The Rise of the Biggest Little City: An Encyclopedic History of Reno Gaming, 1931-1981 [Hardcover]

Dwayne Kling (Author)

Book Description

Series: Gambling Studies Series

The history of Reno during the first half century after the establishment of legal gambling in Nevada was to a great degree the history of Reno's gaming industry. Between 1931 and 1981, the economy, skyline, and life style of "the Biggest Little City in the World" were strongly influenced by the city's casinos and the people who created and operated them. In The Rise of the Biggest Little City, Dwayne Kling records the fruits of his fourteen years of research into the history of Reno's casinos, from the backroom (and often illegal) dives of the industry's beginnings to the elegant casino-hotels of today. Arranged in encyclopedic form, lavishly illustrated with historic photographs (many never before published), the book offers the stories of such famous and enduring establishments as the Cal-Neva and the Sands, as well as defunct clubs like the Silver Spur and the Bank Club. We also find the stories of the men and women who created Reno's gaming industry--such as James McKay, Bill Graham, the Smith family, Bill Bailey, William Harrah, and Jack Douglass. There are more--many more.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A powerful, enlightening, fascinating book. --Reno Gazette-Journal

An incredible book that is a must-have for anyone who may ever need to look something up regarding the first fifty years of gambling in Reno. --Reno News and Review

For anyone who wants to know who anyone was in Reno s history or where anything
happens in the gaming industry, this is an extraordinary piece of work. --International Gaming Studies --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

Dwayne Kling worked in the casino industry for over forty years before he retired in 1995.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: University of Nevada Press
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087417340X
• ISBN-13: 978-0874173406
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,968,857 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific - So thorough, May 16, 2001

By 

Al W. Moe (Gig Harbor, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rise of the Biggest Little City: An Encyclopedic History of Reno Gaming, 1931-1981 (Hardcover)

Dwayne Kling spent a decade and a half reserching this Terrific, and oh-so thorough book. His dedication to accuracy is evident on every page. Buy it for the history, and you will be knocked-out by the photos! The city of Reno and its claim to fame as a gambling mecca never looked better.

5.0 out of 5 stars fascinating read, October 1, 2011

By 

frugal quality shopper - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Rise of the Biggest Little City: An Encyclopedic History of Reno Gaming, 1931 1981 (Gambling Studies Series) (Paperback)

Easy read with its abbreviated format yet Kling has captured an amazing amount of detail, even on minor players as well as the major ones in the evolution of the gaming industry in Reno and subsequently in the state. Also includes some history of gaming at nearby Lake Tahoe, but completely misses the real story on the men that started and ran Barney's Club before Harrah's bought it.

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent choice for anyone seeking an accessible historical reference on the subject, September 14, 2010

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rise of the Biggest Little City: An Encyclopedic History of Reno Gaming, 1931 1981 (Gambling Studies Series) (Paperback)

The Rise of the Biggest Little City: An Encyclopedic History of Reno Gaming, 1931-1981 is, as its title suggests, an encyclopedia-style history of gambling and gaming institutions of Reno, Nevada. Individual alphabetized entries range from "Ableman, Nick" (one of the pioneers of Nevada gaming) to "Zimba's Casino" (one of Reno's many gambling institutions - this particular one was legally nailed for failure to report income or fully pay its taxes, was eventually put into receivership, and closed). A wealth of history and legacy spelled out through details, The Rise of the Biggest Little City is further enhanced with maps, and a glossary, and an index, and is an excellent choice for anyone seeking an accessible historical reference on the subject.