Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Book corrects story of Vegas & Bugsy

Ruthe Deskin

Thursday, March 23, 2000 | 9:28 a.m.

Ruthe Deskin is assistant to the publisher. Her column appears Thursdays. Reach her at deskin@vegas.com.

"The Man Who Invented Las Vegas."

That is the title of a paperback I just finished reading and, lo and behold, the Man wasn't Bugsy Siegel.

For years I have been turned off by movies and TV specials that credit the late and little lamented Benjamin Siegel as the first person to realize the great potential of the Las Vegas Strip.

The myths that have developed around the tough and arrogant Siegel are legendary. But to credit him with the original inspiration to build a hotel-casino in the dusty Nevada desert is misleading.

According to this very well-documented story by the subject's son, it was a well-heeled gambler, notorious publisher and nightclub owner, Billy Wilkerson, who originally saw a future for a glamorous hotel in the desert a few miles out of Las Vegas. Siegel came on the scene at a later date, when Wilkerson was strapped for funds and sought help from G. Harry Rothberg to fund the project. The invasion by the Mob was slow and subtle.

I thought I had quite a bit of information about Las Vegas' history, but I really didn't have a clue about the actual construction of the Flamingo hotel and a fellow named Billy Wilkerson, who became the inspiration for the modern Strip.

Wilkerson, who published the Hollywood Reporter and owned popular nightclubs, was a prime candidate for Gamblers Anonymous. He was an obsessive high-stakes gambler who finally decided his only salvation was to run a casino. He made the decision after a highly nonproductive foray into existing Las Vegas casinos.

If the claims made by the author are all true, and he seems to have done his homework with documentations and interviews, then a fellow by the name of W.R. "Billy" Wilkerson was the man who invented Las Vegas -- not Bugsy Siegel.

Surely there must be some old-time Las Vegans who remember the dapper Wilkerson and can set the record straight.

Incidentally, the book is a short read, interesting and chock-full of Strip history.

An Associated Press story out of Tucson claims the Arizona city is losing its battle against so-called killer bees.

Here in Las Vegas authorities are doing everything possible to warn residents of the dangers posed by the Africanized honey bees. Channel 4 recently presented an excellent program detailing the methods one should use to escape an attack and avoid the bees. Featured were a young lady from the Agriculture Department, a member of the Clark County Fire Department and a young man who is in the exterminating business.

The program should be repeated several times for those who might have missed it.

Sometimes animal protection groups come up with some weird ideas. The Actions for Animals Network is encouraging the drinking of beer, not milk, because the production of milk causes animals tremendous suffering. Are they suggesting those milk ads featuring famous faces with a milky white moustache be changed to show an upper lip lined with beer foam?

There are thousands of Nevada residents who would like to see the whole issue of nuclear waste dumping go away.

Sun reader Helen Cecil is one who adamantly opposes the dumping of any kind of waste in Nevada.

"Do they expect us to have a parade and bring out balloons when the trucks arrive here?" she asks.

The best thing for all Nevadans is to continue to dig in our heels and battle any efforts to make our state the nation's dumping ground.

The lady on the phone was irate.

She complained of having been asked for identification when she presented a credit card in payment of merchandise.

As a longtime customer of the department store, she was miffed that she should be asked for identification other than the card.

I had to disagree politely with the caller. If the store is trying to protect my credit card from fraudulent use, I am grateful for this extra precaution.

Just so long as they ask with a smile.

Reminder: April 15 is less than a month away. That's the day we all pay Uncle Sam for the privilege of living in the good old U.S.A.