*Apologies for the video in this episode; there are random glitches.

Summary

Las Vegas glows with neon, champagne, and impulsive vows — but just beyond the Strip lies a desert that remembers everything.

In this episode, Heather and Savannah explore how Las Vegas evolved from mob-financed casinos to corporate spectacle, and what that transformation means for the city’s identity. Through the stories of Herbert “Fat Herbie” Blitzstein and Ted Binion, they examine how illusion, wealth, and reinvention shaped both the city and the people inside it.

From buried silver in the Nevada desert to champagne pops under Fremont lights, this episode asks: what happens when fantasy meets consequence?

In This Episode:

• 1931 — Nevada became the first state in the country to legalize gambling
• 1946 — The Flamingo opens under Bugsy Siegel
• 1960s–1980s — The skimming era and Chicago Outfit influence
• 1986 — The murder of Anthony Spilotro
• 1989 — The Mirage opens, marking corporate takeover
• January 6, 1997 — Herbert “Fat Herbie” Blitzstein murdered
• September 17, 1998 — Ted Binion found dead
• The buried silver vault in Pahrump, Nevada
• Mob myth vs. reality
• How illusion became institutionalized
• Why geography matters in Las Vegas storytelling

Resources & Links:

Relevant articles / public records:

⁠https://news3lv.com/features/video-vault/video-vault-the-life-and-death-of-a-mob-enforcer-in-las-vegas⁠

⁠https://edition.cnn.com/2024/02/25/us/gallery/las-vegas-history⁠

⁠https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/31195/⁠

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