Oral history interview with Donald Brinkerhoff conducted by by Stefani Evans on September 30, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. He describes organizing the signature tree for The Mirage, building the Mirage volcano, taking the idea for Bellagio’s conservatory from the DuPont family’s Longwood Gardens, creating faux banyans in the Mirage atrium, creating the model for the Las Vegas Strip median, and building the mountain on Las Vegas Boulevard in front of Wynn Las Vegas to conceal the Cloud at the Fashion Show Mall.
Oral history interview with Julie Brinkerhoff-Jacobs conducted by Stefani Evans on September 30, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. Brinkerhoff-Jacobs talks about her childhood in Southern California and Europe, the history of Lifescapes International, how she came into the business, and how the company came to do most of the major projects on Las Vegas, Nevada Strip as well as other Clark County locations.
Oral history interview with Steve Keener conducted by David G. Schwartz on October 07, 2016 for the Slot Operations Oral History Project. Keener discusses his background in the slot positions at Tropicana Hotel, in Atlantic City and the Dover Down Hotel in Delaware. Keener also discusses the expansion of video over stepper, server-based gaming, and the increase in riverboat gaming. He also mentions the role of free play, skill-based, and 3D gaming being introduced into slot machines.
Oral history interview with Michael Mack conducted by Barbara Tabach on May 20, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Mack discusses his early memories in the Las Vegas, Nevada Jewish community, attending the Fifth Street School, and participating in activities with his friends. He also reminisces about going to the Flamingo Hotel with his parents to see floor shows.
Oral history interview with Elaine Cali McNamara conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee White on October 05, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. McNamara talks of being a teenager in Las Vegas, Nevada. She discusses her high school years and how she studied modeling in the evenings. Lastly, she talks of being a realtor in the early 1980s and serving as Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors vice president.
Oral history interview with Don Laughlin conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee White on October 10, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. Laughlin talks about owning multiple properties in the town of Laughlin, Nevada and the growth of the city.
Oral history interview with Dorothy Wright conducted by Claytee Wright on April 23, 2015 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Wright opens her interview by discussing her parents and their upbringings. She then describes her father's time in the Marines during World War II and his death a few years later. Wright then talks about her stepfather and her family's move to Las Vegas, Nevada for her stepfather's job at the Nevada Test Site. Wright describes moving away from Las Vegas to attend college in Washington and, returning to Las Vegas in 1968. She talks about attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, working for the Nevada Humanities Committee, and active African American civic groups in the 1970s. Wright ends the interview highlighting some of the major Las Vegas projects she wrote grants for including the Neon Museum and the Welcome to Las Vegas Sign.
Oral history interview with David Rohn conducted by David G. Schwartz on October 20, 2016 for the Slot Operations Oral History Project. Rohn discusses working in arcades and slots within properties such as Wildhorse Resort and Casino, and Midnight Rose Hotel and Casino. He then provides his philosophy on what he believes customers are looking for in casinos, and how slot operations have changed over time, particularly through ticket-in ticket-out and the use of free play.
Oral history interview with William Morgan conducted by David G. Schwartz on October 21, 2016 for the Slot Operations Oral History Project. Morgan discusses his background in slot repair and management, including his experiences in opening several properties such as the Aladdin Hotel and Casino and the Stratosphere Casino. He also mentions how the use of Wi-Fi technology could change the way games are played.
Oral history interview with Chris Giunchigliani conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee D. White on October 20, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. Giunchigliani talks about her career in the Nevada State Assembly, as a Clark County Commissioner, and as a Clark County School District special education teacher.