Part Three: Beginner's Luck

I decided with all these hotels and casinos cropping up, I'd better grab some property for the Cap'n Wacky Hotel and Casino. I found one at a great location on the strip. It was an empty lot right there amongst the other casinos. Luckily, the owner happened to be at the location that day ­ I found him sleeping under some newspapers.

I take a good look at the future of Las Vegas.

He drove a hard bargain, but eventually we reached an agreement. I handed him the cash he demanded, and Amalgamated Humor was officially the owner of a large vacant lot in Las Vegas. Next, I decided, it was time to spread the word. I called around a few sign shops, and eventually I found one that wasnąt afraid to come to the empty lot I purchased (apparently some kind of sacred Indian burial ground). They came out and put up a sign to let the people of Vegas know the Cap'n Wacky Hotel and Casino would be coming soon.

Now, that took care of all the money I had budgeted to spend on the project while I was in Vegas, but fortunately, I was thinking ahead. I had also brought along the money my co-president R.J. White and I had set aside for giving out the first Amalgamated Humor Christmas bonuses in years.

I figured all I had to do was put in a little time in a casino and turn that money into enough to open up the biggest, brightest, wackiest casino on the strip.