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70-668: Benny Binion bought the Eldorado Club and Hotel Apache in 1951, re-opening them as Binion's Horseshoe (also called the Horseshoe Casino). The casino's interior had a frontier flavor, like an old-style riverboat , with low ceilings and velvet wallpaper. It was the first casino in downtown Las Vegas (also called Glitter Gulch ) to replace sawdust-covered floors with carpeting, and was the first to offer comps to all gamblers, not just those who bet big money. Binion also instituted high table limits . When Binion first opened

140-446: A horse trader , let him accompany him on trips. While the outdoor life restored his health, Binion never had any formal education. As he traveled with his father, the young man learned to gamble , a favorite pastime when horse traders met up with farmers and merchants during county fair trade days. Binion's FBI file reveals a criminal history dating back to 1924. At age 18 he moved to El Paso , where he began moonshining during

210-602: A Democrat for Lieutenant Governor of Nevada . While living in Australia for seven years, Stupak was married, briefly, to Annette Suna, and they had a daughter, Nicole. From 1971 to 1985, Stupak was married to Sandra Joyce Wilkinson (later, Sandy Blumen), and had two more children, Nevada and Summer. During the 1990s, Stupak was romantically linked to Phyllis McGuire of the McGuire Sisters . Stupak died of leukemia on September 25, 2009, at 67. In February 2016,

280-415: A caretaker, and Benny regained controlling interest in 1957. He did not regain full control, however, until 1964. While Brown operated the casino, he installed the famous $ 1 million display on the casino floor. He sold the display in 1959 and it was later recreated using 100 of the $ 10,000 bills by Benny in 1964. The Binion family sold the $ 10,000 bills for amounts between $ 112,500 and $ 188,000 each. As

350-519: A collection of silver coins that he buried on one of his properties. He collected 135,000 silver dollars and stored them in an underground safe in Pahrump, Nevada . The collection was known as the Binion Hoard . After Ted's death there were several arrests of individuals who tried to steal the silver. In January 1949, Benny Binion arranged for Johnny Moss and Nick "The Greek" Dandolos to play

420-580: A convicted felon, Benny was no longer allowed to hold a gaming license, so his sons took over day-to-day control when the family bought out Brown. Jack became president while Ted became casino manager. Benny assumed the title of Director of Public Relations. In 1970, Jack began hosting the World Series of Poker (WSOP) at the Horseshoe. Eventually, the WSOP became the largest set of poker tournaments in

490-525: A cowboy throughout his life. He almost never wore a necktie and used gold coins as buttons on his cowboy shirts. Despite being technically barred from owning guns, he carried at least one pistol all his life, and kept a sawed-off shotgun close by. His office was a booth in the downstairs restaurant, and he knew many of his customers by name. Binion didn't consider himself to be very good at poker , nor did he participate much in competition or private cash games, preferring to organize them. However, in 1990 he

560-620: A final table during the first season of the World Poker Tour . He starred in an episode of Crime Story in 1987, and made numerous film and television series appearances. In 1999, he was among the inaugural inductees to the Casino Legends Hall of Fame. As of 2008, his total live tournament winnings exceeded $ 865,000. With his World Series of Poker Bracelet in the Deuce to Seven Championship and his wife Sandy in

630-453: A flight over Vegas World in Miller's private plane. There they circled for over an hour at altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 feet watching the sun set. Stupak told Miller that to not share such a beautiful sight would be a sin, and he immediately went to work revising his plans to include a restaurant and amusement rides at the top of what was then to be called the "Stupak Tower". Stupak held

700-570: A good gamble." For many years, the Horseshoe had a late night $ 2 steak special, with most of the meat for the steaks coming from cattle on Binion's ranches in Montana . The Horseshoe is also believed to be the first major casino to offer 100-times-odds at craps (a patron with a bet on the pass or don't-pass lines could take or lay up to 100 times their bet in odds). It was one of the more profitable casinos in town. After his trial and conviction in 1953, to cover back taxes and legal costs, Binion sold

770-442: A head-to-head poker tournament which ended up lasting five months, with Dandolos ultimately losing a reported two million dollars. The 42-year-old Moss had to take breaks to sleep occasionally, during which Dandalos, then aged 57, went over to the craps table and played. After the final hand, and losing millions of dollars, Dandolos uttered one of the most famous poker quotes of all time: "Mr. Moss, I have to let you go." (This narrative

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840-419: A legal battle, and Jack moved on to other gambling interests. Becky's presidency saw the casino sink into debt. In 2004, federal agents seized $ 1 million from the Horseshoe's bankroll to satisfy unpaid union benefits, forcing its closure and eventual sale to Harrah's Entertainment . It now operates as Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel under the ownership of TLC Gaming Group . Benny Binion's son, Ted Binion,

910-405: A majority share in the Horseshoe to fellow gambler and New Orleans oilman Joe W. Brown. Binion's family regained controlling interest in the Horseshoe in 1957, but did not regain full control until 1964. Binion was never allowed to hold a gaming license afterwards. Instead, his son Jack became the licensee, with Benny assuming the title of Director of Public Relations. Binion styled himself

980-454: A million dollars to build the original Vegas World on the site of the former gambling museum. In 1979. Stupak opened Bob Stupak's Vegas World hotel and casino known for its promotions and the world's largest sign (which later blew down in a wind storm), and new twists on games, including the world's first quarter million and million dollar jackpot. At its peak in the mid-1980s, Vegas World grossed in excess of $ 100 million per year. He bought

1050-543: A plan to expand the hotel with a new tower, but on December 14, 2009, they closed the hotel and coffee shop due to the late-2000s recession . TLC continues to operate the hotel at the Four Queens casino across the street, which has almost twice as many rooms. Previously, Binion's advertised the hotel as closed for renovations. However, due to the high cost of asbestos removal in the hotel, renovation plans were shelved. In February 2019, TLC announced plans to reopen 81 of

1120-407: A press conference and announced his plan with the caveat that his tower would be the icon of Las Vegas, and Steve Wynn's Mirage would be two miles from him, not the other way around. Within a year of Stupak's announcement, the construction on the tower began. On March 31, 1995, Stupak suffered a motorcycle accident, breaking every bone in his face and going into a coma. Although the initial prognosis

1190-503: A small trophy. The following year, a freeze-out format was introduced with a $ 10,000 buy-in, and the World Series of Poker was born. Binion's creation of the World Series helped popularize the game of poker, though he greatly underestimated how popular the World Series would become. In 1973, he speculated that eventually the tournament might have fifty or so entrants. However, by 2006, the tournament's main event (not including all of

1260-487: A small-time Dallas gambler, boiled over when Noble refused to increase his payoff to Binion from 25 to 40 percent. Binion posted a reward on Noble's life, which eventually reached $ 25,000 and control of a Dallas crap game. Noble survived numerous murder attempts, sometimes narrowly escaping with gunshot wounds. In November 1949, his wife was killed in a car bombing intended for him. In retaliation, Noble planned to fly his private plane to Las Vegas to bomb Binion's house, but

1330-532: A widely publicized million-dollar wager on Super Bowl XXIII . Later that year, he won the Deuce to Seven Lowball championship bracelet at the World Series of Poker and the Super Bowl of poker at Caesars Palace, both times edging out world-renowned lowball poker legend Billy Baxter for the championship. One of Stupak's most talked about promotions came when he paid a daredevil one million dollars to jump off

1400-614: A year due to licensing problems. In 1949, he opened the Westerner Gambling House and Saloon, but he soon sold out after conflicts with his casino partners. In 1951, Binion purchased the Eldorado Club and the Apache Hotel, opening them as Binion's Horseshoe , which immediately became popular because of the high limits on bets. He initially set a table limit of $ 500 for craps . As a result of outdoing

1470-612: A year of opening, Stupak was out as chairman of the board, and the project ultimately ended as a financial disaster. Stupak personally lost nearly $ 200 million. He continued to plan Vegas projects, including a purchase of the Moulin Rouge Hotel and a huge hotel shaped like the RMS Titanic , but these endeavors never bore fruit. Stupak appeared in the first season of the GSN series High Stakes Poker . He also appeared at

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1540-510: Is disputed as fact and is most likely a myth. Binion didn't operate a casino until 1951 in Las Vegas.) In 1970, after years of arranging heads-up matches between high-stakes players, Binion invited six players to compete in a tournament. Playing no-limit Texas Hold'em , the players competed for cash at the table, and later took a vote on who was to be named champion. Moss, then aged 63, was voted champion by his younger competition and received

1610-594: Is the only horse to capture the NCHA World Championship three years in a row. Binion died of heart failure at the age of 85 on December 25, 1989, in Las Vegas. Poker great " Amarillo Slim " Preston suggested as an epitaph, "He was either the gentlest bad guy or the baddest good guy you'd ever seen." He was posthumously inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1990. Bob Stupak Robert Edward Stupak (April 6, 1942 – September 25, 2009)

1680-540: The Dallas-Fort Worth area. In 1931, Binion was convicted of shooting and killing a rum-runner , Frank Bolding. In the 1940s he relocated to Nevada , where gambling was legal, and opened the successful Binion's Horseshoe casino in downtown Las Vegas . Benny Binion was born and raised in Pilot Grove , Texas , north of Dallas. His parents initially kept him out of school due to poor health. His father,

1750-568: The Four Queens , for $ 32 million. The $ 1 million casino floor display, once a free tourist photo attraction, returned in August 2008. With $ 10,000 bills no longer widely available, the new display contained 2,700 $ 100 bills, 34,400 $ 20 bills and 42,000 $ 1 bills. That display was closed in 2019 due to pandemic health restrictions and returned in 2023. The casino is 77,800 sq ft (7,230 m). On purchasing Binion's, TLC had announced

1820-620: The Prohibition Era . A year later Binion moved to Dallas and continued moonshining, for which he was twice convicted. While moonshining, Binion came into contact with Warren Diamond and became a dice dealer for Diamond's St. George Hotel casino on Commerce Street in Dallas. In addition to his moonshining, in 1928, Binion opened up an even more lucrative numbers game . In 1931, Binion was convicted of shooting and killing an African American rum-runner, Frank Bolding, "cowboy style." This

1890-513: The Casino Owner's Championship at Binion's Horseshoe, they were the first husband-and-wife combo to hold WSOP bracelets. Stupak ran for mayor of Las Vegas twice. In 1983, Stupak ran against then-current mayor William H. Briare , as well as six other candidates. Stupak came in second place, with 33.1 percent of the vote, losing to Briare, who attained 62.5 percent and won re-election. Stupak ran for mayor again in 1987, and clashed often with

1960-629: The Chateau Vegas restaurant near the Las Vegas Convention Center. Stupak bought a 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) parcel north of Sahara Avenue at Las Vegas Boulevard South. On March 31, 1974, Bob Stupak's World Famous Historic Gambling Museum opened. "The name was about 10 ft (3.0 m) longer than the casino", Stupak recalled years later. On May 21, an air conditioner caught fire and the building burned down. Two years later, Valley Bank's Perry Thomas loaned Stupak

2030-645: The Culinary Union obtained a court order authorizing the seizure of up to $ 1.9 million from the Horseshoe casino cage. The seizure took place on January 9; ultimately federal marshals and IRS agents seized $ 1 million in order to satisfy debts owed to the Southern Nevada Culinary and Bartenders Pension Trust Fund and to the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union Welfare Fund. The seizure effectively depleted

2100-427: The Horseshoe brand. Behnen became president of the Horseshoe while her husband, Nick, took over as manager. Behnen implemented several cost-cutting measures, most of which were unpopular with the gamblers. Among the most notable was the removal of the Horseshoe exhibit that held $ 1 million, having been sold to collector Jay Parrino, that had served as a backdrop for free pictures of visitors. She also made changes in

2170-500: The Horseshoe signed the collective bargaining agreement and agreed to pay the owed money. However, the Horseshoe fell behind on its payments, leading a federal judge to issue two separate judgments ordering the Horseshoe to pay over $ 1.5 million. The judgments gave the union the right to seize the money if regular payments weren't being met. However, the casino stopped making payments in June. After holding off numerous times, on December 5

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2240-525: The Horseshoe's bankroll, forcing it to close. A day later, the hotel was shut down as well, and Behnen reached an agreement with the Nevada Gaming Commission to keep the casino closed until its bankroll was replenished. A few days later, on January 23, Behnen reached a deal to sell the Horseshoe to Harrah's Entertainment . Days after the purchase by Harrah's closed, while retaining the Horseshoe and World Series of Poker brands, they sold

2310-493: The Horseshoe, he set the craps table limit at $ 500—ten times higher than any other casino in Las Vegas at the time. Ultimately, Binion's raised the table limit to $ 10,000 and even eliminated table limits completely at times, which was an immediate hit. Unlike other casinos, the emphasis at Binion's was on gambling, not on big performing acts. The casino was also very egalitarian; there were no private pits for high rollers . Other members of Binion's family were involved in

2380-660: The Las Vegas Planning Commission and the Las Vegas City Council unanimously approved the renaming of one block of Baltimore Avenue as Bob Stupak Avenue. The renaming occurred on Stupak's birthday, April 6, 2016, as part of a 20th anniversary celebration held for the Stratosphere on the property's south side, near the corner of Baltimore Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard. A community center and a park named after Stupak are located near

2450-638: The Southland Syndicate. By the end of 1936, Binion had gained control of most gambling operations in Dallas, with protection from a powerful local politician. He ran a famous casino known as the Top O' Hill Terrace in Arlington , as well as a horsetrack. These venues, in addition to other smaller ones in Arlington, attracted celebrities from around the nation. By the early 1940s, he had become

2520-519: The Stratosphere. The community center was opened in 1992, and was demolished in 2010, to be replaced by the new Stupak Park. A new Stupak Community Center was opened on January 4, 2010. The new facility is 34,183 square feet and cost $ 7.5 million to construct. The community center celebrated its 25th anniversary in January 2017. On his passing, in 2009; College of Southern Nevada history professor Michael Green observed that "The best way to describe him

2590-592: The Vault casino at 22 Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas and changed its name to Glitter Gulch, which opened in October 1980. A cowgirl sign above named Sassy Sally, later Vegas Vickie, became well-known as the 1994 mock bride of Vegas Vic sign at the Pioneer Club. The sign (subsequently, above strip club Girls of Glitter Gulch) was dismantled in 2017 for redevelopment of the site, and the 20-foot Vegas Vickie sign

2660-480: The casino. His sons, Jack and Ted , supervised the games, while his wife, Teddy Jane, kept the books until her death in 1994. Benny served time in Leavenworth Penitentiary from 1953 to 1957 for tax evasion. He sold a majority share of the casino to fellow gambler and New Orleans oilman Joe W. Brown to cover back taxes and legal costs. It was generally understood, however, that Brown was only

2730-431: The competition he received death threats, although eventually casinos raised their limits to keep up with him. Additionally, the Horseshoe would allow a bet of any size from a player, as long as the player's subsequent bets were no larger than the player's initial bet. Binion was in the vanguard of Las Vegas casino innovation. He was the first in the downtown Glitter Gulch to replace sawdust-covered floors with carpeting,

2800-412: The distribution of the money from the entry fees in the World Series of Poker that were unpopular with the casino dealers and closed a popular restaurant in the casino. Benny had used one of the tables in the restaurant as his office. Despite these measures, the Horseshoe became bogged down in debt. Under her father and brothers, the Horseshoe had reportedly been the most profitable casino in Las Vegas (it

2870-475: The entry fees. Every year during the NFR there is a large rodeo stock auction called "Benny Binion's World Famous Bucking Horse and Bull Sale." Binion was also the owner of a horse named "Nigger" (later referred to as "Benny Binion's Gelding") who was the 1946, 1947 and 1948 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) World Champion. Bred by Binion, ridden and trained by George Glascock, the solid black 15 hand gelding

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2940-450: The first to dispatch limousines to transport customers to and from the casino, and the first to offer free drinks to players. Although comps were standard for high rollers, Binion gave them to all players. He also shied away from the gaudy performing acts typical of other Las Vegas casinos. Binion was known to be generous to patrons, and said he followed a simple philosophy when serving his customers: "Good food, good whiskey cheap, and

3010-526: The grounds that Binion had acted in self-defense . Two years later, Binion and associates allegedly killed Sam Murray, another of his competitors in the gambling rackets. Binion was never indicted for this murder, and charges were dropped against his associates. In the same year as the murder of Frieden, Binion established a network of private dice games at several Dallas hotels, including the Southland Hotel in downtown Dallas. This came to be known as

3080-425: The hotel is undergoing renovations. Binion's was featured in a 2019 episode of Ghost Adventures . 36°10′17″N 115°8′40″W  /  36.17139°N 115.14444°W  / 36.17139; -115.14444 Benny Binion Lester Ben Binion (November 20, 1904 – December 25, 1989), better known as Benny Binion , was an American casino operator who established illegal gambling operations in

3150-435: The media. During the campaign, Stupak released financial documents that indicated his net worth at about $ 54 million. Stupak almost succeeded in being elected mayor. After defeating a dozen other candidates in the primary, Stupak forced an incumbent city council member into a runoff general election contest. Following what many believed was a tampered vote count, Stupak lost the election. In 2006, Stupak unsuccessfully ran as

3220-580: The mid-1990s, Stupak was inducted into the Gambling Hall of Fame. Stupak's unique promotions included the world's first one quarter million dollar jackpot followed shortly thereafter by the world's first million dollar jackpot. He also was wildly successful with his direct-mail marketing called the "Vegas Vacation Club" that enticed vacationers to Vegas World with what was almost a cost-free vacation package including room, meals, and vouchers for casino play. Participants returned year after year and spread

3290-429: The most difficult decision of his life as he had never had a partner and was always sole owner. The tower opened in late April 1996, making it the third most expensive casino development in history at the time. Singer Phyllis McGuire , Stupak's paramour, pronounced the grand opening "a Stupakular night". Two months later, Stupak rolled the final dice at The Sands, on June 30, prior to its demolition that November. Within

3360-406: The operation of the casino and renamed it Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel . MTR remodeled both the casino and hotel after the purchase. A notable feature of the remodeling was to replace the casino's worn carpet with surplus carpeting that Benny Binion had stored since initially carpeting the casino. In July 2005, Binion's hosted the WSOP main event for the last time. The tournament had outgrown

3430-478: The other events) would have 8,773 entrants. Binion never forgot his Texas roots and was a key player in getting the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) to move to Las Vegas. He never forgot the cowboys after they arrived; he always paid the entry fees for all of the cowboys for their championship event. When the casino closed, Boyd Gaming took up the tradition that Binion started by continuing to pay all

3500-521: The physical property and the Binion's brand on March 11, 2004, to MTR Gaming Group . Binion's reopened in April 2004, with MTR Gaming operating the hotel and Harrah's Entertainment operating the casino, while MTR Gaming completed the process of acquiring the required gaming license . Harrah's continued to operate the casino under a temporary contract until March 11, 2005, when MTR officially took control of

3570-467: The reigning mob boss of Dallas, and was seeking to take over the gambling rackets in Fort Worth . The local mob boss of that city, Lewis Tindell, was murdered shortly afterwards. With the 1946 election of Steve Guthrie as sheriff of Dallas County , Binion lost his fix with the local government and fled to Las Vegas , Nevada. Shortly afterward a long-running feud between Binion and Herbert Noble,

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3640-405: The rooms as a new boutique hotel called Hotel Apache. The hotel was designed with "vintage-style furnishings reminiscent of the original Hotel Apache that opened in 1932". The hotel opened on July 29, 2019. The 1971 James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever has a chase scene showing the Horseshoe several times. The music video for U2 's 1987 song, " I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For ",

3710-483: The space at Binion's, and Harrah's wanted to host it at one of its properties. In 2005, all events, except the final three tables of the main event, were played at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino . The casino still retains a large poker area and features displays on the Poker Hall of Fame as well as previous WSOP Champions. On March 7, 2008, MTR sold the hotel-casino to TLC Casino Enterprises, owner of

3780-424: The top of Vegas World, then charged him a $ 990,000 landing fee. In 1990, Stupak approached the mayor and city council with a plan to build the largest free-standing sign in the world. His plan was for an 1,800-foot-tall neon sign that would tower over Las Vegas. Then-Councilman Steve Miller , an airline instructor pilot, convinced Stupak to redesign the structure to include an observation deck. Miller took Stupak for

3850-587: The word until hotel occupancy was 100% year round. Vegas Vicki was given a new home and namesake cocktail lounge at Circa Resort & Casino. In 1987, Stupak was considering the purchase of a local television station, as well as starting a weekly newspaper. In 1988, Stupak was the chairman of the newly formed Committee for Olympics in Nevada, and advocated for the Summer Olympic Games to be held in Las Vegas in 1996 or in 2000. In 1989, Stupak won

3920-467: The world. In 1988, the Horseshoe expanded by acquiring The Mint , a high-rise hotel on the west side of the casino. The expansion of the casino from this purchase provided room for Binion's first poker room . Ted was under constant scrutiny from the Nevada Gaming Commission from 1986 onward for drug problems and associating with known mob figure "Fat Herbie" Blitzstein . He would ultimately be banned from even entering his family's casino. In 1998, he

3990-467: The world. The accident was only three weeks after Stupak agreed to bring in fellow poker player buddy Lyle Berman and his company Grand Casinos in as investors in the project, in large part due to the $ 550 million in capital they agreed to invest. This was Grand Casinos' big opportunity to enter the Las Vegas market due in large part to the overwhelming success in the Indian gaming market. Stupak called this

4060-612: Was a dispute with the unions that represented some of the Horseshoe's employees. In November 2002, the Culinary Workers Union and Bartenders Union filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that Behnen hadn't signed a collective bargaining agreement and had fallen behind on medical insurance and pension payments. The parties reached a settlement in March 2003 in which

4130-500: Was also mentioned in "Chum Goes AWOL", a second season episode of the History Channel reality television series Pawn Stars , which aired in 2010. A reality series, Casino Confidential which airs on DTour , gives a behind-the-scenes look at the Binion casino. In the 2013 film Last Vegas , the protagonists attempt to check in to Binion’s in an attempt to recreate a bachelor party from decades earlier, only to learn

4200-499: Was an entrepreneur who became a Las Vegas casino developer and owner. He was also a poker player, winning titles at the World Series of Poker and the Super Bowl of Poker. He also competed on the World Poker Tour, and various other tournaments, as well as cash games, including High Stakes Poker on GSN . He once played a computer for half a million dollars and won. Bob Stupak was the son of Chester and Florence Stupak. He

4270-679: Was born in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania . Chester Stupak ran a dice game called the Lotus Club in Pittsburgh for over 50 years. Stupak as a teenager was mainly interested in motorcycle racing, and once ranked third in the world after breaking a speed record. Following army service at Fort Knox , Stupak started a coupon book company in 1964, at age 22, offering two-for-one restaurant discounts, which he relocated to Australia in 1965. Stupak moved back to Las Vegas in 1971, where he purchased

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4340-483: Was filmed on Fremont Street and features several views of Binion's. Binion's makes a brief appearance in the 1997 Chevy Chase comedy, Vegas Vacation In 2005, the outside of the hotel (along with its famous former "Horseshoe" logo) is featured prominently in the music video for Snoop Dogg 's 2005 single, " Signs " featuring Justin Timberlake . The hotel was seen in the 2007 film Lucky You . Its history

4410-733: Was given a new home and namesake cocktail lounge at the new Circa Resort & Casino . Stupak donated $ 100,000 to the United Negro College Fund in exchange for a chance to play with the Harlem Globetrotters . He got his wish, and his appearance on the court in a Globetrotters uniform during one of their games shooting hoops made international news. Then, taking a page from Donald Trump with his Trump board game , Stupak came up with his own board game he called Stupak after Trump declined his million dollar challenge for charity playing Trump: The Game . In

4480-472: Was inducted posthumously into the Poker Hall of Fame for his contributions to the game. Binion and his wife, Teddy Jane, had five children: two sons, Jack and Ted , and three daughters. Jack and Ted took over as president and casino manager, respectively, in 1964. Benny's wife, Teddy Jane, managed the casino cage until her death in 1994. In 1998, Binion's daughter, Becky, took over the presidency after

4550-450: Was privately held, so it never had to report its earnings). Behnen also attracted the attention of the state regulators by failing to keep sufficient funds available to pay winners in the casino cage. Bob Stupak also drew negative publicity to the casino when he tried to redeem $ 250,000 in $ 5,000 casino tokens , some of which were stored in the casino's own safe deposit boxes , and Behnen refused to honor them. Behnen's undoing, however,

4620-478: Was restrained by local law enforcement before he could execute his plan. In August 1951, as Noble drove up to his mailbox, a bomb exploded nearby, killing him instantly. Binion lost his Nevada gaming license in 1951, and was sentenced to a five-year term in 1953 at Leavenworth federal penitentiary for tax evasion . In Las Vegas, Binion became a partner of the Las Vegas Club casino, but left after

4690-521: Was stripped of his gaming license for his continued association with Blitzstein. He was forced to sell his 20% interest to his younger sister, Becky. In 1998, Becky Behnen acquired a controlling interest in the casino following a protracted legal battle with her older brother Jack. The battle ended with Jack being bought out while retaining a 1% interest in the casino so that he could retain his Nevada gaming license. Jack moved on to focus on Horseshoe Gaming Holding Corporation , running other casinos under

4760-475: Was that he would not survive, Stupak's next of kin, son Nevada Stupak, approved a non-FDA-approved experimental drug to reduce the swelling to his head and brain. Stupak recovered, although with lingering health problems. At the time of his motorcycle crash, Stupak was developing what had become known as Stratosphere Las Vegas , the largest structure west of the Mississippi and a top 10 tallest structure in

4830-402: Was the origin of Binion's "Cowboy" nickname. He received a two-year suspended sentence. In 1936, Binion and an associate killed a numbers operator and competitor, Ben Frieden, emptying their pistols into him. Binion then allegedly shot himself in the shoulder and turned himself in to police, claiming that Frieden had shot him first. Binion was indicted , but the indictment was later dismissed on

4900-458: Was under scrutiny from the Nevada Gaming Commission from 1986 onwards for his involvement in drugs and associating with organized crime figures. Ted's gaming license was revoked in 1989, and he died in mysterious circumstances about a decade later. Ted's live-in girlfriend, Sandra Murphy, and her lover, Rick Tabish, were charged and convicted of murdering Ted, but the verdict was later overturned. They were retried and acquitted . Ted Binion had

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