Irwin Kishner was born in 1933 in Brighton Beach, New York and lived there until he was 13 years old, when the family relocated to Miami, Florida. Irwin graduated from high school and went on to earn his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida in 1954 and his law degree from the University of Miami in 1958.

Arthur “Art” Sloan (1930-2019) was a philanthropist and a successful entrepreneur who ran multiple businesses that specialized in lighting and air conditioning. During his time in Las Vegas, Nevada, Sloan collected materials from casinos such as the Flamingo, El Rancho, and Hotel Last Frontier. These materials included ash trays, silverware, postcards, photographs, dice, playing cards, and casino memorabilia.