In this interview, Burton Cohen discusses his involvement in the Las Vegas casino industry, including booking entertainment for various hotels.
Burton Cohen's long casino executive career began in the mid-1960s when he accepted a proposition to become involved with the transformation of the Frontier Hotel. He left his south Florida roots and law practice to become a co-owner/general manager of the Frontier Hotel. Thus, began his highly regarded Las Vegas presence. For nearly four decades he served in the management of some of the Strip's most famous casinos: Flamingo, Dunes, Circus Circus, Caesar Palace, Thunderbird and the Desert Inn, which remains his favorite. In this interview, Burt reflects on the positions he held, the celebrities he hired and befriended, and offers a unique look at the behind the scenes marketing and entertainment strategies that he helmed. He shares stories of becoming entrenched in casino operations, his reflections of union experiences, and even anecdotes about moving his mother to Las Vegas.
The February 1966 edition of The Saharan Magazine, a magazine created by the Sahara Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Headlines in the magazine include: "Sahara Winder Lineup: Kinds and DeCastros", "Canadian Tops Winners in Sahara Anniversary", "Sahara Airlines Attendance Soars Over 6,000 Mark", "Sahara Becomes "Shooting Headquarters" in 1966", and "Thunderbird Cash Binge!"