Date: September 11, 2024, 12:03h.
Last modified on: September 11, 2024, 12:13h.
Never has a casino been more misnamed than Mr. Sy’s Casino of Fun. Fun was not what you found at this shady slot establishment, located in a strip mall across from the Stardust from 1962 to 1980.
What you did find a lot of at Mr. Sy’s were down-and-out seniors losing their Social Security checks one nickel at a time in a perpetual cloud of Marlboro smoke.
Mr. Sy was Seymore Husney, who funded his own casino by creating a coin display case for slot machines that gained popularity in the ’60s.
Without any ethical boundaries, Husney used planted customers to play his slots with the casino’s money and to cheer loudly when they won.
He also distributed numerous “super funbooks” at tourist spots along the Strip to lure in new customers. These books were filled with coupons for complimentary meals, drinks, and even rolls of nickels.
Husney was aware that people—particularly those who were poor, addicted to alcohol, or gambling—would come for a steak or $2 in nickels and end up losing all their money.
Prior to pursuing a career in comedy, Drew Carey, a native of Cleveland, spent four challenging years in Las Vegas, working as a bank teller and at a Denny’s located on the Strip.
At one point, he lived in a weekly motel room on Fremont Street with stained walls and neighbors who were involved in the sex industry.
“But I never reached a point of desperation to visit Mr. Sy’s,” he shared with long-time Las Vegas entertainment journalist Mike Weatherford for his 2001 book, “Cult Vegas.”
Mr. Sy’s Casino of Done
In 1979, the public discovered that Mr. Sy’s idea of fun included illegal activities with minors.
On June 14, 1979, his arrest and indictment for sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl two years earlier made headlines nationwide. Husney pleaded guilty and received a sentence of five years to life.
A year later, Husney’s lawyer, Devoe Heaton, successfully argued that his client hadn’t fully understood the terms of the plea agreement.
Husney’s sentence was reduced to probation and time already served. The residents of Las Vegas were outraged by this decision, which was extensively covered by local news outlets.
“I cannot express how remorseful I am,” Husney admitted to KVBC-TV/Las Vegas after his release. “I will be regretful for the rest of my days. I am ashamed of my first name, I am ashamed of my last name.”
Subsequently, his name vanished from public records. There are no Google or newspaper archives containing information on Seymore (or “Seymour,” as it was commonly misspelled) Husney following the disgraceful closure of Mr. Sy’s in 1980.
Since 1994, the former location of Mr. Sy’s has been converted into Kimchi Korean BBQ.
“Lost Vegas” is an intermittent Casino.org series that sheds light on the forgotten history of Las Vegas. Click here to explore other articles in this series. Do you know of an intriguing Vegas tale that has been lost to the past? Contact [email protected].