How the Mob Lost Las Vegas: From Benny Binion to the Corporations

How did Las Vegas change from a mob-influenced gambling town into a casino empire dominated by corporations?

Retired Kansas City Intelligence Detective Gary Jenkins welcomes Nelson Conway Jr., author of *Vegas Incorporated*, to explore that transformation through casino history and his family’s experiences.

Conway’s father was a Las Vegas CPA whose firm worked with legendary properties, including the Flamingo, Sands, Golden Nugget, and Binion’s Horseshoe. Nelson explains his father’s role in taking the Showboat public in 1969 and why he believes that transaction helped open the door to corporate investment.

Gary and Nelson discuss Benny Binion’s larger-than-life personality, high-stakes gambling at the Horseshoe, and Lefty Rosenthal’s battles with Nevada gaming regulators. Gary adds his perspective on casino skimming, Teamsters pension fund financing, and the Kansas City mob’s connection to the Tropicana.

They also recall the personal service that defined old Vegas, where returning guests were greeted by name and casino employees remembered their favorite drinks and games.   Finally, Nelson shares a memorable family story: his father’s face-to-face encounter with Bugsy Siegel at the Flamingo’s 1946 opening.   An inside look at the businessmen, gangsters, and corporate money that helped reshape Las Vegas.

Get Vegas Incorporated here by clicking on the title.

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