Abstract
Oral history interview with Chris Tonemah conducted by David Schwartz on June 08, 2015 for the Table Games Management Oral History Project. In this interview, Tonemah discusses her upbringing in Flagstaff, Arizona and attending dealing school in Las Vegas, Nevada. She remembers the switch to corporation ownership of Las Vegas casino properties, auditioning to deal at the MGM Grand, and the increase of women dealers during the 1980s. Tonemeh describes the MGM Grand fire and becoming a dealer at Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino. Lastly, Tonemeh discusses the opening of The Venetian, transitioning to the roll of pit boss, and changes she has experienced in card dealing.
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Scope and Contents Note
Oral history interview with Chris Tonemah conducted by David Schwartz on June 08, 2015 for the Table Games Management Oral History Project. In this interview, Tonemah discusses her upbringing in Flagstaff, Arizona and attending dealing school in Las Vegas, Nevada. She remembers the switch to corporation ownership of Las Vegas casino properties, auditioning to deal at the MGM Grand, and the increase of women dealers during the 1980s. Tonemeh describes the MGM Grand fire and becoming a dealer at Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino. Lastly, Tonemeh discusses the opening of The Venetian, transitioning to the roll of pit boss, and changes she has experienced in card dealing. Digital audio and transcript available.
Access Note
Collection is open for research. If use copies of the recordings do not exist, reformatting/production of use copies is required before access will be granted; this may delay research requests. Advanced notice is required.
Publication Rights
No release form is on file for this interview. The interview is accessible onsite only, and researchers must seek permission from the interviewee or heirs for quotation, reproduction, or publication. Please contact special.collections@unlv.edu for further information.
Preferred Citation
Chris Tonemah oral history interview, 2015 June 08. OH-02733. [Cite format consulted: Audio recording or Transcript.] Oral History Research Center, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Acquisition Note
The recorded interview and transcript have been made possible through the generosity of the UNLV University Libraries Advisory Board. In 2015, the Center for Gaming Research undertook a series of interviews with casino table games managers in order to capture the complexity and history of this position. This interview is part of that series.
Processing Note
Interview materials were processed by UNLV Libraries Special Collections and Archives in 2016. Karla Irwin wrote the collection description. This interview was transcribed and edited by UNLV Libraries Special Collections and Archives as part of an ongoing effort to transcribe legacy interviews. This interview transcript received minimal editing and all measures have been taken to preserve the style and language of the narrator. The interviewee/narrator was not involved in the editing process. A digital version (PDF) of the transcript is available for research use. Access copies were created for born-digital audio and/or transcript files. This interview was transcribed by Special Collections & Archives Technical Services in 2015.
Additional Description
Existence and Location of Copies
A bound transcript is available for use in UNLV Libraries Special Collections and Archives. See call number: HV6711 .T65 2016