Binion's Horseshoe — Birthplace of the World Series of Poker (1951)

🎰 From Texas Outlaw to Downtown Legend

He killed at least three men in Texas. Then he invented the World Series of Poker.

In 1946, Dallas mob boss Benny Binion fled Texas with murder charges behind him. Five years later, he opened Binion's Horseshoe on Fremont Street and revolutionized Vegas: carpeted floors, free drinks for working-class gamblers, no-limit betting that trusted the common man.

In 1970, he founded the World Series of Poker. His prediction — "someday we may have a hundred people" — now draws 10,000+ annually.

📊 EDITION STRUCTURE

After Early Access, remaining editions will be available exclusively through international gallery partners at gallery prices (+50-60%).

👤 The Outlaw Who Built Modern Poker

BENNY BINION (1904-1989)

Second-grade education. Bootlegger. Illegal gambling operator. At least three murders in Texas (Frank Bolding 1931, Ben Frieden 1936, Sam Murray 1938).

Yet on Benny's 83rd birthday, Gene Autry and Willie Nelson serenaded him before 18,000 people. A bronze statue was erected downtown. America loves a redemption story.

🃏 Democratizing Gambling

Benny famously said: "Good food, good whiskey, good gamble — that's the Horseshoe way."

While Strip casinos catered to elites, Binion's welcomed cowboys, truckers, and everyday people. His innovations:

• Carpeted floors (casinos previously had sawdust)
• Free drinks for all players (not just high rollers)
• No-limit betting — any bet you could put on the table, Binion would cover
• The Million Dollar Display — 100 $10,000 bills in a golden horseshoe

This wasn't marketing. It was philosophy: trust the gambler, treat them fairly.

💡 8 Miles of Neon, 30,000 Bulbs

In 1961, architects Wayne McAllister and William Wagner collaborated with YESCO designers Herman Boernge, Kermit Wayne, Ben Mitchem, and Jack Larsen Sr. to create one of the largest neon displays in the world.

The building became "all sign with hardly any building" — exactly what Denise Scott Brown would celebrate in Learning from Las Vegas a decade later.

📅 Timeline

• 1951 — Benny opens Horseshoe Club
• 1961 — Iconic neon redesign (8 miles of tubing)
• 1970 — First World Series of Poker (7 players)
• 2004 — Binion family sells after 53 years
• 2016 — Photographed by Ludo Cazeba
• 2025 — WSOP draws 9,735 players

🖼️  Museum-Quality Mounting

• Archival pigment print on museum-grade photographic paper
• Face-mounted to optical acrylic with aluminum composite backing
  
• Professional hanging system included
• Strictly limited edition, signed and numbered by the artist
• Certificate of Authenticity included
• Produced by certified fine art laboratories
• Production time: 7-12 business days

❤️ Social Impact

10-15% of sales support The Neon Museum Las Vegas Sign Conservation Fund.

Photographs from The Neon Museum, Las Vegas collection.

📜 Certificate of Authenticity

• Numbered certificate signed by the artist
• Historical documentation (Benny Binion, WSOP history, YESCO designers)
• Edition number and total clearly stated

"The sign preserves more than neon: it captures American redemption, democratic values, and downtown's defiant authenticity against Strip spectacle."