockey or basketball – is more fun when it has a little sizzle – a few bucks on the line. A long-time Raiders fan whose love affair with the team started when he was a kid and the team was in LA, JRB is looking forward to the team’s launch in Las Vegas. His one sports regret? Not learning to play golf at an earlier age. But living in Summerlin, the options for catching 18 holes are endless.
JRB, who grew up in New York City and also lived in Taiwan and California with his family, is comfortable with change. This former bachelor, turned married man, turned father and soon-to-be suburbanite, knows a thing or two about change.
Welcome to Summerlin, JRB, Veronica, baby Axel and baby Bella! You’re gonna love it!
