His parents decided to let him accompany his father on journeys as a horse trader, hoping the outdoor life would restore his health. He was one of the boosters who made Las Vegas the home of the National Finals Rodeo.īinion did not merely create tourist attractions, but was so famously colorful that he personally became one.īorn in 1904 in Grayson County, Texas, about 60 miles north of Dallas, Binion was seriously ill often as a child.

He and his sons changed poker from a kitchen-table pastime into an important casino game. He forced gambling houses to change from sawdust joints to classy, carpeted casinos. In some 40 years operating Las Vegas casinos, Binion injected courage into an industry too timid to take a high bet.

The Binion statue suggests Las Vegans value the Western traditions of individuality, fairness and a good gamble. There’s Rafael Rivera, said to be the first white man to find the Las Vegas Valley, and there’s Benny Binion, said to be the first to give gamblers a fair shot at winning big. Men and cities can be judged by their heroes, and it tells you something of Las Vegas that there are only two historic equestrian statues in the city.

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