The Money and the Power: The Making of Las Vegas and Its Hold on America

The Money and the Power traces Las Vegas's transformation from a desert outpost into a global gambling and entertainment capital. Through decades of research and hundreds of interviews, journalists Sally Denton and Roger Morris reconstruct the city's rise to power and its connections to organized crime, politics, and big business. The book examines key figures who shaped Las Vegas, from mobsters and casino operators to politicians and corporate executives. The authors document the flow of money between Las Vegas and other power centers, revealing networks that connected the gambling industry to Washington D.C., Wall Street, and international finance. The work follows Las Vegas's evolution through major historical periods including Prohibition, World War II, the Cold War, and the corporate era. The investigation extends beyond the famous Strip to explore the city's impact on American culture, economics, and governance. This extensive history suggests that Las Vegas represents more than entertainment - it serves as a mirror of American capitalism and power structures. The authors present the city as a microcosm where the intersections of money, crime, politics, and business become visible.

Readers appreciate the detailed research and connections drawn between Las Vegas, organized crime, and national politics. Many note the book's strength in documenting the city's transformation from desert outpost to gambling capital through firsthand accounts and extensive source material. What readers liked: - Deep historical context of Las Vegas development - Clear connections between casino operations and political power - Coverage of lesser-known figures in Vegas history What readers disliked: - Dense writing style with excessive detail - Repetitive information and themes - Some unsupported conspiracy theories - Occasional factual errors in dates and names Several readers mention the book focuses more on political corruption than anticipated, with less emphasis on Vegas entertainment culture. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (308 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (106 reviews) LibraryThing: 3.7/5 (14 ratings) "Exhaustively researched but tough to get through" summarizes a common reader sentiment.

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🎲 The book reveals that during WWII, U.S. intelligence agencies worked with Las Vegas casinos to launder money for covert operations and gather intelligence from high-rolling foreign visitors. 🏦 Authors Denton and Morris tracked over $70 billion in documented mob money that flowed through Las Vegas between 1947 and 1967, equivalent to over $600 billion in today's dollars. 🏰 The iconic Flamingo Hotel, built by Bugsy Siegel, was partially funded with Nazi money that had been smuggled out of Germany during Hitler's regime. 👔 Howard Hughes spent $300 million buying Las Vegas properties in the late 1960s, but never visited most of his casino holdings and conducted all business from his germaphobic seclusion in the Desert Inn's penthouse. 🎬 Co-author Sally Denton grew up in Las Vegas as the daughter of a local chief investigator, giving her unique access to sources and insider perspectives that had never before been shared publicly.