Interview with Morris "Moe" Dalitz by Brenda Baxter, on several dates in late 1977 to early 1978. In this interview, Dalitz talks about his business and career endeavors before coming to Las Vegas, which included a laundry service and military service. Dalitz partnered with Wilbur Clark and became a successful hotel and casino owner in Las Vegas, as well as a real estate developer with properties including the Boulevard Mall and Sunrise Hospital.
Moe Dalitz was born in Boston in 1899, and soon after his family moved to Detroit, Michigan and where his father started a linen supply company. In 1930, during Prohibition, Moe moved to Cleveland, Ohio and he became involved with the then-illegal liquor business. At the age of 41, Dalitz enlisted in the Army and was stationed at Governors Island. Moe was put in charge of laundries and dry cleaning because of his experience in the laundry business. He played an important role in creating mobile laundry units that were used in the front lines in North Africa. His ingenuity won him a non-combatant award for his "unusual interest, ingenuity and talents" applied during his service. At the end of war, Moe returned to Cleveland, where his partners were successfully carrying on their business. It was then that they decided to go into the casino-nightclub business, opening nightclubs in Ohio and Kentucky. A couple years later, Moe and his partners met Wilbur Clark and agreed to finance his inactive project in Las Vegas. Thus, in 1950, the Desert Inn Hotel and Casino opened, and Moe Dalitz ushered in a new era for the city. Moe and partners continued to elevate the sophistication of the Strip when they acquired the operating lease to, and later part ownership of, the Stardust Hotel and Casino. Moe was instrumental in bringing the French Lido de Paris show to the Stardust, which was considered the most spectacular nightclub show produced in Las Vegas at its time. In addition to his gaming industry ventures, Moe engaged in significant real estate development, along with partners Allard Roen, Merv Adelson and Irwin Molasky. Their projects included Sunrise Hospital, The Boulevard Mall and Las Vegas Country Club as well as La Costa Resort and Spa in California. At the time of the interview, Moe was involved with the construction of a downtown hotel and casino. Moe Dalitz was the recipient of the Humanitarian Award from the American Cancer Research Center, and supported the Variety Club and the Home of the Good Shepard, amongst other charities.
On February 26, 1979, collector Pete Wahlquist interviewed William McCullough (born May 9th, 1905 in Kansas City, Missouri) at his home in Boulder City, Nevada. In this interview, Mr. McCullough discusses moving to Nevada and working on the building of Hoover Dam (Boulder Dam). He also speaks about Boulder City during the time of building the dam, as well as the growth he has seen happen in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"There's nothing really authentic here. I'm kind of tired of the buffet already." In the early 1990s, Henry Hwang, recent emigrant from Taiwan, listened as his Los Angeles neighbors returned from gambling trips to Las Vegas and complained that they could find no good Chinese restaurants in the Entertainment Capital of the World. They continued to visit Las Vegas, but after two or three days they grew tired of buffet dining and searched in vain for a place to enjoy a good Chinese meal. Having been a businessman in Taiwan, Hwang recognized an opportunity. He envisioned creating a space in Las Vegas that would serve tourists and the local Asian population alike. It would have not only good Chinese restaurants, but it would also have top-brand Asian supermarkets. With his wife and two partners, Hwang set about to realize his vision. In this interview, Henry and his daughter, Sharon Hwang, talk about their lives in Taiwan and beginning anew in Las Vegas. They talk about Henry’s search for the right parcel in a good location and about working with the architect to create a center true to Tang dynasty architecture and symbolism. They also share the story of the Journey to the West as the cultural strength of the center and have held annual Chinese New Year celebrations to teach Chinese culture for 23 years. The elements of location, architecture, and culture combined to grow Chinatown Mall beyond Henry’s original idea and inspired other Asian businesses to locate nearby. West Spring Mountain Road became a bustling pan-Asian district that caters to many local and tourist communities as well as to Las Vegas’s hospitality industry. In 1996 Clark County officially designated the area as Chinatown District, and in 1999, Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn officially named as Chinatown the three-mile stretch of Spring Mountain Road from Las Vegas Boulevard to Rainbow Boulevard. Henry also shares his reasons for leaving Taiwan and pursuing life in Las Vegas. He, his wife, and one of the original partners still own Chinatown Mall, but Henry has ceded its operation to Sharon, who oversees and nurtures the Mall’s cultural and financial pillars equally. Sharon talks about the difficulty of entering Durango High School as a new immigrant and her wonderment at the give-and-take of classroom discussions. A member of Durango’s first graduating class, she recalls her time at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where she earned her B.A. degree in business administration in 1999. Sharon is proud of her father and mentor—his innovative thinking, business vision, and strong work ethic—and she is delighted to call Las Vegas home.