May 12 2006

Book Review: Whale Hunt in the Desert

by Megan Edwards
Whale Hunt in the DesertWhale Hunt in the Desert

Whale Hunt in the Desert: The Secret Las Vegas of Superhost Steve Cyr
by Deke Castleman

The word has become so mainstream now that most people know that it doesn’t take a big waistband to get labeled a whale in Las Vegas. The blubber’s in the bank, and the only other required attribute is a willingness to lay lots of it down on green felt. Although I will never come anywhere close to earning a cetaceous epithet, I am nonetheless fascinated by the world these megabuck gamblers inhabit when they come to Las Vegas. For this reason, I am forever grateful to Deke Castleman, who has succeeded in painting a vivid picture of who they are, why they come here, what they do when they get here, and how much money flushes through them in the process.

Although Castleman’s narrative focuses on the career of casino “superhost” Steve Cyr, his book tells a far bigger and more detailed story than the mere rise of a successful entrepreneur. This isn’t to say that Steve Cyr’s life story isn’t fascinating. Castleman traces his rise from Salina, Kansas, where his parents bought a Howard Johnson’s motel in 1966, to whale hunter on the Las Vegas Strip, where his career continues to evolve.

What makes this book so exceptional is that Castleman tells not only Cyr’s story, but also weaves a tapestry only someone with deep and broad knowledge of Las Vegas culture, history, and lore could create. As he traces the evolution of casino hosting through Steve Cyr’s circuitous career path, he also reveals fundamental trends in the development of Las Vegas itself and how casinos compete for big-buck players. Better yet, he captures what it all sounds, feels, and looks like.

I am not exaggerating when I report that I couldn’t put this book down until I had finished reading it. This is due in large part to Castleman’s terrific talent for vivid dialogue and including details that give his anecdotes the punch of a video documentary or a real-life tour. While I don’t consider myself an expert, I’ve read lots of books about Las Vegas. Many provide factual detail and colorful anecdotes, but I can’t think of one that does as good a job of capturing the juice along with the pulp. Yes, Steve Cyr is an inherently juicy subject, but in the hands of a lesser author, lots of flavor would have been lost.

In addition to learning about the super-duper suites, private jets, fancy food, front-row-center show tickets, hot babes, and other over-the-top goodies reserved for the highest of rollers, I was fascinated to learn about the wildly creative methods people like Steve Cyr have perfected to entice whales into their casinos. In telling the entertaining stories of brazen salesmanship, sneaky subterfuge, and outright bribery, Castleman also covers quite a bit of Vegas history and reveals how casinos rate a player’s value, keep track of his play, and attach his money if he tries to skip out on a debt. A whole galaxy of product and service providers is profiled in the process, from limo drivers and doormen to chefs and professional ladies. Steve Cyr is the focus, but Whale Hunt in the Desert is far more than one man’s story.

For the moment, Whale Hunt in the Desert tops my list of good books about Las Vegas. Packed with fascinating detail about Strip casinos, the characters and foibles of million-dollar players, and the activities of the professionals who kowtow to them, it’s almost stranger than fiction. But then, so is Las Vegas, which is why this book rings so true.

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