Part I, Chapters 1-2 Summary and Analysis

Chapter 1: Young Stephen

Chapter one begins with Stephen Wynn's first visit to Las Vegas in 1952. Stephen was only ten years old at the time and was in the company of his father Mike, a bingo hall owner and wannabe gambler. Young Stephen would spend two weeks in the company of his father, who seemed to be more of a pal to his son than a parental figure. Wynn remembers being enchanted by the entire atmosphere of Las Vegas and quickly became enthralled with its image.

"There was magic in this place. It was like stepping back into the Frontier," Steve Wynn would recall years later. "Casino owners were king; they owned the town. They were glamorous; they had beautiful women and lots of money" (p. 27).

Like many, Mike Wynn had grand dreams for opening his...