I have always found casinos very interesting, the way they run, the maths behind all the games, the kind of people they attract, everything. Up until last year I have yet to travel to Vegas and I loved it, so much that I am heading back there in a few days. I picked this to read because I wanted to learn a little more about the history of Vegas beyond the mob days. Most Vegas history books deal heavily with the mob days, organised crime and Frank Sinatra. I wanted to read about how the strip became the place it is today with its sprawling super casinos.

The only reason why this book has 4 and not 5 stars is twofold. Firstly its is about 15 years out of date, an updated version is well overdue in my opinion. Secondly it concentrates most of the second part of the book on the fortunes of the Luxor. This is mainly because it was the Circus Circus company and specifically the Luxor staff which Earley was given total access to.

Earley starts by saying that he would not let them edit anything from his book, they could read it prior to publication and request changes but the final decision was down to him. This is really evident when reading about the in fighting that plagued the boardroom and the running of the company as whole. There is also an obsession it would seem from the staff of trying to keep up with new Vegas superstar owner, Steve Wynn. It is left upto the reader to decide who won in the end, something that can probably be debated still today.

The book ends with the completion of the Luxor refit and the opening of the Mandalay Bay resorts. To me this was a big down point, I wanted to read about the Bellagio, Venetian and Paris resorts. This is probably in large part my fault as I didn't look to see when it was originally published (1995).

The mix of anecdotes from people involved and the writing style of Pete Earley make this a very well written book which is very easy read. I found myself picking it up to read a chapter whenever I had a quiet few minutes in the day. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone who has an interest in Las Vegas. ( )

Viva Los Casinos!

If you don't love the sound of solt machines and the rush you get from doubling-down, than you may want to skip this read. Super Casino is an account of how the sleepy, small town of Las Vegas, NV transformed into one of the most powerful cities in the world. There were a lot of an interesting facts and some great history that you might already know if you watch any of those Vegas specials on The Travel Channel. But the writer does a good job of making it fun to read, including an account of a closed-door meeting of one of the biggest casino corporations on the planet. Fun read for anyone who likes to gamble at a casino. ( )