Podcast appearances and mentions of David G Schwartz

This week, Ira spoke with David G. Schwartz, author of "Something For Your Money, A History of Las Vegas Casinos." In this episode of “Talk About Las Vegas With Ira,” David talks about how his background writing about Las Vegas, casinos, and gambling brought him to this current book; how the title ("Something For Your Money…") came to be; the most surprising thing he discovered; how one consistent theme was that marketing, promotion and PR grew the town; how innovation and not being sentimental about things also expanded Las Vegas; why gambling kickstarted the development of Las Ve-gas as a tourist area; what casino affected him emotionally when writing about it; and which casino was the first to be globally identifiable. (Also Watch Full Podcast Video)

This time around on Vegas Book Club, we're heading back to Episode #78 of the podcast and my conversation with David G. Schwartz, UNLV Professor, Las Vegas Historian, and author of the book At The Sands. December 15, 1952 saw the opening of one of the most iconic hotels in the history of Las Vegas - The Sands Hotel & Casino. During its heyday, it hosted some of the biggest names in entertainment, most notably the legendary Rat Pack featuring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.  And although that might be what The Sands is best known for, there's way more to story than that. David and I talked about what inspired him to cover the history of The Sands, how "mobbed up" the hotel was, Frank Sinatra's involvement the ownership of the property, and what led to the eventual downfall of The Sands (both figuratively and literally). Get your copy of At The Sands by David G. Schwartz from your favorite online bookseller. __________________________________________________________________________ Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas! Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas __________________________________________________________________________ Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate!  Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Frank starts the show by talking about the GOP Texas speaker who is facing resignation calls after appearing intoxicated while presiding over the chamber and then speaks to  Barbara Feldon, legendary actress, best known for her role as Agent 99 on “Get Smart” and an author, whose latest book is “Getting Smarter: A Memoir" about her life, career and book. After, Frank talks about getting scammed and the 66 year old white man that was killed by two black men in Louisiana for being white. Next, Frank defies the odds with Dr. David G. Schwartz, gaming historian, faculty member at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and an author of several books including “Boardwalk Playground: The Making, Unmaking & Remaking of Atlantic City” for the AC Report. Later, Frank talks about Ron DeSantis launching his 2024 presidential campaign and is joined by Brian Kilmeade, New York Times best-selling author, co-host of Fox and Friends on Fox News and a radio talk show host heard every morning from 10am-Noon on 77WABC about the news of the day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Frank Morano defies the odds with Dr. David G. Schwartz, gaming historian, faculty member at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and an author of several books including “Boardwalk Playground: The Making, Unmaking & Remaking of Atlantic City” for the AC Report.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosts Keith and Renee speak with Dr. David G. Schwartz, Faculty member, and campus Ombuds. David gives Keith and Renee some tips on conflict resolution, along with aligning interests and informal problem solving. The Ombuds office is a great resource for UNLV staff to seek out confidential help to any conflicts they might be having at work. David emphasizes the importance of the 4 ethical principles of the ombuds, as well as the importance of tackling the small issues before they become big issues. The group even provides some insightful gambling tips! Tune in for another insightful discussion.

"The only constant in life is change" - Heraclitus There's nowhere else in the world where that statement is more accurate than Las Vegas. It's constantly evolving, always trying to find new ways to bring new people - and revenue - to the city.  And from the late 1980's through to the early 2000's, Las Vegas made the conscious decision to cater to a group of travellers whom they'd never attempted to attract before: Families. From castle-shaped hotels, to pirate battles in the desert, to full-blown amusement parks, Las Vegas made no secrets about who they wanted to come to the city during that time in history.  But where did it all start?  And how did it end up? My guest for this episode of the podcast is UNLV professor and Las Vegas historian, David G. Schwartz.  David & I discussed some of Las Vegas's early attempts at being family-friendly, what led to the push to try to attract families to the city, and the eventual shift away from that strategy. Want to learn more about Las Vegas's family-friendly era of the 1990's?  Visit these links: - "Family Friendly Las Vegas: An Analysis of Space and Time" - Diana Tracy Cohn - "Column One: Las Vegas Gambles on Families" - LA Times (Sept 23, 1994) - "The Sun's List Of Shuttered Family Friendly Vegas Attractions" - Las Vegas Sun (Feb 23, 2012) - "Family Friendly Las Vegas of the 90's" Panel Discussion (Video) - The Neon Museum (2016) And as discussed, check out the "Treasure Island: The Adventure Begins" TV special that ran on NBC-TV in 1994 to promote the opening of the Treasure Island Resort. __________________________________________________________________________ Don't forget: Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate!  Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!  

Our guest this week is David Schwartz, on to talk about his new book, "At The Sands."We welcome your questions - send them to us at gamblingwithanedge@gmail.com, or you can find me at @RWM21 on Twitter or https://www.facebook.com/GamblingWithAnEdge.podcastClick to listen - Alt click to downloadShow Notes[00:00] Introduction of Dr. David G. Schwartz, author of At The Sands, gaming historian, and professor at UNLV[00:46] Why write about The Sands[01:12] Would it be easier to write another book about the same era in Las Vegas?[02:48] Mob affiliations with The Sands[03:29] Jack Entratter[06:49] Marker issuance and collection[12:05] The Sands becomes high-rise[13:25] Frank Sinatra[16:04] Origins of the Rat Pack monicker[19:11] Sinatra becomes more difficult[23:39] Confrontation between Frank Sinatra and Carl Cohen[25:33] De Facto segregation in Las Vegas [29:14] Sinatra's role in desegregation [32:36] South Point Casino December Promotions - Pay Less with your Points 12/14-12/30[33:57] Predictit.org/promo/edge - place small bets on various political events, $20 deposit match for GWAE listeners[34:40] BlackjackApprenticeship.com - card counting training website and community[35:14] VideoPoker.com/gwae - Gold Membership offers correction on most games[36:54] Robert Kennedy and other federal officials become interested in Las Vegas[39:00] The Green Felt Jungle by Ed Reid and Ovid Demaris[39:42] The mob lingers after a crackdown[42:52] Howard Hughes and The Sands[44:35] Sheldon Adelson and The Sands[47:37] The Sands ages and becomes less elegant[48:50] The Copa closes[50:20] The legacy of The Sands[51:24] Recommended: Gamblers podcast by David Hill at The Ringer, We are The Champions on NetflixSponsored Links:SouthPointCasino.comPredictit.org/promo/edgeBlackjackApprenticeship.com VideoPoker.com/gwaeBooks Referenced:At The Sands by David G. Schwartz https://amzn.to/3g0MA3kGrandissmo: The First Emperor of Las Vegas by David G. Schwartz https://amzn.to/33F7jopThe Green Felt Jungle by Ed Reid and Ovid Demaris https://amzn.to/2VsnrVJThe Vapors by David Hill https://amzn.to/2KWD59TDr. Schwartz' Previous Episodes:Lasvegasadvisor.com/gambling-with-an-edge/gambling-edge-week-3/Lasvegasadvisor.com/gambling-with-an-edge/gambling-with-edge-guest-david-schwartz/Recommended:Theringer.com/2020/11/11/21559016/introducing-gamblersNetflix.com/title/81034679

David G. Schwartz, the Director of the Center for Gaming Research and instructor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, about Las Vegas, the gaming industry in general, and his new book At The Sands, which focuses on the history of the Sands casino resort. It's a blast of a history lesson where The Mob and Sinatra took center stage.

David G. Schwartz, the Director of the Center for Gaming Research and instructor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, about Las Vegas, the gaming industry in general, and his new book At The Sands, which focuses on the history of the Sands casino resort. It's a blast of a history lesson where The Mob and Sinatra took center stage.

This week, relive the glory days of "The Rat Pack" with gaming-historian and UNLV professor David G. Schwartz author of "At the Sands: The Casino That Shaped Classic Las Vegas, Brought the Rat Pack... Experience the excitement and energy of Las Vegas each weekend on VEGAS NEVER SLEEPS with Steven Maggi.

[audio mp3=“https://media.talkaboutlasvegas.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/03125230/David_Schwartz_100520.mp3"][/audio] This week, Ira spoke with David G. Schwartz, author of “At the Sands: The Casino That Shaped Classic Las Vegas, Brought the Rat Pack Together, and Went Out With a Bang.” In this 30-minute episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Schwartz talks about the impact of the Sands on past and present Las Vegas; its mob connection; the unique nature of its entertainment and showroom; some of the key people who controlled the resort and its operations; and why it was instrumental in promoting Las Vegas as well as itself.

This week, Ira spoke with David Schwartz. David G. Schwartz is a writer, historian and Director of the Center for Gaming Research at UNLV. He also is a Forbes contributor who recently wrote a column on Circus Circus celebrating its 50th anniversary and what he calls “its long, surprising, and sometimes sordid history.” In this […]

Dr. David Schwartz Interviews *From His Bio* Dr. David G. Schwartz directs the Center for Gaming Research and teaches history at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, writes articles and books, and only occasionally pines for his days working as Mr. Peanut on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. His research interests include gambling and casinos, Las […]

On episode 45 of the Atlantic City and Casino Biz Podcast, we welcome Dr. David G. Schwartz back to the show to discuss Hard Rock International’s purchase of Trump Taj... Read more »

On episode 45 of the Atlantic City and Casino Biz Podcast, we welcome Dr. David G. Schwartz back to the show to discuss Hard Rock International’s purchase of Trump Taj... Read more »

In episode 26 of the Atlantic City and Casino Biz Podcast, we welcome special guest Dr. David G. Schwartz to discuss the Trump Taj Mahal closing as well as AC... Read more »

In episode 26 of the Atlantic City and Casino Biz Podcast, we welcome special guest Dr. David G. Schwartz to discuss the Trump Taj Mahal closing as well as AC... Read more »

In this Food Non-Fiction podcast episode, we tell the story of how Las Vegas became a destination market for gambling, how the nature of destination markets created competition amongst the many casinos, how casino food amenities were used as a competitive tool, and how casino restaurants have changed over time from buffet to gourmet. In October of 1929, the stock market crashed. October 29th was the worst day of this crash. It was named “Black Tuesday”. On Black Tuesday, over 16 million shares were traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Billions of dollars were lost and the economy was on a downward spiral into the Great Depression of the 1930’s. So, in 1931, Phil Tobin, a 29 year old freshman member of the legislative assembly introduced a bill to legalize gambling in Nevada. He wasn’t a gambler himself, in fact, he was a cowboy, but he knew that legalizing gambling would bring the state of Nevada some much-needed revenue. The revenue would come from gaming taxes. At this time, in 1931, the Hoover Dam was scheduled for construction. It was built between 1931 and 1936. This meant that thousands of workers would be coming to Nevada. And these would be federal workers, so it was likely that a lof of the illegal casinos would be shut down. So instead, of having the casinos shut down when the workers came, legalizing casinos would bring in a ton of tax revenues. Phil Tobin’s bill made financial sense. So, on March 19 of 1931, the Governor signed Assembly Bill 98 into law. Assembly Bill 98 legalized the following games: Faro Monte Roulette Keno Fan-Tan Twenty-One Blackjack Seven-and-a-half Big Injun Craps Klondyke Stud Poker Draw Poker Slots The bill is also known as the “Wide Open Gambling Bill”. After World War II, there were strict gambling laws in most states, so Nevada really became the center of gambling in the U.S. - especially, of course, in the Las Vegas strip - which is, by-the-way, located south of the actual city of Las Vegas. The Las Vegas strip was, and still is, a destination market. People travel there specifically to experience the gambling and entertainment. Destination markets offer a lot of the same thing. For example, you go to Hawaii to surf so there are a lot of surfing schools and they need to compete. Same thing with going to Las Vegas to gamble - there are so many places you can gamble that these places need to compete for your dollars. So casinos, over time,  have offered more and more amenities. Casino resorts started popping up in the 1940’s. You could go to a casino resort, and not only gamble, but have your hotel, live shows and food, all in one place. Casino restaurants were designed to bring people to the casinos. The strategy back in the middle of the 20th century was to offer cheap food, sometimes even free food. The logic was that if you could offer great price value for food at your casino, then people might choose to come to your casino, rather than go to a standalone restaurant or another casino. So casino restaurants used to operate as what is called “loss leaders” - casino restaurants would lose a little money, but then gain that money back and more when customers played the gambling games. There are 2 ways that having a restaurant at a casino can increase revenue. One - is that the restaurant draws in more players Two - is that it gets each player to spend more while they’re at the casino. The Vegas strip is the ULTIMATE gambling destination, but the relationship between casino restaurants and gambling spending is different in Vegas. Certainly, your average Vegas casino restaurant is not operating at a loss anymore. This shift in Las Vegas from the days of cheap casino buffets, designed for the convenience of gambling clients, to high end, big profit restaurants has been gradual. Thank you to our interview guests: Dr. Sarah Tanford Dr. David G. Schwartz Thanks to the Looperman Artist for the Music: Chillwave bass and synth by djpuzzle

David G. Schwartz is not just a PhD but also the Director, Center for Gaming Research, at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, an amazing historian as well as the author of several books including Roll The Bones, which is a history of gambling since the dawn of time and his newest, Grandissimo: The First Emperor of Las Vegas, the story of Caesars Palace developer Jay Sarno. Glenn and David speak about how a nice guy from Jersey winds up with a job like this, some history highlights of Las Vegas such as the life of the aforementioned Jay Sarno, the current state of Las Vegas, the explosive growth of the downtown revolution, and most important what is in store for the future of Sin City. They even chat about the downturn in Atlantic City and the global gaming scene. This is a fun filled way to kick off your New Year the right way.

I first got interested in gambling as a kid growing up in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the 1970s. Some of my earliest memories are of the classic hotels of the city being imploded to make way for modern casinos with hotel towers that had none of the charm of the original. Despite this early evidence of that, perhaps, history might not have the strongest hold over people, I decided to major in it as an undergrad, along with anthropology. When it came time to go to grad school, I chose history over anthropology, though I can't recall as I'm writing this exactly why I made that decision. In grad school I was preparing myself for a career as a college history professor when a small exercise called the dissertation stepped in my way. I would have to choose something to write a book-length historical study on, and it had to be something that would contribute in some way to the literature. That's when I remembered the questions I'd had about casinos as a kid: Why did they need to blow up those beautiful old buildings to build new ones that didn't look nearly as nice? If they just wanted to gamble, why didn't they just let people gamble wherever they wanted? With a few questions like that, I was on my way to writing a dissertation that got me researching casinos. From there, I haven't looked back, except for the year that I spent after I got my degree working in casino surveillance in Atlantic City's Trump Taj Mahal casino. I'd worked at the Taj earlier in security,and spending some time in surveillance gave me an appreciation for just how complex casinos are, and it kindled an interest in a whole other set of questions. Since arriving at UNLV back in 2001, I've been running the Center for Gaming Research, which has let me look at some very interesting areas of gambling and Las Vegas history. My website has a ton of info about my writing, professional, and creative work. So feel free to check it out at www.dgschwartz.com.Jay Sarno built two path-breaking Las Vegas casinos, Caesars Palace (1966) and Circus Circus (1968), and planned but did not build a third, the Grandissimo, which would have started the mega-resort era a decade before Steve Wynn built The Mirage. As mobsters and accountants battled for the soul of the last American frontier town, Las Vegas had endless possibilities--if you didn't mind high stakes and stiff odds. Sarno invented the modern Las Vegas casino, but he was part of a dying breed--a back-pocket entrepreneur who'd parlayed a jones for action and a few Teamster loans into a life as a Vegas casino owner. For all of his accomplishments, his empire didn't last. Sarno sold out of Caesars Palace shortly after it opened--partially to get away from the bookies and gangsters who'd taken over the casino--and he was forced to relinquish control of Circus Circus when the federal government indicted him on charges of offering the largest bribe in IRS history--a bribe he freely admitted paying, on the advice of his attorney, Oscar Goodman. Though he ultimately walked out of court a free man, he never got Circus back. And though he guessed the formula that would open up Las Vegas to millions in the 1990s with the design of the Grandissimo, but he wasn't able to secure the financing for the casino, and when he died in 1984, it remained only a frustrating dream. Sarno's casinos--and his ideas about how to build casinos--created the template for Las Vegas today. Before him, Las Vegas meant dealers in string ties and bland, functional architecture. He taught the city how to dress up its hotels in fantasy, putting toga dresses on cocktail waitresses and making sure that even the stationery carried through with the theme. He saw Las Vegas as a place where ordinary people could leave their ordinary lives and have extraordinary adventures. And that remains the template for Las Vegas today. Grandissimo is the story of how Jay Sarno won and lost his casino empire, inventing modern Las Vegas along the way.In Grandissimo, you'll learn Jay's fascinating story, and also plenty of things you never knew about Las Vegas, including:the true story about how Jimmy Hoffa's Teamsters Union first started funding Sarno projectshow Steve Wynn ended up answering the telephone in Hoffa's suite on the second day Caesars Palace was openhow Sarno, represented by Oscar Goodman, beat a seemingly-airtight case against him when he was accused of offering the largest bribe in IRS history to an undercover agent how Sarno's unbuilt Grandissimo became the template for the 1990s "mega-resort" era in Las VegasFrom start to finish, it's the story of the man who inspired modern Las Vegas.

David G. Schwartz, the Director of the Center, has been at the University of Nevada Las Vegas since 2001.  As Director of the Center for Gaming Research, he oversees the acquisition of new materials for the Center and seeks to encourage its utilization by scholarly, media, government, and industrial researchers. He also created and maintains this website, gaming.unlv.edu. Complementing his work at UNLV, Schwartz is a writer, and consultant on gaming and related issues. He has consulted with law firms for prior art in gaming patent cases, delivered expert witness testimony about casino history, and helped casinos research and share their own company histories. As a speaker, he talks to a variety of audiences, from visiting classes to convention groups, who enjoy his wide-ranging, fast-paced introduction to casino topics, including his "Seven Things You Should Know About Casinos" presentation. Born and raised in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Schwartz earned his bachelor's degree (a double major in anthropology and history) as well as his master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania before seeking his doctorate in US History from UCLA. He became the youngest Ph.D. in recent memory from UCLA's history department, filing his dissertation and receiving his Ph.D. at the age of 26 in early 2000. His dissertation, Suburban Xanadu,charted the evolution of the casino industry on the Las Vegas Strip from 1945-1978. It is now a published book, the first of three currently available.  After completing his graduate studies, Schwartz worked in the surveillance department of an Atlantic City casino resort and taught casino history, communications, and hospitality courses as an adjunct professor, before coming to UNLV. In his current work, he combines his "real world" experience in the casino industry with his academic expertise.  For more information about Dr. Schwartz's creative and professional activities, including his speaking, executive seminars, and consulting work., visit his website: http://www.dieiscast.com.  Schwartz has written three books and numerous articles. His books include Suburban Xanadu: The Casino Resort on the Las Vegas Strip and Beyond, Cutting the Wire: Gaming Prohibition and the Internet, and Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling.  Suburban Xanadu is a look at how casinos began and developed on the Las Vegas Strip in the years after World War II, and how they changed late 20th century ideas of gambling.  Cutting the Wire looks at how the Wire Act, the culimation of a half-century's effort to contain interstate bookmaking, ended up being used to prosecute legal online sports books in the early years of the Internet.  Roll the Bones is a comprehensive history of gambling, from the dawn of civilization to roughly 2 AM, April 28, 2005, incorporating cards, dice, lotteries, horseracing, and several other forms of gambling.  He also writes regularly for Casino Connection, Vegas Seven magazine, and Las Vegas Business Press.  - For Casino Connection, Schwartz writes a monthly Atlantic City history column. - For Vegas Seven, Schwartz pens the weekly "Green Felt Journal" gaming and tourism column and occasional essays and feature articles. - For the Las Vegas Business Press, Schwartz writes bi-weekly opinion essays on the past, current, and future state of Southern Nevada's gaming industry.  The eight essays in Gambling, Space, and Time use a global and interdisciplinary approach to examine two significant areas of gambling studies that have not been widely explored--the ever-changing boundaries that divide and organize gambling spaces, and the cultures, perceptions, and emotions related to gambling. The contributors represent a variety of disciplines: history, geography, sociology, anthropology, political science, and law. The essays consider such topics as the impact of technological advances on gambling activities, the role of the nation-state in the gambling industry, and the ways that cultural and moral values influence the availability of gambling and the behavior of gamblers. The case studies offer rich new insights into a gambling industry that is both a global phenomenon and a powerful engine of local change.