BONUS EPISODE: The Eyes of Texas: Benny Binion, the Horseshoe Casino, and the Evolution of Las Vegas

In this BONUS EPISODE, Pettengill examines another Vegas pioneer, Lester "Benny" Binion. Whereas the Flamingo was designed to stimulate the senses, the Horseshoe strictly emphasized gambling in its purest form. Pettengill notes that Binion established practices that are now commonly associated with the Las Vegas experience such as comping, fine yet affordable food, and bottomless drinks for hard gamblers. And, true to the series, Benny Binion had unmistakable ties to organized crime in Las Vegas and beyond. As Pettengill points out, Benny Binion is a vivid reminder that the Mafia was never an exclusively Italian organization. It consisted of different races, ethnicities, and national origins. It even included Texans!