Review of Vegas

[Bethel Saint Bright]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Vegas" by Mark Wojtowicz Jr.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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“Vegas” by Mark Wojtowicz Jr. takes readers on a short historical journey of Las Vegas and how it became the critically acclaimed “entertainment capital of the world.” The author built this narrative on the legacies of business people who invested their money to build casinos, hotels, and resorts, putting Las Vegas on the world map as the destination for luxury and entertainment. This book sheds light on the good, the bad, and the ugly. In this book, we read about legitimate business people like Howard Hughes, whose hard work and business ethic helped him make a significant impact in Las Vegas. We also read about Guy McAfee, who used his position as the LA vice squad captain to build a business empire with alleged links to organized crime. The author dedicated some pages to talk about how the mob entered the Las Vegas gaming business, specifically highlighting the role of Benjamin ‘Bugsy’ Siegel in paving the way.

I am a WWE fan, and “Wrestlemania 41” will be held at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. In one of the adverts for the event, Las Vegas was called “the entertainment capital of the world,” and it has since piqued my interest. When I saw this book, I remembered the “Wrestlemania 41” advert. Before reading this book, I have always associated Las Vegas with casinos and strip clubs. While this assumption is valid, this book showed me that there was more to Las Vegas than gaming and entertainment. One of the key takeaways from this book is that, from the 50s and 60s, Las Vegas has always provided opportunities for businesses to thrive. It also shows that anybody can become somebody with diligence and hard work—and you don’t necessarily have to be linked to organized crime. For instance, Andrew Pascal rose from a mere employee of Steve Wynn at the Golden Nugget to Senior VP of Wynn Resorts before establishing Play Studios in 2011.

Reading the stories of the business people who laid the foundation for what Las Vegas has become today was inspiring and motivating. One common theme across these stories was that they all went through financial challenges. For some, it was at the beginning of their business enterprises. For others, it was at the point of expansion. However, many were legacy-focused and would rather transfer ownership to someone else than let the vision die. Many young entrepreneurs would learn a thing or two from the stories of these people who contributed to Las Vegas’s legendary status as the entertainment capital of the world.

The bibliography at the end of the book shows the depth of the author’s research. I have personally checked the stories of some of the people in this book, and the author’s narrative aligns with what I saw on publicly available resources. The only issue with this book is the editing. I strongly recommend the book to be edited again. As a result of the number of errors, I will remove a star from the rating and give the book a 4 out of 5. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of Las Vegas.

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Vegas
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[Mark Lazarus]

The historical perspective on how Las Vegas evolved into a major entertainment hub sounds fascinating, especially with the mix of legitimate business efforts and the influence of organized crime. I like stories that capture both the glamour and the gritty realities behind iconic cities. It seems like a worthwhile read for gaining insight into the entrepreneurial spirit that helped shape Las Vegas. I’d consider checking it out, especially to learn more about the business minds that built the city.