The History Of Vegas

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A Short History of Las Vegas

Author : Barbara Land,Myrick Land
Publisher : University of Nevada Press
Page : 546 pages
File Size : 49,6 Mb
Release : 2004-03-01
Category : History
ISBN : 9780874176438

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A Short History of Las Vegas by Barbara Land,Myrick Land Pdf

Today’s Las Vegas welcomes 35 million visitors a year and reigns as the world’s premier gaming mecca. But it is much more than a gambling paradise. In A Short History of Las Vegas, Barbara and Myrick Land reveal a fascinating history beyond the mobsters, casinos, and showgirls. The authors present a complete story, beginning with southern Nevada’s indigenous peoples and the earliest explorers to the first pioneers to settle in the area; from the importance of the railroad and the construction of Hoover Dam to the arrival of the Mob after World War II; from the first isolated resorts to appear in the dusty desert to the upscale, extravagant theme resorts of today. Las Vegas—and its history—is full of surprises. The second edition of this lively history includes details of the latest developments and describes the growing anticipation surrounding the Las Vegas centennial celebration in 2005. New chapters focus on the recent implosions of famous old structures and the construction of glamorous new developments, headline-making mergers and multibillion-dollar deals involving famous Strip properties, and a concluding look at what life is like for the nearly two million residents who call Las Vegas home.

Las Vegas

Author : Eugene P. Moehring,Michael S. Green
Publisher : University of Nevada Press
Page : 377 pages
File Size : 45,5 Mb
Release : 2005-03-16
Category : History
ISBN : 9780874176476

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Las Vegas by Eugene P. Moehring,Michael S. Green Pdf

The meteoric rise of Las Vegas from a remote Mormon outpost to an international entertainment center was never a sure thing. In its first decades, the town languished, but when Nevada legalized casino gambling in 1931, Las Vegas met its destiny. This act—combined with the growing popularity of the automobile, cheap land and electricity, and changing national attitudes toward gambling—led to the fantastic casinos and opulent resorts that became the trademark industry of the city and created the ambiance that has made Las Vegas an icon of pleasure. This volume celebrates the city’s unparalleled growth, examining both the development of its gaming industry and the creation of an urban complex that over two million people proudly call home. Here are the colorful characters who shaped the city as well as the political, business, and civic decisions that influenced its growth. The story extends chronologically from the first Paiute people to the construction of the latest megaresorts, and geographically far beyond the original township to include the several municipalities that make up today’s vast metropolitan Las Vegas area.

Sun, Sin & Suburbia

Author : Geoff Schumacher
Publisher : Stephens Press, LLC
Page : 294 pages
File Size : 49,6 Mb
Release : 2004
Category : Las Vegas (Nev.)
ISBN : 1932173145

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Sun, Sin & Suburbia by Geoff Schumacher Pdf

People all over the globe know Las Vegas as gambling's Mecca, Sin City, the Entertainment Capital of the World, a resort destination that attracts more than 35 million visitors per year. But that's just one piece of the story of this fascinating metropolis of 1.5 million people - and counting. With more than 6,000 people rushing to the valley each month, Las Vegas responded to the influx with enthusiasm and a can-do attitude, all while coping with enormous economic, social and political challenges. This carefully documented history focuses on the most exciting and chaotic decade in Las Vegas history: the 1990s. Veteran journalist Geoff Schumacher captures the true essence of Las Vegas, seeing past the neon and discovering the multi-faceted communities beyond.

The Secret History of Las Vegas

Author : Chris Abani
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 336 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2014-01-07
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780698140189

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The Secret History of Las Vegas by Chris Abani Pdf

A gritty, riveting, and wholly original murder mystery from PEN/Hemingway Award-winning author and 2015 Edgar Awards winner Chris Abani Before he can retire, Las Vegas detective Salazar is determined to solve a recent spate of murders. When he encounters a pair of conjoined twins with a container of blood near their car, he’s sure he has apprehended the killers, and enlists the help of Dr. Sunil Singh, a South African transplant who specializes in the study of psychopaths. As Sunil tries to crack the twins, the implications of his research grow darker. Haunted by his betrayal of loved ones back home during apartheid, he seeks solace in the love of Asia, a prostitute with hopes of escaping that life. But Sunil’s own troubled past is fast on his heels in the form of a would-be assassin. Suspenseful through the last page, The Secret History of Las Vegas is Chris Abani’s most accomplished work to date, with his trademark visionary prose and a striking compassion for the inner lives of outsiders.

Las Vegas, 1905-1965

Author : Lynn M. Zook,Allen Sandquist,Carey Burke
Publisher : Arcadia Publishing
Page : 132 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 2009
Category : History
ISBN : 0738569690

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Las Vegas, 1905-1965 by Lynn M. Zook,Allen Sandquist,Carey Burke Pdf

Everyone thinks they know the story of Las Vegas: the showgirls, the gambling, the mob. But Las Vegas has always been much more. Families have lived here since its founding in 1905. After 1931, legalized gaming became the big tourist draw, and following World War II, the town began to market itself as "America's Playground." That is when the famed Las Vegas Strip came into its own and downtown was dubbed "Glitter Gulch." These vintage postcards show how Las Vegas evolved from a dusty railroad town into the "Entertainment Capital of the World," while remaining a city filled with families and pioneering souls.

The Strip

Author : Stefan Al
Publisher : MIT Press
Page : 267 pages
File Size : 41,7 Mb
Release : 2017-03-03
Category : Architecture
ISBN : 9780262035743

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The Strip by Stefan Al Pdf

The transformations of the Strip—from the fake Wild West to neon signs twenty stories high to “starchitecture”—and how they mirror America itself. The Las Vegas Strip has impersonated the Wild West, with saloon doors and wagon wheels; it has decked itself out in midcentury modern sleekness. It has illuminated itself with twenty-story-high neon signs, then junked them. After that came Disney-like theme parks featuring castles and pirates, followed by replicas of Venetian canals, New York skyscrapers, and the Eiffel Tower. (It might be noted that forty-two million people visited Las Vegas in 2015—ten million more than visited the real Paris.) More recently, the Strip decided to get classy, with casinos designed by famous architects and zillion-dollar collections of art. Las Vegas became the “implosion capital of the world” as developers, driven by competition, got rid of the old to make way for the new—offering a non-metaphorical definition of “creative destruction.” In The Strip, Stefan Al examines the many transformations of the Las Vegas Strip, arguing that they mirror transformations in America itself. The Strip is not, as popularly supposed, a display of architectural freaks but representative of architectural trends and a record of social, cultural, and economic change. Al tells two parallel stories. He describes the feverish competition of Las Vegas developers to build the snazziest, most tourist-grabbing casinos and resorts—with a cast of characters including the mobster Bugsy Siegel, the eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, and the would-be political kingmaker Sheldon Adelson. And he views the Strip in a larger social context, showing that it has not only reflected trends but also magnified them and sometimes even initiated them. Generously illustrated with stunning color images throughout, The Strip traces the many metamorphoses of a city that offers a vivid projection of the American dream.

History of Las Vegas

Author : Captivating History
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 44,8 Mb
Release : 2023-01-27
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 1637167768

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History of Las Vegas by Captivating History Pdf

A fantasy playground in an unforgiving desert. A town that refused to fail. A gambling mecca that never closes. Las Vegas. Sin City. Situated in a barren desert landscape, Las Vegas exists for one reason-water. Popular as a waystation for travelers, the Las Vegas Valley attracted the attention of railroad visionaries at the end of the 19th century. After purchasing land from a local widow, the developers laid out a town in 1905. Vegas hasn't slowed down since. Building on one opportunity after another, the citizens of that railroad town refused to entertain the notion that they could fail. Buoyed by the building of Boulder Dam (now Hoover Dam) during the Great Depression, Vegas played a major role in World War II. But the war years also put Las Vegas on the radar of organized crime as a wide-open town ripe for casinos that hid extensive money-laundering operations. Now a place for both families and high rollers, Las Vegas has no mercy when it comes to re-invention. In Sin City, the old constantly makes way for the new-and there's always something new on the horizon. This captivating guide tells the story of Las Vegas from prehistory to the empire building of developers. In these pages, you'll read about local legends and gain insight into the heart of a city created for practical reasons but built on outrageous whimsy and the guts to carve its own way to greatness. In this book, you will learn about the following: The prehistory of a valley once filled with marshy land and flowing rivers. The role pioneers, including Mormon missionaries, played in the development of the town. The adventures and influence of founding citizens like Charles "Pop" Squires and Helen J. Stewart. The significant role of Boulder Dam in insulating Vegas from the effects of the Great Depression. The effect of World War II in diversifying its population. The arrival of organized crime and the mob's role in inventing the modern casino industry. The part reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes played in driving the criminals out of town. The significance of Mormon money and political influence in reshaping the rules for casino ownership. The effect of atomic testing on the tourist industry. The advent of the megaresort. The tragedies that scarred the town. The entertainers who made Vegas their own. And so much more! Scroll up and click the "add to cart" button to learn more about the history of Las Vegas!

Roll the Bones

Author : David Schwartz
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 454 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2013-01-07
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 0615847781

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Roll the Bones by David Schwartz Pdf

Roll the Bones tells the story of gambling: where it came from, how it has changed, and where it is now. This is the new Casino Edition. which updates and expands the global history of gambling to include a greater focus on casinos, from their development in European spas to their growth in Reno and Las Vegas. New material chronicles in greater depth the development of casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip and their spread throughout the United States. A new chapter better places Atlantic City's casinos into their correct context, and new material accounts for the rise of casinos in Asia and online gaming. From the first modern casino in Venice (1638), casinos have grown incredibly. During the 18th and 19th century, a series of European spa towns, culminating in Monte Carlo, hosted casinos. In the United States, during those same years, gambling developed both in illegal urban gambling halls and in the wide-open saloons of the western frontier. Those two strands of American gambling came together in Nevada's legal casinos, whose current regime dates from 1931. Developing with a healthy assist from elements affiliated with organized crime, these casinos eventually outgrew their rough-hewn routes, becoming sun-drenched pleasure palaces along the Las Vegas Strip. With Nevada casinos proving successful, other states, beginning with New Jersey in 1976, rolled the dice. From there, casinos have come to America's tribal lands, rivers, and urban centers. In the last decade, gambling has moved online, while Asia--with multi-billion dollar projects in Macau and Singapore--has become a new casino frontier. Reading Roll the Bones, you'll get a better appreciation for how long casinos and gambling have been with us--and what they mean to us today.

When the Mob Ran Vegas: Stories of Money, Mayhem and Murder

Author : Steve Fischer
Publisher : Berkline Press
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 46,7 Mb
Release : 2022-03-30
Category : History
ISBN : 0977065847

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When the Mob Ran Vegas: Stories of Money, Mayhem and Murder by Steve Fischer Pdf

What is it about Las Vegas that captivates us? Is it how the skim worked at the Stardust and how millions of dollars walked out the door uncounted? Or what really happened when Frank Sinatra threw a chair at the casino boss of the Sands? Did you ever hear the story about how some very bad Vegas guys rigged the gin rummy games at the Friars Club and took a bunch of famous people to the cleaners? Howard Hughes had some weird notions about the Silver Slipper and put his money where his paranoia was. It's all Vegas, and it is fascinating history. Vegas in the '50s and '60s was indeed another world. Those were the days when small-time gamblers like me, in town with my wife for a weekend of shows and great food, could ride down the elevator at one of the Strip hotels with Lucille Ball, have an A table at the Versailles Room at the Riviera to see Rowan and Martin, with Edie Adams opening, and laugh until it hurt when Buddy Hackett played the old Congo Room at the Sahara. Behind the scenes, the Mob ran Vegas in those days. And stories abound. Through years of study and interviews and just talking to people from all strata of Las Vegas comes this book, a glimpse into the money, mayhem, and murders of early Vegas.

Vegas and the Mob

Author : Al W Moe
Publisher : Al W Moe
Page : 187 pages
File Size : 55,5 Mb
Release : 2017-02-16
Category : History
ISBN : 9781483955551

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Vegas and the Mob by Al W Moe Pdf

Las Vegas was the Mob's greatest venture and most spectacular success, and through 40 years of frenzy, murder, deceit, scams, and skimming, the FBI listened on phone taps and did virtually nothing to stop the fun. This is the truth about the Mob's control of the casinos in Vegas like you've never heard it before, from start to finish. Two of the nation's most powerful crime family bosses went to prison in the 1930's: Al Capone and Lucky Luciano. Frank Nitti took over the Chicago Outfit, while Frank Costello ran things for the Luciano Family. Both men were influenced by their bosses from prison, and both sent enough gangsters into the streets to influence loan sharking, extortion, union control, and drug sales. Bugsy Siegel worked for both groups, handling a string of murders and opening up gaming on the west coast, and that included Las Vegas, an oasis of sin in the middle of the desert - and it was legal. Most of it. The FBI watched as the Mob took control of casino after casino, killed off the competition, and stole enough money to bribe their way to respectability back home. By the 1950's, nearly every major crime family had a stake in a Las Vegas casino. Some did better than others. Casino owners watched-over their profits while competing crime families eyed each other's success like jealous lovers. Murder often followed.

Elvis in Vegas

Author : Richard Zoglin
Publisher : Simon & Schuster
Page : 304 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2020-11-10
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9781501151200

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Elvis in Vegas by Richard Zoglin Pdf

“Outstanding pop-culture history.” —Newsday The “smart and zippy account” (The Wall Street Journal) of how Las Vegas saved Elvis and Elvis saved Las Vegas in the greatest musical comeback of all time. Elvis’s 1969 opening night in Vegas was his first time back on a live stage in more than eight years. His career had gone sour—bad movies, mediocre pop songs that no longer made the charts—and he’d been dismissed by most critics as over-the-hill. But in Vegas he played the biggest showroom in the biggest hotel in the city, drawing more people for his four-week engagement than any other show in Vegas history. His performance got rave reviews; “Suspicious Minds,” the song he introduced there, gave him his first number-one hit in seven years; and Elvis became Vegas’s biggest star. Over the next seven years, he performed more than 600 shows there, and sold out every one. Las Vegas was changed, too. By the end of the ‘60s, Vegas’ golden age—when the Rat Pack led a glittering array of stars who made it the nation’s premier live-entertainment center—was losing its luster. Elvis created a new kind of Vegas show: an over-the-top, rock-concert extravaganza. He set a new bar for Vegas performers, with the biggest salary, the biggest musical production, and the biggest promotion campaign the city had ever seen. He opened the door to a new generation of pop/rock artists and brought a new audience to Vegas—not the traditional well-heeled older gamblers, but a mass audience from Middle America that Vegas depends on for its success to this day. At once “a fascinating history of Vegas as gambling capital, celebrity playground, mob hangout, [and] entertainment Valhalla” (Rolling Stone) and the incredible “tale of how the King got his groove back” (Associated Press), Elvis in Vegas is a classic feel-good story for the ages.

The Battle for Las Vegas

Author : Dennis N. Griffin
Publisher : Huntington Press Inc
Page : 260 pages
File Size : 40,5 Mb
Release : 2006-04-25
Category : True Crime
ISBN : 9780929712376

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The Battle for Las Vegas by Dennis N. Griffin Pdf

From the 1970s through the mid-1980s, the Chicago Outfit dominated organized crime in Las Vegas. To ensure the smooth flow of cash, the gangsters installed a front man with no criminal background, Allen R. Glick, as the casino owner of record, Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal as the real boss of casino operations, and Tony Spilotro as the ultimate enforcer, who’d do whatever it took to protect their interests. It wasn’t long before Spilotro, also in charge of Vegas street crime, was known as the “King of the Strip.” Federal and local law enforcement, recognizing the need to rid the casinos of the mob and shut down Spilotro’s rackets, declared war on organized crime. The Battle for Las Vegas relates the story of the fight between the tough guys on both sides, told in large part by the agents and detectives who knew they had to win.

Cult Vegas

Author : Mike Weatherford
Publisher : Huntington Press Inc
Page : 264 pages
File Size : 45,9 Mb
Release : 2001
Category : History
ISBN : 9780929712710

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Cult Vegas by Mike Weatherford Pdf

Mike Weatherford resurrects the mystique of Vegas's Golden Age--the '60s of history and legend--bringing the hipster legacy to new Vegasphiles. Meet '50s and '60s lounge greats the Treniers, the Mary Kaye Trio, and Louis Prima and Keely Smith; comedy legends Joe E. Lewis, Shecky Greene, and Don Rickles; and Vegas babes Vampira, Lili St. Cyr, Ann-Margret, and Tempest Storm. Weatherford also covers nearly every offbeat movie ever made about Las Vegas, as well as Elvis and Frank's impact on the town. This gorgeous entertainment retrospective is packed with showroom esoterica, descriptions of near-forgotten corners of Vegas cult musicology, odd trivia, and unsung heroes of a bygone era. Cult Vegas chronicles the major moments--the camp, the extreme, the awful--in short, the magic of Las Vegas' half-century run as an entertainment mecca.

The Peoples Of Las Vegas

Author : Jerry L Simich,Thomas C. Wright
Publisher : University of Nevada Press
Page : 346 pages
File Size : 49,9 Mb
Release : 2005-03-07
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780874176513

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The Peoples Of Las Vegas by Jerry L Simich,Thomas C. Wright Pdf

Beneath the glitzy surface of the resorts and the seemingly cookie-cutter suburban sprawl of Las Vegas lies a vibrant and diverse ethnic life. People of varied origins make up the population of nearly two million and yet, until now, little mention of the city has been made in studies and discussion of ethnicity or immigration. The Peoples of Las Vegas: One City, Many Faces fills this void by presenting the work of seventeen scholars of history, political science, sociology, anthropology, law, urban studies, cultural studies, literature, social work, and ethnic studies to provide profiles of thirteen of the city’s many ethnic groups. The book’s introduction and opening chapters explore the historical and demographic context of these groups, as well as analyze the economic and social conditions that make Las Vegas so attractive to recent immigrants. Each group is the subject of the subsequent chapters, outlining migration motivations and processes, economic pursuits, cultural institutions and means of transmitting culture, involvement in the broader community, ties to homelands, and recent demographic trends.

The Illustrated History of Las Vegas

Author : Bill Yenne
Publisher : Booksales
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 44,8 Mb
Release : 1997-09
Category : Las Vegas (Nev.)
ISBN : 0785808310

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The Illustrated History of Las Vegas by Bill Yenne Pdf

From the original gambling halls of yesteryear to the newest hotel on the block. this comprehensive history of Las Vegas features full-color photos of "Grifter Gultch" and the "The Strip." Tells you everything but how to leave the town a winner.