Computer Times
Editor's Choice Book
The Battle for Las Vegas
Reviewed by Terrance Kibiloski
The Battle for Las Vegas: The Law vs. The Mob, by Dennis N. Griffin (Retail $14.95; ISBN 0-929712-37-4), from Huntington Press Publishing, is a great read and a fascinating walk through the history of Las Vegas as you have never seen it before. Forget the glitzy lights and action on the casino floors; the real action was happening behind the scenes, in the penthouses, the offices, the police departments, the bars, and the homes, in Chicago, in Cleveland, in Kansas City, and Las Vegas. While you may be familiar with some of the players like Bugsy Siegel, Lucky Luciano, and Jimmy Hoffa, you will also meet Moe Dalitz, Tony Accardo, Joe Aiuppa, Lefty Rosenthal, Anthony Spilotro, and many others who fought the battles behind the glitz. This was during the time when the customer was king, long before the corporations came in to make it a family entertainment and convention center. This was the time when Vegas was truly Sin City.
If you gambled in Vegas in the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, you witnessed the growth of the city, from gambling and prostitution to gaming and hostesses. You may remember the free shrimp cocktails with shrimp bigger than your middle finger, and the free, or extremely cheap, flights, food, rooms, and money to get you started on the casino floor. While the mob ran Vegas, gamblers could count on being pampered and provided every luxury in the world as they were treated like Kings and Queens, knowing full well the mob always had the Ace in the hole. But, it was fun and it made you feel a little bit wicked and sinful, like you were getting away with something, even though you left most of your money in Vegas, well, most of the time. There was always that chance of hitting it big or bumping into the likes of Liberace, Sinatra, or Elvis, or any number of stars who played on the same casino floor as you. You were always treated like a part of the family, while the real "family" did the dirty work behind the scenes.
The Battle for Las Vegas is a history of this dirty work, like the work of the servants and staff behind the scenes of a wealthy estate, but slightly different. In this case, the servants and staff are busy stacking the deck to become richer than the guests they are serving. Griffin's well-researched book is so packed with incredible detail and quotes that you feel like you were there while the battle was taking place. While I have read many books on Las Vegas, this is the first one that made me feel like an eyewitness to the battle between the mobsters, who rolled out the red carpet for the guests, and the lawmen, who brought the mobsters down on the carpet.
Having gambled in Vegas since the 60s, I was extremely pleased to see the many photos in this book of people I felt I remembered seeing in the casinos. Now, with Griffin's excellent story-telling style of exposing the hits, the bluffs, the threats, and the real off-the-casino-floor gambling with money and lives, I have a much different view of the history of Vegas. Much like the person who went to a family reunion and finally heard the real stories of Uncle Tony, Uncle Moe, and Aunt Bertha. I feel more connected to the family who gave me so many pleasures while hiding the family secrets of the real price paid for all the luxury. This book is a great read and the closest to a sure thing that you will ever find in Las Vegas. It is sure to bring you many hours of reading pleasure and a better appreciation of the battle for Las Vegas. For more information, simply click on the image of this book below.
