Super Casino: Inside the New Las Vegas

by Pete Earley

In this lively and probing book, award-winning author Pete Earley traces the extraordinary evolution of Las Vegas -- from the gaudy Mecca of the Rat Pack era to one of the country's top family vacation spots. He revisits the city's checkered history of moguls, mobsters, and entertainers, reveals the real stories of well-known power brokers like Steve Wynn and legends like Howard Hughes and Bugsy Siegel, and offers a fascinating portrait of the life, death, and fantastic rebirth of the Las Vegas Strip. Earley also documents the gripping tale of the entrepreneurs behind the rise and fall and rise again of one of the largest gaming corporations in the nation, Circus Circus -- to which he was given unique access. In his trademark you-are-there style, he takes us behind the scenes to meet the blackjack dealers and hookers, the heavy hitters and bit players, the security officers, cabbies, and showgirls who are caught up in the mercurial pace that pulses at the heart of this astounding city.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, History, Sociology, Travel

522 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 1995

About the author

Pete Earley is a storyteller who has penned 13 books including the New York Times bestseller The Hot House and the 2007 Pulitzer Prize finalist Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness.
After a 14-year career in journalism, including six years at The Washington Post, Pete became a full-time author with a commitment to expose the stories that entertain and surprise.
His honest reporting and compelling writing helped him garner success as one of few authors with ”the power to introduce new ideas and give them currency,” according to Washingtonian magazine.
When Pete’s life was turned upside down by the events recounted in his book Crazy, he joined the National Alliance of Mental Illness to advocate for strong mental health reform on the public stage.

Reviews

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I'm a big fan of Vegas and I have been reading many Vegas books recently. This is about a 500-page book and I finished it in 5 days. Let it be known I'm a very slow reader so obviously this book is interesting, easy to read, and good!

I liked the book The Green Felt Jungle which i recently read a lot as it was written in the 60's and went over all the mob ties and how Vegas was built. Plus it was an expose on all the shady stuff. Super Casino really picks up right after that book and leaves out the history (which I already knew) and discusses what happened when the corporations took over and got ride of all the mobsters. The corporations put so much money into its remarkable and for a period of time they were extremely successful.

This book is extremely interesting and a definite page-turner. It jumps around from profiling Corporate CEO's, a hooker, a showgirl, casino security, and visitors. It does a great job to show both sides of the spectrum, the winners and the losers, and so on. The author obviously put his time in and it shows, there are some great stories in here and nothing is held back. What is great is that the author exposes everything for what it is without censoring the details. In doing so, a great book is created.

[Patrick Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was a fascinating read. It tells the story of the Circus Circus company from it's beginnings with Jay Sarno being removed from Caesar's Palace to the mid 1990s. The focus is on the development and inner workings of the Luxor resort. Highly recommended for those interested in reading about how modern day, corporate casinos work and how single-owner casino companies have grown into the behemoths we see today. Interviews with workers and patrons bring everything into perspective. I found it both engaging and enlightening in terms of what I saw going on in Las Vegas as an occasional visitor through the 1990s.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book club book that I worried was too dated to be interesting (2001). It was actually really good. There are a number of people/families in the book that I know personally and it was kind of weird to read about them and the parts they played in the making of the Strip way before I ever met them.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good. A bit dated

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-written, easy read. The only downside of this book is that the "new" Las Vegas it talks about is 15 years old now. This book must have been published in the late 90s because the Mirage is brand new and the Venetian wasn't built yet. I would have liked to know the continuing story of the Strip.
Despite that, this book was very interesting. Earley intersperses chapters about the rise of super casinos and the men behind them (Steve Wynn and the guys behind Circus! Circus!) with fascinating vignettes of the locals, prostitutes, bouncers, showgirls and compulsive gamblers that make Las Vegas the one-of-a-kind city that it is. Not exactly G-rated (how could any book about Sin City be?) but the adult material is handled well, and overall I enjoyed this book.

[Danm · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating read with an amazing pace. While there are plenty of facts about Vegas and its changing landscape (some people might like this aspect most), what stuck with me most were the personal relationships.

The relationship between one character and a prostitute goes well beyond what you might expect. While it's an interesting glimpse into a darker world, this relationship also reveals a lot about human nature.

I love Vegas, and I have read a lot of books about it. Despite that being the case, this is the most memorable Vegas book I have read, and I would highly recommend it to anyone -- even if you're not a fan of Sin City.

[Rae Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on the history of Vegas. However, what makes this one special is the second half. The author had unprecedented access to the staff and guests at the Luxor. The chapters tell their stories, weaving together locals, dealers, management, and prostitutes. While the stories mostly have a happy ending, there are parts that will pull at your heart strings and leave you wondering what happened to those people. If you're looking for a book which tells more of the human story of Las Vegas, give this one a go.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't particularly like Vegas, and I definitely don't gamble. But I heard this book was the most comprehensive tale on how Vegas became so decadent and disgusting, which seemed kinda interesting to me. You get the stories of people who own the casinos, work in them, and lose their paychecks there. I read this while at Grace's house and I think she was afraid I was priming myself for a job as a shark of some sort.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a revealing look at how Vegas turned into a land of corporate-owned mega resorts. I enjoyed reading it because I know several of the casino execs featured in it; however, I didn't particularly relish the emphasis on the sex industry. I thought it was unnecessary and not important to the history of the casinos. That said, the book still provided some insight that I haven't read anywhere else.

[Gonzaga Escauriaza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like very much the author, Pete Early, so i was pretty sure i will like the way he was going to present the story of the evolution of the Casinos in Las Vegas.

And he did not disappointed me.

One said that, i have to admit that sometimes he goes too deep in the analysis of the different deals among the big shots of the business.

Anyhow, a very enjoyable book that reeds very easy and gives you a good knowledge of what Las Vegas is about.

[Anjan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author shadowed management and was given an all access pass. No censorship of his work by management. Surprising amount of interesting detail regarding Casino Management. No expense reports, and a lot of backstabbing.

There is also a good amount of well narrated Vegas history in the book as well.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read many books about the evolution and growth of Las Vegas. This was my favorite...Covers the topic thouroughly...

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wanna know why Vegas is such a big fucking disappointment once you get there? Read this book.

[Karibos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Vegas and once again the author takes you through the lives of different people that live in Vegas, security guard, dancer, and an owner of a casino.

[Josh Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because it is informative and tells the story of Vegas since the days of the mega resorts and the competition that went into building them.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another look into the world of Las Vegas Casinos....a little bit more of a day to day look at what goes on ...still an interesting read...

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book includes both a concise history of modern Vegas and a lot of inside dope on how things work in a modern casino hotel--the latter of which was more enjoyable to me.

[Wes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fascinating read on the history of Vegas. Feels like just part of the story being told since Steve Wynn apparently wouldn't be interviewed. But still an entertaining read.

[Jill Short · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed
this book on Vegas. The real life accounts are both illuminating , outrageous and insightful to "Sin City".

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ironically this made me want to go back to Las Vegas.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Stayed at the Luxor!

[February Four · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely an informative read. Anyone interested in Las Vegas (fascinated by it) should try this book.

[Mike Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great account of a great entrepreneurial adventure.

[John MacCalman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Las Vegas and the Casino industry. This book has an incredible story to tell of how Circus Circus was the foundation of the Super Casinos of today and yet became the orphan child of the empire it spawned. It has not been updated but this is not a spoiler - Circus Circus is now free of the MGM Resorts group and is now under new ownership.
The book gives an insight to how the Mafia were removed from casino operation and by how appealing to "low rollers" Circus Circus became an amazing financial success. In fact it became the cash cow of the empire it gave birth to only to be isolated.
A fascinating read and a great source of material for my own autobiography.

[Garrett Cash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating journey into the heart of Las Vegas's corporate machine in the late 90's when the era of the super casino really began. The first half of the book is primarily a history of Circus Circus Enterprises and then it becomes a book of vignettes about every major player on the scene inside the Luxor. You meet everyone from the boss to the dealers to the hookers and security guards. The book suffers a bit from sameness and being a bit excessive at nearly 500 pages, but this has given me the best window into how a casino was run at this time in such a vital era that was arguably Vegas's second peak period.

[Ellison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in the year 2000 this examines the area from its earliest known history up to when real estate tycoons aspire to build the biggest locations on earth. Profiles of characters that built it from an adult retreat into the family vacation spot that it has become, a constant need for expansion. Steve Wynn and Donald Trump mentioned. B/W images, some swearing. Includes aside from local dealers, cheats, thieves, 'working girls', security, and more. Insightful.

[R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was surprisingly fascinating to learn about the transition from mob-ruled Vegas to corporate Vegas. The book’s structure keeps it fresh too, as sometimes there is too much about boardroom politics, but the book is cut with vignettes from dealers, security guards, et al. I didn’t realize what a big innovator Circus Circus was either. Good book.

[Leon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Earley is a good story teller and he did a lot or research. He had access to many of the movers and shakers in Vegas and it's really interesting to hear how Vegas and the Super Casinos came about. I recommend to anyone interested in the history of Las Vegas.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

It couldn't put the book down. Very good read.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is now quite a bit dated. Nevertheless, if you have an interest in Vegas history, and an interest in the behind the scenes of running a casino, it's worth the read.