With all of the excitement around the International Ombuds Association‘s annual conference and the work needing attention upon my return home, I haven’t yet had a chance to share some moderately exciting personal news. Well, I haven’t had the chance until now, so here goes. My book Boardwalk Playground: The Making, Remaking, and Unmaking of […]
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atlantic city, author, bookFor my last post of calendar 2023, I had planned on a retrospective of the year, looking at some of the issues brought to the Ombuds Office and discussing options for resolving them. Then December 6 happened. President Whitfield has called it an “unfathomable tragedy,” which is apt. Three members of our community–Dr. Jerry Cha-Jan
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author, From the Ombuds ArchiveI was recently interviewed by Authority Magazine for a topic that I have some experience with–public speaking. I don’t think I’ve ever done an interview quite this comprehensive, so it should be a good read. I’ve also got a fun video summarizing the main points. Be authentically interested. This works regardless of your initial confidence
NOV. 28, 2022 Lately, I have been speaking with many folks on campus about our culture and how to change it for the better. I alluded to this in my last post, which posited that the grass isn’t necessarily greener anywhere else. Wherever you might end up, you will likely face obstacles to your happiness. And here,
Changing Our Culture, One Step at a Time | From the Ombuds Read More »
authorNOV. 15, 2022 As part of my drive to be the best ombuds for UNLV that I can (and, I won’t deny it, because they are extremely interesting people), I’ve cultivated as many opportunities as I can to speak with ombuds at other colleges, laboratories, and universities. I’m writing about this today because I spent time
Is the Grass Really Greener? | From the Ombuds Read More »
author, From the Ombuds Archive, ombudsOCT. 31, 2022 Last week, the Ombuds Office released its third quarterly report, which contains a wealth of information about the work the office has been doing in recent months. The most basic question the report answers is, “Is the office getting used?” The response is a definitive “yes.” From July 1 to September 30, 2022,
Just Released! Ombuds Office 2022 Third Quarterly Report | From the Ombuds Read More »
author, From the Ombuds ArchiveI have a post up on From the Ombuds today about an ongoing professional development series that I am leading at UNLV: This fall, UNLV is offering a large number of professional development workshops for employees, and the Ombuds Office is happy to take part in the Human Resources Professional Development program (HRPD). Our six-part
The Working Better Together Series Is Happening This Fall | From the Ombuds Read More »
authorAUG. 11, 2022 I recently participated in a three-day virtual International Ombuds Association core course on effective communication. While I have many, many takeaways from it, there is one that I want to share right away: Marshall Goldsmith’s concept of feedforward. When workshop leader Vikram Kapoor introduced it to the group, I saw immediately the potential of feedforward
A New Way to Grow: Feedforward | New From the Ombuds Read More »
author, From the Ombuds ArchiveMAY. 10, 2022 It’s understandable. Maybe you started your new job with a feeling of hope, looking forward to making new friends. Maybe you thought your new boss was going to be better than your old one. Maybe you knew, for sure, your supervisor—who has had nothing but praise for you since you started—would be
When Should I See the Ombuds? (And Who Can Stop Me?) | From the Ombuds Read More »
author, From the Ombuds Archive, ombudsI’ve got a new article published with the Gaming Law Review called “Venomous in the Extreme: Understanding Frank Sinatra’s Acrimonious 1963 Exit from Nevada Gaming.” Here’s a peek: Today, there are few personalities more intimately connected with the classic era of Las Vegas casinos than Frank Sinatra. Indeed, the pre-corporate period (1940s to 1966) is
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authorI’m taking a quick break from promoting At the Sands to share some other exciting book news. My book Boardwalk Playground, which chronicles the history of Atlantic City in 100 short pieces, is now available in a multitude of ebook formats. You’ve got: Kindle Apple Books Barnes & Noble Kobo And, if you want to
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authorGood news! I’ve gotten the print proof of At the Sands, my forthcoming book. Here is a photo of the cover: And here is the title page: And here is a random page: I know that we shouldn’t judge books by their cover, but I’m happy with the overall look of At the Sands.
At the Sands on its way Read More »
author, bookMy latest talk with Craig Shacklett of URComped.com is up. In it we talk about the real impact of the Vegas Golden Knights on Las Vegas, Derek Stevens’ role in Downtown Las Vegas (and his support of the Knights) and the latest obstacles for aspiring slot YouTubers:
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authorIn memory of the 60th anniversary of perhaps the most famous failed mob hit in history, I wrote a blog piece for the Mob Museum: On May 2, 1957, Frank Costello thought he had problems, but he had no idea. He was appealing a five-year prison sentence for federal income tax evasion (for which he
The hit that could have sunk Las Vegas | The Mob Museum Read More »
authorTo commemorate the April 4, 1957 opening of the Tropicana, I wrote a guest blog post for the Mob Museum: It just so happened that Conquistador’s owner, “Dandy” Phil Kastel, had a long and fruitful partnership with Frank Costello, perhaps the nation’s most infamous gangster in the spring of 1957. For years, Kastel had run
Sixty years ago, the Tropicana opened under Mob’s hidden control | The Mob Museum Read More »
authorIn this week’s Green Felt Journal, I look at the resurgence of locals casinos in Las Vegas: Since the recession, the locals casino market has endured some tough times, but the 2015 numbers so far suggest those tough times might be over. In particular, North Las Vegas and Boulder Strip properties, after several rough years,
Locals Casinos Are Back in Business in Vegas Seven Read More »
authorI have the cover story in this week’s Vegas Seven. It’s a look at the final days of the Riviera: But the Riviera, unlike the Fontainebleau, won’t go down in Las Vegas history as a failure. It was, after all, a Strip hotel that kept its doors open for 60 years. And in Las Vegas, that’s
The Last Days of the Riviera | Vegas Seven Read More »
authorMy latest Green Felt Journal talks about the history behind the federal tax on sports betting: Like so much else in the history of Nevada gaming, the tax is linked to the Kefauver Committee, the early 1950s U.S. Senate body that investigated organized crime throughout America. Chaired by maverick Tennessee Democrat Estes Kefauver, the committee
Why Congress Should Repeal a Federal Tax on Sports Betting | Vegas Seven Read More »
authorFor those waiting to buy Grandissimo as an audiobook, you don’t have to wait any longer. Narrated by Eric Martin, the unabridged version of Grandissimo is now available as an 11.5 hour audiobook.
You can listen to a sample and buy it here:
I’d like to thank Eric for helping me realize my dream of offering Grandissimo as an audiobook, and to all of the friends and readers who have given me encouragement. I hope that you enjoy the audiobook.
Grandissimo Audiobook Now Available Read More »
authorForty-eight years ago today, Caesars Palace opened, and Las Vegas never was the same again.
August 5, 1966, was the start of the three-day celebration that introduced the world to Jay Sarno’s vision of Las Vegas. Though there were plenty of skeptics, the opening was a smash and the property never looked back.
Here’s Jay Sarno, in a photo taken the night Caesars opened.
And here’s Nate Jacobson, Jay’s partner and the president of Caesars Palace, with the guest of honor, Jimmy Hoffa.
If you’d like to learn more about that night (and the day that preceded it, here is an excerpt from Grandissimo detailing Jay’s life on August 5, 1966.
And if you like that, you might want to read a copy of the whole book.
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