A remarkable picture history
of Las Vegas is now available for those who want to know more
about the people and events that shaped this unique city. It
is called The First 100 - Portraits of the Men and Women Who
Shaped Las Vegas. Written and edited by A.D. Hopkins and the
late K.J. Evans, this slick 272-page coffee-table format hardbound
book ($34.95), brings the reader/researcher from the city's earliest
days to modern times, through profiles of the men and women who
shaped its destiny.
Those living outside Nevada no
doubt will have a stronger interest in the builders, the movers
and shakers - those with money, power, imagination and leadership,
who propelled the city into national and international prominence.
Here you'll find fascinating information about Frank Sinatra
and his Rat Pack, who, in the 1960s gave the Sands Hotel and
Las Vegas a reputation for offering great entertainment and unpredictable
rowdy nights in the showrooms. Learn about the legendary exploits
of Lester Benny Binion, founder of the Horseshoe Club, who once
allowed bettors to put $777,000 on the dice table for one monumental
roll, and whose imagination and foresight brought the World Series
of Poker into the spotlight.
There's great background material
on men like Kirk Kerkorian, imaginative owner of the MGM Grand
in Las Vegas; Howard Hughes, whose moves in the 1970s, made it
respectable for corporations to begin owning hotels in Nevada
and elsewhere; and Bob Martin, the Brooklyn-born bookmaker who
revolutionized sports betting and who's intuitive linemaking
and odds-setting skills set new standards in the 1960s. Entertainers
Elvis Presley and Liberace made their marks here, and they too
are among the 100 listed. Casino owners William Bennett (Circus
Circus), Steve Wynn (Golden Nugget, Bellagio, Mirage) and Bob
Stupak (Stratosphere) earned their spots in Nevada gambling history
with their insight and imagination.
You'll also find: - Tony Cornero,
who pioneered in offshore gambling ships in the 30s and beyond
in California, and who later had a hand in building the original
Stardust hotel. - Benjamin Bugsy Siegel, who is perhaps over-credited
with building the original Flamingo Hotel in l946 and was assassinated
a year later. - Mo Dalitz, who despite a criminal background
in Cleveland, became a leading light in the city, and played
major roles in developing both the Desert Inn and the Stardust
hotels in later years.
This is a fine resource. It took
thousands of hours of research, including the interviews, for
this book to become a reality. It's for anyone who wants to know
more about Las Vegas, for those who plan to work here, relocate
here or understand the roots of big time casino gambling from
the 1930s to present day.
