At the Sands: The Casino That Shaped Classic Las Vegas, Brought the Rat Pack Together, and Went Out With a Bang

by David G. Schwartz

The lights are coming down. Frank, Dean, and Sammy are about to take the stage. This is the moment we remember, when Las Vegas became classic. And it was at the Sands. Built in 1952 over the ashes of Hollywood Reporter publisher Billy Wilkerson’s last chance in Las Vegas, the Sands was a collective effort. Underworld figures like Meyer Lansky, Doc Stacher, and Frank Costello provided the cash. Beloved Texas gambler Jake Freedman was the public face. Manhattan nightclub king Jack Entratter kept the Copa Room filled and made the party happen, every night. Carl Cohen, esteemed as the greatest casino manager in the history of the business, made the team complete.

No matter how well your casino is run, you need a good hook to get the gamblers through the door. Casino owners were learning that entertainment was a pretty fair hook. Entratter, who broke into the entertainment business as a bouncer at the Stork Club, had risen to become manager of the Copacabana, one of Manhattan’s hottest hot spots, before heading to Las Vegas. At the Sands, “Mr. Entertainment” brought many of the brightest stars of the day to the casino’s showroom, named the Copa Room. The Copa was the hottest ticket in America and, for performers, one of the most coveted stages in the nation. Headlining at the Sands–or even opening there–meant that you had made it.

For gamblers, the Sands was paradise. For tourists, it was a chance to see some sophistication—and maybe run into a famous singer or actor. The resort itself became a celebrity. Early on, the Sands hosted numerous radio and television broadcasts, bringing the casino into American households coast to coast when gambling was still not entirely reputable. Las Vegas is a city built on public relations, and the Sands’ Al Freeman was one of its early masters.

The Sands did more than showcase stars: it made them shine brighter. In 1960, while filming Ocean’s 11, the Rat Pack (though they were never called that in those days) came together onstage at the Sands, creating a cultural icon that would define the era. Behind the scenes, Davis and Sinatra resisted the prevailing segregationist mindset of Las Vegas and helped to overturn Jim Crow on the Strip. With Sinatra as its star, the Sands reached its highest point, hosting everyone from John F. Kennedy to Texas oilmen to Miami bookmakers.

Yet the Sands wasn’t all comps and curtain calls. Behind the scenes, the casino’s connection with reputed mobsters made it a target. For years, the FBI tried to penetrate the casino, including a disastrous wiretapping operation that turned into a public embarrassment for the Bureau. And Frank Sinatra–at one point a 10 percent owner of the Sands–would divest his interests after a highly-publicized feud with Nevada gaming regulators over his friendship with alleged Chicago mob kingpin Sam Giancana. After Howard Hughes bought the Sands in 1967 (with Frank Sinatra explosively departing soon after) the Sands lost some of its allure, but the casino soldiered on under Hughes and other owners before being sold to Sheldon Adelson, who closed the property in 1996 to make way for the Venetian mega-resort, along the way doing for conventions what Jack Entratter had done for entertainment in Las Vegas four decades earlier.

In the end, the Sands went out with a bang–an implosion that brought down its hotel tower. It had a wild 44 year run. Along the way, a host of characters, including the Rat Pack (and their many friends) in all their glory, author Mario Puzo, Apollo astronauts, wealthy arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, and President Ronald Reagan passed through the Sands’ doors.

At the Sands tells the story of how one of the most fondly remembered classic Las Vegas casinos beat the odds to become a success, staged some of the Strip’s most memorable spectaculars, and paved the way for the next generation of Las Vegas resorts. The Sands may be gone, but it did not fade away.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

282 pages, Paperback

Published August 26, 2020

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit, I began this as "research" for my next novel, THE PRINCESS OF LAS VEGAS, but quickly fell in love with David Schwartz's wonderful storytelling. I savored every anecdote he shared about the rise of Las Vegas: the old casinos, the new ones, Frank Sinatra and Jack Kennedy and Sam Giancana -- and the Copa and the slots and the schemes and, pure and simple, the way Las Vegas is the nexus of avarice and hope. I hit the jackpot when I read this one.

[Jeff Mauch · Rating 4 out of 5]

31. While I dislike most of what Las Vegas has become in the modern era, I've always been intrigued by how this place in the middle of a desert blossomed into such a commercial force. Understanding the history of The Sands is, in effect, understanding how Las Vegas was created. Many have heard that Vegas casinos had mob ties, but learning who and how those ties were forged was fascinating. The Sands was early Vegas's place to be seen and to possibly catch a glimpse of the day's biggest celebrities. It was where Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, etc. came together and became the Rat Pack. It's where gambling became king, but also where the importance of shows and entertainment showed to be just as important. The shows of the 50s and 60s led to the need to constantly one up the casino next door that we see to this day with rock and roll band residencies and huge performance contracts. Sadly, this is also the story of the decline of The Sands as it was overtaken and unable to continue to compete with its rivals due to financial mismanagement and an unwillingness to adapt at a few key moments. Overall, this is a great glimpse into the Las Vegas of yesterday.
4/5

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have this book on Audible, and I bought it as part of a group of books about famous buildings. This one is obviously about The Sands casino in Las Vegas. It was really interesting to see all of the big names that played shows at this venue- Frank Sinatra being the most interesting as he had a financial stake in the casino and alleged ties to organized crime. (I very much believe in those alleged connections to organized crime.) There were also some really big underworld names associated with this place, including Meyer Lansky and Frank Costello. This casino was in operation for 44 years, and so many high profile people came in and out. This was a really interesting book, and I would highly recommend it for anyone who loves famous building, celebrity stories, or mafia connections.

[Dan Post · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.0 stars. This book was a little too boring for me. The first few chapters were interesting where it laid out the original history of Vegas and the Sands casino getting built but the middle chapters were too dense and slow for me. The author does likely do what they set out to do -- set up a complete history of the Sands with a lot of Vegas history thrown in -- which is what I was looking for when I got this book but it was just too long with too many unimportant stories that kept it from being a good page turner. I did learn a lot while reading this book but just not interesting enough for me to recommend it to anyone else. I was more happy to be done with it than satisfied with the experience.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before there was the Venetian, there was the Sands.
A very engaging and informative history not only of one hotel, but of the town of Las Vegas, and how the two stories share the same path.
Some really incredible behind the scenes glimpses of the marquee names that were part of Vegas in its heyday.

[Deedra · Rating 5 out of 5]

audible:What an excellent history of those that came to create the Sands!It is sad that it is gone,but with the Rat Pack on dvd it will truely never die.Eric Jason Martin was a terrific narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.' 

[Sidenseen]

A really great insight into the property from opening to implosion. David Schwartz always impresses me with his writing. Two thumbs up

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story of the rise and demise of one of the last original hotel / casinos in Las Vegas.

[Norma · Rating 5 out of 5]

( Format : Audiobook )
"No money in my pocket, no worries in my head."

review follows.

[Fritzov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following along the lifespan of one of the most iconic Las Vegas casino is a delightful listen. I wished David G. Schwartz released more books about Las Vegas, he is really a great author.

[Patrick Walters]

Great Vegas History

This book, along with Grandissimo, are fantastic looks into the history of Vegas. Excellent research and engaging writing. I love reading them before any trip.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating story about the legendary Sands Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

[Matt Pitlock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great look into life and business in classic Vegas. Could have been a bit more well written.

[Justin Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid history. Early stuff is a lot more interesting than the later. Ran out of steam partway through but pushed through to a finish after a long hiatus

[William O. Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone with a fascination of what Las Vegas was like when it had glamor and style, this book will give you a front row seat. It is an honest look of the storied and sordid history of Las Vegas from its frontier days, prohibition, prostitution, illegal gambling (to legal gambling) to the the city's mob and political influences, to the classic entertainers of the 1950s, 60s, 70s. This is one of those books that is chocked full of interesting information, albeit the book concentrates on the Sands Hotel and its famed. As you are reading, you are immediately wishing you could experience the Las Vegas of yesterday instead of the total chaos of the many classless tourists visiting now.

[Bob Kuster · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good read focusing on one of the original Vegas casinos from its birth to its end. The familiar characters are here including Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr, Dean Martin and JFK. Martin and Davis come across really well. Baseball fans will enjoy the Martin Dodger TV story. Don Adams, Robert Merrill, Louis Armstrong and Mario Puzo make appearances. Yankee fans have always loved Robert Merrill for his singing of the anthem before games but his response to sitting down for dinner without his colleague Satchmo makes you want to stand up and cheer. I wish there was a paragraph or two what Mr. Merrill and Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong talked about at their dinner. Definite 5 star rating for At the Sands.

[Frank Naso · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need detail info on how the Sands came to be, then this makes a good read.