I’ve got some good news to share for those of you who want to hear more about the Sands. On Thursday, October 7, I’ll be giving a talk in the Clark Country Library’s main theater on the history of the Sands. It is an outgrowth of my most recent book, At the Sands. Here’s the […]
Upcoming Talk: The Sands at the Clark County Library Read More »
bookOne of the major attractions of the Sands hotel was the music–whether it was in the Copa Room, the lounge, or, in later years, the Celebrity Theater. To commemorate the musical legacy of the Sands–and give you something to listen to while you read At the Sands, I’ve created a Spotify playlist featuring over 43
At the Sands Playlist Now on Spotify Read More »
bookI have good news for all those who want a copy of At the Sands and who prefer hardcovers: the book is now available through Amazon as a hardcover. If you’d like to preview the book before buying, you can read an excerpt and look at the chapter titles here. If you’d like to see
At the Sands now in available in hardcover Read More »
bookI recently was featured on “Talk about Las Vegas with Ira” talking about, what else, At the Sands: This week, Ira spoke with David G. Schwartz, author of “At the Sands: The Casino That Shaped Classic Las Vegas, Brought the Rat Pack Together, and Went Out With a Bang.” In this 30-minute episode of Talk
At the Sands on Talk about Las Vegas Read More »
bookI’ve got a new article published with the Gaming Law Review called “Venomous in the Extreme: Understanding Frank Sinatra’s Acrimonious 1963 Exit from Nevada Gaming.” Here’s a peek: Today, there are few personalities more intimately connected with the classic era of Las Vegas casinos than Frank Sinatra. Indeed, the pre-corporate period (1940s to 1966) is
Article Published: “Venomous in the Extreme” Read More »
authorAfter a long writing, editing, and publication process, my new book, At the Sands: The Casino That Shaped Classic Las Vegas, Brought the Rat Pack Together, and Went Out with a Bang is available on most platforms. You can buy it in paperback from Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and in Apple Books, Nook, Kobo,
At the Sands Is Out (Mostly) Read More »
bookI have some exciting news to share. I am deep into my next book project, which is a history of the Sands hotel and casino in Las Vegas. The first chapter is done, and I’m making great progress on the second. The book will tell the story of the Sands, from before its 1952 opening
New Project: The Story of the Sands Read More »
writingWhen it opened in 1952, the Sands casino was known as “A Place in the Sun,” and once it signed Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin as entertainers, it became the most popular casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
Today, the Sands name lives on in Las Vegas Sands, Inc., the company that owns the Venetian, Palazzo, and Sands Expo Center on the Strip as well as casinos in Pennsylvania, Macau, and Singapore.
As a result, the Sands name is found in the world’s top three gambling markets—a fitting tribute to the place where Vegas got much of its magic back in the 1950s and 1960s.
You can read more about the Sands and other Las Vegas hotels in Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling.
Go here to read an excerpt from the book, or learn where to buy your copy.
A Place in the Sun Read More »
fromthebook, life in vegasThere always seem to be a few lamentations when someone pulls down a Strip icon, but the protests are getting more and more muted. That’s mostly because Las Vegas resort architecture seems to be essentially disposable; it’s built for specific market conditions, and when they change, it is renovated beyond recognition or replaced. It’s just
Book review: The Leisure Architecture of Wayne McAllister Read More »
book reviewsIt seems apropos. From the AC Press: Actually, hundreds of thousands of items will be up for grabs as the old Sands Casino Hotel clears out its vast contents in an “everything must go” sale beginning 10 a.m. Thursday. The public sale will continue for the next 30 to 45 days until the place is
Sands ends with a garage sale Read More »
atlantic city, news about gambling