I have started writing for CompedTravel.com. Here is my first contribution. Closing a casino, even a small one, isn’t as simple as turning off the lights and locking the doors. Ditto for hotels and cruise ships. While, for security reasons, representatives of casino and cruise operators don’t like to comment on the record about their …
Sin City: How to Shut Down a City That Never Closes – Comped Travel Read More »
I’m getting back into short-form writing! Here’s a quick commentary I wrote about the nature of change in the casino business for CDC Gaming Reports: There has been a great deal of change in the news lately for the gaming world. After more than a decade as head of MGM Resorts, Jim Murren is stepping …
Why change in the gaming industry should never surprise anyone – CDC Gaming Reports Read More »
Before you know it, I’ll be interviewing a Las Vegas musical legend in the Paul Blau Theater at the Clark County Library: In this conversation facilitated by UNLV gaming historian and author David G. Schwartz, former Musicians Union President and legendary pianist/director/conductor Frank Leone will talk about his experiences in Las Vegas entertainment over the …
Upcoming Event – An Evening with Frank Leone at the Clark County Library Read More »
I’ve just had an essay published in which I consider the role of gambling in America. Pretty big topic, and this is certainly not the last word, but it’s the best that I’ve been able to come up with: Today legal gambling in the United States is widely accepted and more prevalent than ever. But …
The Consumer Age Turned Americans Into Gamblers | Essay | Zócalo Public Square Read More »
When I write a book, one of my greatest satisfactions is finishing a chapter. It brings a remarkable feeling of accomplishment. A few days or weeks ago, I started writing with a vague outline of what I wanted to say, and now, my words are on paper and I’ve told the story I want to …
I have a feature piece in this month’s Desert Companion looking at the impact of the 1989 opening of The Mirage: Wynn’s design team found their endurance pushed to the limit in keeping up with his constantly evolving vision of what the resort would be (iconic elements like the exploding Strip-side volcano were relatively late …
I have some exciting news to share. I am deep into my next book project, which is a history of the Sands hotel and casino in Las Vegas. The first chapter is done, and I’m making great progress on the second. The book will tell the story of the Sands, from before its 1952 opening …
My latest Forbes post looks at why the influence of Bill Harrah might be making a comeback: William Fisk Harrah came into the gambling business in 1933. Having left UCLA before completing an engineering degree, he bought a bingo operation his father had been running in Venice Beach. Harrah the younger already had firm ideas …
The Casino Pioneer Poised For A Comeback In Las Vegas And Beyond Read More »
This Forbes post explores the significance of 2018 for casinos in Las Vegas and elsewhere: There are certain years that, at the end of which, the world moves closer to the future than the past, years that mark major shifts in how we see the world, or a small part of it. It’s possible that …
How 2018 Will Define The Future Of Las Vegas Casinos | Forbes Read More »
This Forbes piece looks at one of the most unique shows in Las Vegas: A stage musical of mob history? Surely, you think, this is just another piece of inauthentic Vegas kitsch, a knockoff of a knockoff of the real thing. It’s got to be the mafia equivalent of what Zombie Burlesque is to post-apocalyptic …
In Las Vegas, One Of The Mob’s Biggest Money Earners Tells All | Forbes Read More »