logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2021
26m 12s

The Birth of Vegas | Sunrise on Sin City...

Wondery
About this episode

In 1931, the massive Hoover Dam project brings thousands of workers to Nevada. They have paychecks and nowhere to spend them. The state legalizes gambling, setting a small, dusty town called Las Vegas on its way to becoming an unsurpassed phenomenon.

The mob realizes there are untold riches to be made in gaming, and by the late 1940s, gangsters Meyer Lansky and Benjamin Siegel are opening casinos on the fledgling Strip.

For the mob, the situation is a dream come true. Gambling is legal, prostitution is ignored, and local politicians are either for sale or agreeable. And best of all, there’s virtually no competition.

But that won’t last.

Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.

Support us by supporting our sponsors!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Today
Flipping the Bird: Elon vs Twitter | Maximum Amazing | 1
Twitter is at a crossroads. Its founder, Jack Dorsey, has stepped down from his role as CEO. The social media heavyweight is also under fire for alleged bias, censorship, and the roving army of bot accounts wreaking havoc on the site. In this moment of crisis, the only would-be s ... Show More
29m 9s
Jul 2
Rebuilding LEGO | Brick to the Future | 2
It’s late 2003 and LEGO’s turnaround strategy has failed. It’s hurtling towards bankruptcy. Its only hope now is a three-man shadow leadership team. And they’re about to learn that the problems at LEGO go way deeper than anyone thought.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest ... Show More
40m 8s
Jun 25
Rebuilding LEGO | A Burning Platform | 1
It’s early 1997, and after decades of success, LEGO is rocked by a sudden collapse in its profit. To recover, the Danish toy manufacturer jacks up its innovation efforts. But can it deliver a company-saving idea in time?Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curate ... Show More
41m 39s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2023
Las Vegas
Best known for its world-class casinos and lavish hotels, the desert city of Las Vegas, Nevada has a darker side, too. For decades, connections to organised crime tarnished its reputation. Now, Las Vegas attracts tens of millions of tourists every year, many of whom come to gambl ... Show More
54m 47s
Apr 2024
¡Viva Las Vegas! | Llegaron los federales | 2
El respaldo de un banquero mormón legítimo suma una financiación importante para la infraestructura de la mafia de Las Vegas. El inframundo está ganando terreno en Sin City. Pero hay un rival sediento de sangre: el gobierno de Estados Unidos.Un senador estadounidense lanza un ata ... Show More
27m 17s
Feb 2024
🤓🍬 “Revenge of the Nerds” — Nerds’ Super Bowl commercial. Does the Sphere make money? Bill Gates & Jeff Bezos’ mining startup.
Nerds’ candy sales have surged 10x to become the #1 top selling sugar candy in America — So we’re explaining why Nerds is doing its 1st Super Bowl ad.The Las Vegas Sphere just shared its first full quarter of earnings… and actually had a profit — Because The Sphere is the nuclear ... Show More
20m 7s
Apr 2017
Coming Soon: Masters of Scale
Coming May 3rd, Reid Hoffman, legendary Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor, explains how famous founders take their companies from zero to a gazillion. In this trailer for Season One, a taste of this straight-from-Silicon Valley podcast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19. ... Show More
2m 8s
Jun 2024
💳 “The savviest credit carder” — Wells Fargo’s rent card craziness. The stock market’s AI Mafia. DiGiorno’s “Chaos Pizza”.
How Savvy Millennials are causing Wells Fargo to lose $10 million per month on a rent-paying credit card.How the “AI Mafia” of 6 stocks (led by Nvidia) is adding the stock market to the “Vibecession”.And DiGiorno is using what they call “Chaos” to retake their #1 status in frozen ... Show More
23m 28s
Aug 2023
Building Lego | Out of the Ashes | 1
A small Danish toy company survives World War Two thanks to its quality craftsmanship, but behind the scenes all is not well. Despite its good reputation, Lego teeters on the edge of bankruptcy, and a choice to change production methods threatens to tear the family-owned company ... Show More
35m 40s
Jul 2023
The Disappearance of General Magic | The Pocket Crystal | 1
Almost two decades before the launch of the iPhone, Apple Executive Marc Porat launches a project to develop the world’s first smartphone. But to fulfill his ambitions, he will have to launch his own company: General Magic. There, he will assemble a team of brilliant engineers, i ... Show More
34m 33s
Jun 2023
Episode 113: Nick Civella & The Kansas City Mafia
Today we are joined by former Kansas City detective and current organized crime content creator Gary Jenkins. We discuss the very violent past of the interesting underworld of Kansas City and its control of government and ultimately the takeover of Las Vegas through the skin oper ... Show More
1h 34m
Jul 2014
SPI 118: How to Raise Capital for Your Startup with Bill Glaser
#118: The world of raising capital and startup funds is completely unknown to me, which is why I’m extremely happy to welcome Bill Glaser to the show today to tell us all about it. You may have an amazing idea in your head for a product or business that could only come to life if ... Show More
55 m