Meanwhile Sarno's vision moved forward under new management.

'And the gaming control board didn't quite like that, so before it went to trial, him and his partner Stan Malin were forced to lease it to another group of operators.”įuture Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman provided a vigorous defense as the case dragged on, and two years later the charges were finally dismissed. 'He was actually arrested and accused of offering the biggest bribe in IRS history,' says Schwartz. By 1972, a loan from the Teamsters States Central Pension Fund had been used to open a hotel on the west side of the Big Top. Initially opening as a casino with no lodging, Circus Circus managed mix games and gaming, clowns and craps. In fact, that was one of their marketing slogans.' 'There definitely was a family-friendly element at Circus Circus, although it wasn't just for kids. His book 'Grandissimo' is a biography of Sarno, including a detailed history of Circus Circus. He loved all that kind of stuff, all the trappings of casinos,' says UNLV Director of Gaming Research Dr.

It was a stunning departure for the man who had opened Caesars Palace just two years before: gambling entrepreneur Jay Sarno.

That all changed 50 years ago with the opening of Circus Circus. But until 1968, it was generally understood to be a playground for adults. LAS VEGAS (KSNV) - Las Vegas has been one of the world's top tourist destinations going back to the middle of the last century.

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