David G. Schwartz (Faculty Affairs) recently published an essay on Desert Companion's DC Blog examining how Las Vegas recovered from a pair of deadly fires in 1980/81 that shook public confidence in high-rise safety, particularly in Las Vegas.

David G. Schwartz (Faculty Affairs) recently had a paper based on his keynote address published as a chapter in the proceedings of the Eighth International Conference of the Faculty of Foreign Languages of Alfa BK University in Belgrade, Serbia. “To Stand the Test of Time: A Close Reading of Sid Meier's Civilization V as Text” examines the…

David G. Schwartz (Faculty Affairs) recently published an essay in Desert Companion on the deeper meaning of the COVID-19 shutdown for Las Vegas, examining how, over its 115-year history, the city has embraced a variety of "essential" roles, the latest of which was hospitality and entertainment capital. But what happens to the world's most…

Melissa Bowles-Terry (Faculty Affairs) has been chosen as the 2020 recipient of the Library Instruction Round Table Librarian Recognition Award. The Library Instruction Round Table is a part of the American Library Association. The Librarian Recognition Award was created to recognize an individual’s contribution to the development,…

David G. Schwartz (Faculty Affairs) recently hosted a conversation with Las Vegas musical legend Frank Leone at the Clark County Library. Leone, who arrived in Las Vegas in 1967 to work as a pianist, conductor, and musical director, accompanied many of the era's top entertainment draws: Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Steve and Eydie, Red…

David G. Schwartz (Faculty Affairs) recently traveled to London to deliver a series of three lectures as part of a Cass Business School (City University, London) MBA elective program on strategic marketing in Las Vegas. The lectures, in addition to assigned readings, provided a framework that the students will use when they visit Las Vegas in…

David G. Schwartz (Faculty Affairs) recently published a commentary on CDC gaming reports, "Why Change in the Gaming Industry Should Never Surprise Anyone." The column, which draws on the history of the gaming industry, the writings of Nassim Nicholas Taleb, and even the lyrics of Rush, offers perspective on recent and pending changes in the…

David G. Schwartz (Faculty Affairs) recently presented a paper called "Pitiless Cruelty: Cynicism, Capitalism, and Gambling in the Work of Mario Puzo" at the  32nd annual Far West Popular Culture Association/American Cultural Association Conference, which was organized by chair Felicia Campbell (English) and program coordinator Chantelle…

David G. Schwartz (Faculty Affairs) recently gave an invited presentation to a visiting management group from London's Hippodrome Casino. The talk, “Parallels between the United Kingdom and Las Vegas Gaming Markets, 1950 to Now," positioned the current UK gaming market in the context of past and current trends in Las Vegas, and offered…

David G. Schwartz (Faculty Affairs) was the featured speaker at the October meeting of the Italian-American Club of Las Vegas. His talk, "A History of Italian-Americans in Las Vegas, with a Focus on Hospitality," was warmly received, and by popular demand he delivered additional remarks about current issues in the gaming industry. A robust…

David G. Schwartz (Faculty Affairs) recently had an article published in the Nevada Historical Society Quarterly. “Torchbearers Eastward of the Pacific, into the Darkness of This Wasted Land: Themes of Western History in the Postatomic Mojave of Fallout: New Vegas,” examines how elements of real-world Western history are reflected in the…

David G. Schwartz (Faculty Affairs) presented a talk, "Jay Sarno's Wild Ride" as part of the Clark County Library's Las Vegas Stories series. The event attracted a number of notable figures, including associates and relatives of Mr. Sarno, who was the subject of Schwartz's 2013 biography Grandissimo: The First Emperor of Las Vegas.