July 04, 2005
The Las Vegas I Remember
 

The Mob, DI and other stories

Archived audio Real Audio |

New Jersey immigrant, Harry Merenda, talks about his family's Sicilian mob roots, the 'Boys' in Las Vegas and working at the Desert Inn in the early 60s.

You can download and read transcripts of the entire interviews.

Add a comment here or send your comments to letters@knpr.org.
See discussion rules.

Podcasts

The Las Vegas I Remember
Aug 29, 2005 | MGM Fire part 2 | Real Audio
In November 1980, Laura Fielden Spina was a 16-year-old student at Clark High School. Youthful curiosity drew her to the MGM fire where she quickly began work as a volunteer helping to rescue fire victims.
Aug 22, 2005 | MGM Fire part 1 | Real Audio
Lark Williams begins the story of the tragic 1980 fire at the MGM Grand which killed 86 people. Lark was running keno on the floor of the MGM early that morning when the smell of smoke began to drift through the casino.
Aug 15, 2005 | Si Redd | Real Audio
The founder of International Game Technology explains how he came to Nevada and revolutionized the slot machine industry.
Aug 1, 2005 | Desert Inn | Real Audio
Wilbur Clark's dream to build a new casino results in a partnership with the mob. From the start, George Foley was a bellman at the DI and tells stories of 'the good old days.'
Jul 25, 2005 | Las Vegas Extravaganzas | Real Audio
Producer Don Arden introduces glamorous showgirls to the Las Vegas Strip. Rick Mitchell tells about how a gay dancer could not only survive but succeed in a homophobic town.
Jul 18, 2005 | Depression Era Stories | Real Audio
Lee Tillman tells the story of 'salting' mines with gold to inflate the property value. And the truth behind how a local restaurant could afford to sell 'all-you-can-eat' meals, including t-bone steak, for just 25-cents.
Jul 11, 2005 | The Gragson Years | Real Audio
Former Las Vegas Mayor Oran Gragson tells about his unlikely election. Senator Richard Bryan talks about the campaign tactics of Gragson's rival. Bob Bailey, tells of how Gragson kept his promises to the black population on the West side of town.
Jul 4, 2005 | The Mob, DI and other stories | Real Audio
New Jersey immigrant, Harry Merenda, talks about his family's Sicilian mob roots, the 'Boys' in Las Vegas and working at the Desert Inn in the early 60s.
Jun 27, 2005 | Showgirls part 2 | Real Audio
Two former show girls, Tracy Heberling and Kathy Saxe tell colorful insider stories of what it was like to be a Las Vegas showgirl.
Jun 20, 2005 | Showgirls part 1 | Real Audio
Two former show girls, Tracy Heberling and Kathy Saxe tell colorful insider stories of what it was like to be a Las Vegas showgirl.
© 2012 NEVADA PUBLIC RADIO   
Web hosting facilities provided by Switch.