Washoe County Library System

"The “Starlight Hotel-Casino” is the story of a troubled family business doomed to fail and the stressful dynamics among its members and key employees during the collapse. It describes the inner workings of the casino business and the demise of Reno as a major player in the industry; unable, as it was, to meet the triple threat of Las Vegas, Indian gaming, and the legalization of gambling throughout the United States and abroad."--

After Scott and Kate Johansen lose their daughter's college fund, they become desperate to earn it back so she can pursue her dream of attending a university. With the help of their neighbor Frank, they decide to start an illegal casino in his house.

A group of college students used its math skills to win millions and life in the fast lane seemed like a sure bet. Slip back to the '80s and '90s, when a group of overachieving M.I.T. students morphed into high-rolling, big-stakes gamblers. Backed by anonymous investors, they checked into hotels under assumed names and, pretending not to know each other, communicated with secret gestures and code words inside the casinos. Betting $50,000 a hand, the...