[ bell dings ] holmes: it was my home away from home. i made a few million dollars in las vegas. mcbride: las vegas always sold the illusion that you can indulge in any way you like, and the only way you find out what you can t do is if you do it. in the 70s, you start to sense the old days are over. you could just see that las vegas lost its mojo. reporter: howard hughes asked for permission to buy another gambling casino, this one in reno. charles: when howard hughes came in, corporate mentality took over. elvis: i like to get there and fool with an audience. if you can do that, it works. elvis was caught in a trap, and he couldn t get out. luck be a lady tonight luck be a lady tonight tonight luck, if you ever were a lady to begin with luck be a lady tonight luck be a ladyyyyy tonight [ jazz music playing ] binkley: the purpose of las vegas was to forget what was happening in the rest of the country and leave it behind. people in las
that you can indulge in any way you like, and the only way you find out what you can t do is if you do it. in the 70s, you start to sense the old days are over. you could just see that las vegas lost its mojo. reporter: howard hughes asked for permission to buy another gambling casino, this one in reno. charles: when howard hughes came in, corporate mentality took over. elvis: i like to get there and fool with an audience. if you can do that, it works. elvis was caught in a trap, and he couldn t get out. luck be a lady tonight luck be a lady tonight tonight luck, if you ever were a lady to begin with luck be a lady tonight luck be a ladyyyyy tonight [ jazz music playing ] binkley: the purpose of las vegas was to forget what was happening in the rest of the country and leave it behind. people in las vegas were certainly aware of what was going on in the 60s, but no casino was going to have a bunch of hippies coming through protesting again
i made a few million dollars in las vegas. mcbride: las vegas always sold the illusion that you can indulge in any way you like, and the only way you find out what you can t do is if you do it. in the 70s, you start to sense the old days are over. you could just see that las vegas lost its mojo. reporter: howard hughes asked for permission to buy another gambling casino, this one in reno. charles: when howard hughes came in, corporate mentality took over. elvis: i like to get there and fool with an audience. if you can do that, it works. elvis was caught in a trap, and he couldn t get out. luck be a lady tonight luck be a lady tonight tonight luck, if you ever were a lady to begin with luck be a lady tonight luck be a ladyyyyy tonight [ jazz music playing ] binkley: the purpose of las vegas was to forget what was happening in the rest of the country and leave it behind. people in las vegas were certainly aware of what was going on in the
that was my home away from home i may million dollars in las vegas las vegas always so the fusion, you can indulge in any way you like and the only way you find out what you can do is if you do then the 70s, you start to sense the old days are over. you can just see that las vegas lost its mojo. howard hughes asked for permission to buy another gambling proceeds this one in reno. and how would use key man in a corporate mentality took over i like to get their report with an audience and who can do that? it works obviously is cotton retract couldn t get up the purpose of, let s vegas was to forget what was happening in the rest of the country to leave it behind. people in las vegas were certainly aware of what was going on in the 60s but no casino was going to have a bunch of hippies coming through protesting against the vietnam war so you start to see a transition period. now you ve got people and fresh minds that are really interested in las vegas coming in las vegas
mojave desert, about 42 million people every year visit the city for its many casinos, shows and restaurants. with the help of our cox communications cable partners, for the next two hours we ll learn about the history of the city and tap into the literary scene here with local authors. we begin our special feature with its former mayor, oscar goodman. mayor goodman, how did you become a lawyer for the mob? oh. the refuted mob, of course. all by accident. it s the most amazing thing in the world. i came out to las vegas with my beautiful wife in 1964 and, basically, i would take anything after i passed the bar that would walk in the door. i had a motto in my office where there s a fee, there s a remedy. and carolyn was, believe it or not, one of the first card counters even they they didn t call them that at that time. and my dad sent us $25 a week for pleasure. we couldn t use it for rent, for gasoline, it had to be for pleasure. so we went out to a place called the ch