‘Year one’ employees recall colorful history of Caesars Palace

Old Vegas used to be so politically incorrect, cocktailers greeted VIPs at a private airport holding signs reading, “I am your slave.”

“It’s just unimaginable” to think of how Vegas and America operated back then, Jay Sarno Jr. said after remembering those signs.

On Friday, Sarno, son of Caesars Palace founder Jay Sarno, helped celebrate the careers of four employees who have worked at Caesars for 50 years.

They’re called “Year One” employees, and they were treated to 50 roses each and a buffet of sushi and briquettes in front of reporters in a private Caesars Palace buffet room.

“Your father knew everybody by name,” Year One employee Pete George affectionately told Jay Sarno’s daughter Heidi Sarno-Strauss over brunch as she leafed through an old family photo album.

Heidi wondered why the album had a note reading, “From the no-good bum.”

Jay Jr. explained it was a flowers note their father wrote to their mother when he’d get thrown out of the house.

Other ways Vegas has changed since Caesars opened: There used to be fur shops in every hotel, they said.

“Even Sammy Davis Jr. came in with a mink coat,” George said.

Heidi wanted to know if the Year One employees had known Jimmy Hoffa, the still-missing labor leader. Answer: Yes.

“He was a good labor guy,” said Jim Dunbar, who has negotiated labor contracts with Caesars.

In the pre-tech days, Benny Figgins said, there was only one guy with “glasses” (binoculars) who worked as Caesars’ “eye in the sky,” keeping a lookout for cheats. To fill that job, hotels hired ex-cheats, because, “no one knows a cheat like a cheat,” Jay Jr. said.

What happened to cheats after they got caught?

“I can only laugh” at that question, Figgins said after laughing at that question.

Tips used to be bigger. About 30 years ago, George got a $2,500 tip from “Sinatra’s people” (that’s roughly $7,500 in 2016 dollars); Pam Price once got a tip of chips so big, it was “enough to buy a car”; and Dunbar had a scam artist open a bag full of real money clumps and said to Jim and others to “just reach in there and get one of those” clumps, amounting to $5,000 (around $16,000 in 2016 dollars) but divvied down to $400 for Jim.

In the old days, men wore suits or they’d be denied hotel entry; the most expensive meal-show combo was $12.50; and the Strip was so small, employees remember Freddythe homeless guy who dressed like a prospector and stood on Las Vegas Boulevard.

George said Steve Wynn sold wine at Caesars and told everyone to keep the corks and take them to a store to turn in for free bottles, much like Green Stamps.

FYI: Year One employee Johnny O’Connell couldn’t make the brunch but I didn’t want to leave him out.

These Year One employees — who will be further honored Saturday at a black-tie, invite-only gala celebrating 50 years of Caesars and other decades-long workers — seemed to enjoy brunch.

Then they went back to work.

SCUTTLEBUTT

Caesars Palace President Gary Selesner told the Year One employees the hotel is renovating the Seahorse Lounge, a tower, villas, and making the Roman Plaza look more like a piazza.

As for historic Cleopatra’s Barge?

“We’re working on a deal to bring a famous nightlife/name/club from L.A.,” he said. “The deal’s not done yet, or I’d tell you what the name is, but the intent is to keep the bar.”

Current headliner Matt Goss is part of that project, helping attract celebrities, Selesner said.

“There’s a lot of young celebrities that hang out in this (L.A.) club, so we’re hoping to inject more youth into this property,” Selesner said.

If you know what Selesner is talking about, post it in the comments section online.

Selesner was at the Year One event briefly, standing behind a podium, thanking the employees, and telling them the last time he approved 50 free roses it was for Celine Dion.

SIGHTINGS

NBA player Ty Lawson took friends to Tao nightclub Thursday for a Juicy J concert.

Chris Harrison, of “The Bachelor,” “Bachelorette” and “Who Wants to Be A Millionaire,” rode the High Roller with son Joshuaand daughter Tayloron Wednesday, after eating at Giada in the Cromwell.

Doug Elfman can be reached at delfman@reviewjournal.com. He blogs at reviewjournal.com/elfman. On Twitter: @VegasAnonymous