Former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, who is chairman of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s permanent host committee, addressed Destination Services Association members at their monthly luncheon held at Planet Hollywood Restaurant in the Forum Shops. He surprised everyone with the news that he’s turned author. His memoir “Being Oscar” is being published by Weinstein Books and will be in bookstores this year on June 4.
His book covers his childhood, law school and time as an infamous “mob lawyer.” He spoke about how he and his wife, current Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, moved to Las Vegas and said she was a good card counter. He told the story about his first mob client who gave him three dimes, which translated to 30 $100 bills. That was a lot of money and a turning point for Goodman, whose first office was above a flower shop on Las Vegas Boulevard and Bridger.
Goodman is a professed Las Vegas “downtown person.” He recalled with fond memories that his first jury trial was in the courthouse downtown that is now The Mob Museum, which just had its 200,000 visitor. Today, Oscar’s office is behind the bar in Oscar’s restaurant in The Plaza. “I licensed my persona,” he said.
In Q&A, he talked about how businesses are spring up organically downtown and critical mass is locating there. The Las Vegas Premium Outlets - North mall will add 30 new stores this year and the Downtown Grand, formerly the Lady Luck, should be flourishing in 2014.
While he knew he was preaching to the “tourism choir,” he thanked everyone for bringing business to Las Vegas and said, “We need to protect The Golden Goose.”
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