Binion’s in downtown Las Vegas celebrates 65th anniversary
August 12, 2016 - 4:24 pm

People pass the exterior of Binion's hotel-casino at Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

People walk along Casino Center Avenue outside of Binion's hotel-casino in downtown Las Vegas on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto

Binion's $1 million display is seen Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Las Vegas. Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @ELIPAGEPHOTO

Mel Jones, who has worked for 35 years at Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel, 128 Fremont St., prepares a hamburger at the deli on Friday, Aug. 12, 2016. The downtown casino is celebrating its 65th anniversary. Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @jeffscheid

From left, an unidentified man, Teddy Jane (mother), Ted Binion, Jack Binion, Benny Binion (father), Brenda Binion, Barbara Binion, Becky Binion pose for a photo at the March of Dimes Banquet drive at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas on Jan. 1, 1948. In this Las Vegas News Bureau file photo they are photographed with a box of candy that was purchased at the fund drive for $700.00. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

Joe W. Brown, right, poses with bandleader Art Mooney, center and another man at Binion's Horseshoe hotel-casino in front of a display of 100 $10,000 bills in this Las Vegas News Bureau photo from Aug. 30, 1957. Brown owned the Horseshoe with the famous million-dollar display during this period. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

In this Las Vegas News Bureau file photo the Hotel Apache marquee is seen above the Horseshoe hotel-casino in downtown Las Vegas on Jan. 1, 1951. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

11/13/62 Horseshoe Hotel, Fremont Hotel construction downtown Las Vegas CREDIT: Las Vegas News Bureau

In this Las Vegas News Bureau file photo from Dec. 7, 1973, Chill Wills, center, and Novadeen Googe, right, pose with best man Benny Binion, at MGM Grand hotel-casino in Las Vegas two days after its opening. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

An aerial view of Binion's Horseshoe hotel-casino is seen on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas in this Las Vegas News Bureau file photo from Oct. 23, 1965. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

An aerial view of Binion's Horseshoe, Fremont, Golden Nugget hotel-casinos are seen on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas in this Las Vegas News Bureau file photo from Feb. 11, 1966. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

Fremont Street stops including Fremont, Horseshoe and Mint hotel-casinos, along with Trader Bills and El Portal, are seen downtown Las Vegas in this Las Vegas News Bureau file photo from March 8, 1968. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

In this Las Vegas News Bureau file photo, Benny Binion, standing, is seen at the World Series of Poker with winner Amarillo Slim Preston, at the end of table, Doyle Brunson, next to dealer and Puggy Pearson across from Brunson Doyle at Binion's Horseshoe in Las Vegas on May 17, 1972. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

The World Series of Poker at Binion's Horseshoe in Las Vegas is shown in this Las Vegas News Bureau file photo from May 18, 1974. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

1978 World Series of Poker winner Bobby Baldwin, left, is seen at Binion's Horseshoe in this Las Vegas News Bureau file photo from May 16, 1978. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

Benny Binion poses in this Las Vegas News Bureau file photo on his 79th birthday party at the Las Vegas Hilton in Las Vegas on Nov. 18, 1983. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

The Golden Nugget, Horseshoe and Union Plaza hotel-casinos are seen on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas in this Las Vegas News Bureau file photo from Jan. 4, 1985. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

The Golden Nugget and Horseshoe hotel-casinos are seen on Fremont Street in downtown Las Veas in this Las Vegas News Bureau file photo from Jan. 4, 1985. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

Benny Binion receives a kiss in this Las Vegas News Bureau file photo from Dec 10, 1985. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

Ralph Lamb and Benny Binion, left, pose together in this Las Vegas News Bureau file photo from May 5, 1980. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

Binion's Horseshoe Club Million Dollar Display is seen in this Las Vegas News Bureau file photo from Nov. 14, 1990. Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau

Mayor Oscar Goodman, center, poses with Binion's General Manager Tim Lager, left, and Binion's Owner Terry Caudill at the celebration of the return on Binion's million-dollar display in Las Vegas on Sept. 8, 2008. Bob Brye/Las Vegas News Bureau

The exterior of Binion's hotel-casino is shown along the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto

The exterior of Binion's hotel-casino is shown along the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto

The exterior of Binion's hotel-casino is shown along the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto

People take photos along Casino Center Avenue outside of Binion's hotel-casino, left, in downtown Las Vegas on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto

The exterior of Binion's hotel-casino is shown along the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto

A man walks by the exterior of Binion's hotel-casino at Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto

People walk outside of Binion's hotel-casino along First Street in downtown Las Vegas on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto

People pass the exterior of Binion's hotel-casino at Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto

People walk along Casino Center Avenue outside of Binion's hotel-casino in downtown Las Vegas on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto

Pedestrians walk by the historical Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Las Vegas. Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @ELIPAGEPHOTO

Patrons play poker in Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Las Vegas. Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @ELIPAGEPHOTO

A staff member works behind a window at Top of Binion's Steakhouse, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Las Vegas. Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @ELIPAGEPHOTO

Mel Jones, who has worked for 35 years at Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel, 128 Fremont St., pours a soda in the deli on Friday, Aug. 12, 2016. The downtown casino is celebrating its 65th anniversary. Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @jeffscheid

Binion's $1 million display is seen Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Las Vegas. Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @ELIPAGEPHOTO

Norma Goh, Big 6 dealer, deals the game in Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Las Vegas. Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @ELIPAGEPHOTO

The Mel burger named after deli chef Mel Jones, who has worked for 35 years at Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel, 128 Fremont St., is seen on Friday, Aug. 12, 2016. The downtown casino is celebrating its 65th anniversary. Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @jeffscheid
Binion’s Gambling Hall can be described in one word — nostalgic.
In the 30 years that Mario Sandoval, a waiter for Top of Binion’s Steakhouse, has worked in the casino, he has seen entire generations of families come to eat and gamble.
“I’ve seen the grandmother who brought the mother, who brought the daughter, who brought granddaughter,” Sandoval said. “There’s so much history here.”
Binion’s, one of Las Vegas’ longest operating casinos at 128 Fremont St. in downtown Las Vegas, has withstood economic downturns and a turbulent history. It is celebrating its 65th anniversary this month and will have giveaways and food specials for guests throughout August.
Texas-native Benny Binion opened the Horseshoe Club, as it was originally called, on Aug. 14, 1951. Good food, good whiskey and a good gamble were the watchwords in Benny’s casino.
Benny Binion managed his property alongside his wife, Teddy Jane, who handled bookkeeping, and his two sons, Ted and Jack, who supervised the games.
Jack Binion, who became president of Binion’s in the 1960s, said Friday in an interview with the Review-Journal that his family treated the casino like their home and treated customers as they would any home guest.
“We always felt if you were going to have someone come into your home, you really wanted them to treat them special and in fact, all the employees were family members,” he said. “It’s impossible for a public company to duplicate that atmosphere.”
In 1970, the Horseshoe Club hosted the first World Series of Poker.
UNLV Center for Gaming Research Director David Schwartz said that even before the tournament came to the casino, Binion’s stood out on Fremont Street because of Benny’s philosophy.
“He had a greater tolerance to risk,” Schwartz said. “He would accept high bets.”
“His philosophy was ‘the sky’s the limit,’” Schwartz said. “In the early 1950s, most downtown casinos had a $50 max bet on craps. Binion’s was $500, but he’d even waive that if you asked.”
Looking back, Jack Binion said he can’t believe how conservative the gambling industry was at the time.
“My dad was always liberal and forced the town to become more liberal, and obviously created that much more demand for gambling,” he said.
Benny Binion went to prison for tax evasion in 1953, and handed over his company to fellow gambler and friend Joe W. Brown. An article by Center for Gaming Research notes that Benny Binion was still acknowledged as the rightful owner and regained full ownership of the property in 1964.
Since then, the Horseshoe has passed through many hands including Becky Binion Behnen, Benny’s daughter, who became owner after a drawn-out legal battle.
In 2008, TLC Casino Enterprises bought the casino and general manager Tim Lager said they’ve worked slowly to repair and renovated the historic property. TLC has installed new carpeting, redesigned the poker room, added two outdoor bars and a showroom for entertainment acts, and brought back the Million Dollar display that was originally introduced under Joe W. Brown’s ownership.
However, long-time employee Mel Jones said that in his 35 years at Binion’s, the biggest changes he has seen are not in the casino, but in the customers.
“Before, it was about the gambling,” Jones said. “Now it’s about the deal that people can get; they want the best deal.”
“Back in the day, we had the $2 steaks and we could afford to lose money in the food because you were getting it in the gaming, but now everything has to justify its own existence because the customer has changed so much,” he said.
Knowing this, Lager said that Binion’s has worked on improving the quality and presentation of their food and adding more entertainment.
Lager said that TLC is looking add more amenities such as an outdoor restaurant with a view of the Fremont Experience in the near future — all while staying true to Binion’s original rustic, Western theme.
He sees many more years ahead for Binion’s.
“Truly, I think the brand is so powerful, that when other people would have maybe went under, I think that helped carry us because people are very loyal to the Binion brand,” Lager said. “I think if we could survive the bad economy, we could survive anything.”
Contact Rocio Hernandez at rhernandez@reviewjournal.com or call 702-387-5208. Follow @rociohdz19 on Twitter.
KEY DATES
1951: Benny Binion opens the Horseshoe Club.
1953: Benny Binion goes to prison and “sells” the Horseshoe to Joe W. Brown.
1964: Benny Binion regains 100 percent ownership of the Horseshoe.
1970: The Horseshoe Club hosts the first World Series of Poker.
1988: The Horseshoe buys next-door casino, the Mint and expands property size.
1989: Benny Binion passes away on Christmas Day.
1998: Jack Binion surrenders ownership to sister Becky Binion Behnen.
2004: The Horseshoe closes, later bought by Harrah’s Entertainment, which changed the name to Binion’s Gambling Hall and Hotel. Harrah’s later sold the property to MTR Gaming but kept the rights to the Horseshoe and World Series of Poker names.
2008: TLC Casino Enterprises buys Binion’s Gambling Hall & Hotel from MTR Gaming.