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Summary: Ding-ding-ding-ding! No more bets!
Review: For those of you who have never been to Las Vegas, Pete Earley's SUPER CASINO will give you a good background to the most intense city in North America. For those of you who have been to Vegas, this book will remind you of why you went, why you came back with great memories (though with a lot less cash), and will make you want to call your travel agent and book your next trip there.SUPER CASINO is a curious hybrid -- half history, half personal anecdotes. The history tells of the Circus Circus company, from its earliest days under weirdo Jay Sarno, to its recent reincarnation in the form of the Egyptian-style casino Luxor and its Strip neighbor Mandalay Bay. The corporate history of Circus Circus is fascinating. Imagine starting out with nothing, buying/building casinos, then gambling enough profits every day to keep a family of four going for a few years. The anecdotes of the denizens of the Strip breathe life into this book, though they don't really mix well with the Circus Circus material. Really the anecdotes belong in a book of their own. Earley interviewed Las Vegas cab drivers, blackjack dealers, prostitutes, security chiefs, showgirls. Each has a fascinating story of the desert paradise. Ignore the structural problems with the book and simply enjoy reading about Las Vegas.
Rating: 
Summary: engaging history
Review: having been a craps dealer (Lake Tahoe), I found this book to be an excellent replica of the casino industry. Mr. Earley writes of the beginnings of the "new" Las Vegas Strip. His personal accounts of cab drivers, hookers, bartenders, security as well as those who work in the casinos offers insight and reality to this well written, easy to read book. The last half of the book is devoted to the remodeling of the Luxor and its subsequent trials and challenges It also presents the new marketing strategies the gambling industry is adopting. This is a good read about the inner workings of "America's favorite theme park"
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Summary: One of Pete Earley's best!
Review: I have read many of his books and consider this one of his best. I teach an organized crime course at Dodge City Community College, and I am considering making this book required reading. It does an excellent job of describing the history of Las Vegas, and the casinos. It also does an excellent job of explaining the behind the scenes information.
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Summary: A true taste of Las Vegas
Review: I just bought this book (1/15/2000) and found it infectious to the point that I could not put it down. I read it in 2 days. This is an exciting book all the way through. The book moves quickly but offers an extensive view of how Las Vegas is not only excessive on the level of customers, but also the owners of the resorts who have strived to "out-do" each other in a match of "one-upman-ship" . I still marvel at the thought of the humonguos amounts of money that were spent on some of the resorts. I was in Vegas in early January, the first time since 1987, and I was amazed at how the city had changed! This book explained why. The book also includes some individual chats with dealers, prostitutes, and security folks. Circus Circus gave the author Carte Blanche and a back stage pass to the daily happenings in their Casinos. The result is whirlwind of adventures and experiences worth the price of the book. Lastly, I liked this book so much, I am going back to Las Vegas to experience again the opulence, hedonism, and greed with a new understanding and insight. Thanks Mr. Earley
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Summary: Super Casino-Tony C
Review: I liked this book alot. It really gave you a great insight to real life people from a variety of views. I read it on a trip from ORD to DEN and back. An easy must read for all of us that luv Las Vegas.
Rating: 
Summary: Blah!
Review: I love Las Vegas and looked forward to reading this book to help me gain insight into how it all began, as well as how a modern Super Casino operates. However, I was a bit disappointed. The first half of the book which deals with the history of the Circus Circus corporation was interesting but it didn't grab me. I found myself skimming a lot of passages purely because I was just plain bored. Early is an excellent journalist and he does a thorough job of researching and reporting, but I still found the content a bit dull. The second half of the book was more intriguing. It is filled with anecdotes about what goes on behind the scenes at the Luxor, one of the strips relatively new Super Casinos. Early interviews dealers, casino managers, and even prostitutes to help paint a picture of life within one of the most unique cities in the world. It was interesting to learn about casino security, how dealers operate and how the Luxor transformed itself into one of the most successful casinos on the strip. But with all that said, it still wasn't the greatest read of all time. If you're fascinated by Las Vegas and actually care about these things, read this book. If not, you'll probably be bored.
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Summary: Excellent documentary style writing
Review: I loved this book. I was looking for a descriptive work that provided real inside views of Las Vegas. I particularly enjoyed the financial information provided - revenue numbers, salaries etc.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent documentary style writing
Review: I loved this book. I was looking for a descriptive work that provided real inside views of Las Vegas. I particularly enjoyed the financial information provided - revenue numbers, salaries etc.
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Summary: So long to the myths...
Review: I really liked this book. I zipped right through it and it really offered an inside look into the day to day operations of a Las Vegas Super Casino. One of the other reviewers said the book was a let down. I guess if I had known about most of the anecdotes referred to in the book, I might feel that way to, but I loved every minute of it. The sad thing is that we have this idealized thought of what we think Vegas is. Mobsters, high rollers etc... In the end, you get the sense that the whole place has become more clinical and precise. Everything is calculated down to the last dime and the gambling seems almost peripheral. The business of the business strips the myths clean. Unfortunately, the city's history is much more exciting than its future... Still, the book is a compelling read with plenty of info to mull over...
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Summary: Best book I have ever read
Review: I was not able to put this book down. It is broken into two parts. Part one is the history of Vegas, part two focuses on a handfull of its residents over a year. While I was looking for a book on Vegas, I wanted to know more about personal experiences there, like what was in the second part of the book. I figured I wouldn't care for the history part, and would maybe skip it if it got boring. I was totally wrong. The history part was every bit as engaging. It's really a study in business more than history. It was thoroughly enjoyable, and part two was also. I like the way the author spends a year with these people (prostitiute, security guard, showgirl, etc.) and tells their story thoughout the book, instead of all in one chapter. Very well written. Also, very balanced in my opinion. At no point did I feel the author was judging anything, merely reporting it. I could go on and on. It's books like this that make fiction look so dull.
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